Serving, Sacrifice and......Salt

In Mark 9:49-50, Jesus said “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” Some manuscripts add “and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.”

The context in which Jesus said these words is in a discussion the disciples were having about 1) who is the greatest, and 2) no one else can join our “Jesus Club,” (see Mark 9:30-50). Jesus answered them quickly by saying that the one who desires to be first must be last and a servant of all, and that anyone who does good in the name of Jesus and is not against Him is for Him. Then Jesus immediately talks about sin—that if anyone makes any of those who love and follow Jesus to sin, then they should cut off the part of the body that causes them to sin because it is better to go into the Kingdom of God physically incomplete than go whole into Hell. At first glance, the first thought is, “Wow, that’s weird.” And then we quickly move to the thought, “Is Jesus telling us to mutilate ourselves?” Then we say, “I don’t get it, let’s move on to the next chapter!”

Before we breeze in to the next chapter, let’s look at meaning of “saltiness,” and uncover the meaning of all Jesus was saying. Jesus is making a reference back to Leviticus 2:13 where it says, “You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.” Salt is used as a preservative and for flavor. It is quite significant that the salt was added to every sacrifice that was offered in the Old Testament—it is a symbol of a deeper truth.

Jesus tells His disciples that they are the “salt of the earth,” (Matthew 5:13), and that they will be “salted with fire,” (Mark 9:49). Down at the essence of its meaning, Jesus is telling His followers that we are Living Sacrifices given for the benefit and inclusion of other people. Those who serve Jesus and are His disciples will sacrifice ourselves for the benefit of others—we serve them ahead of ourselves, and we refuse to do anything that will cause them to sin. Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation, He is saying that it is better to rid ourselves of what we have and anything we do if it causes someone else to miss out on what God has for them, and so that others can enjoy complete freedom in Jesus Christ. Our self-giving makes a way for them to enter into fullness instead of us barring the way to their freedom because we do certain things, (compare with 1 Corinthians 10:23-24). In short, our sacrifice to the Lord is to love others and to serve them so that they can succeed. These are “the greats” in the Kingdom of God. The saltiness offered with our self-sacrifice is a symbol of God’s character in us. God must characterize everything we do and everything we are as we offer ourselves to Him. He is love, and we are to love as He loves. What good is our worship and Sunday attendance if we don’t have this right in our lives? The greatest sacrifice and worship we could ever offer to God is to love and serve the people who He loves so deeply. Life is not about us. It is about Him. It is about others. The moment life becomes about ME, we’ve missed the point of it all.

Pastor Kyle Bauer

February 27

Leviticus 20:22-22:16 Mark 9:1-29 Psalm 43:1-5 Proverbs 10:18

If You Are Lacking Faith, Don't Worry And Ask Jesus For Help.

In the story of Mark 9:14-19 I'm motivated to shared with you, dear reader
and brother/sister in Christ, that sometimes in our Christian life we go
through moments when as we are looking for help in a situation it seems as
though our faith isn't enough and we feel desperate in our heart.
We live in a time where it seems like the super faith is everywhere. We
hear sermons and teachings where we learn that faith is something that is
easy to obtain. So much so, that it begins to look like a magic wand that
we can wave at a situation and it's fixed. However, faith goes beyond
simple theological formulas and it's a matter that often leaves us perplexed
when we go pray and ask God for something and that something doesn't come to us as quick as we expected it.
In the case of this man who took his son to the disciples, I'm left with a
very simple but very real lesson: when Jesus stated that if he believed, he
would have the solution to what he was asking, he realized that his faith
did not reach that level and then he did something about it. He asked Jesus
to help him in that area, and the marvelous thing is that Jesus helped him
and the man obtained his blessing.
When you feel like you don't have enough faith for something, simply ask the
Lord for help, let Him know that your faith is not big enough and to please
help you. When I realize that I'm lacking faith, I don't try to impress
God, I don't feel guilty because I'm a pastor, I simply ask the Lord to help
me lift up my faith, to help me because my faith level is low. That takes
away my stress, it takes away the anxiety and helps me to be transparent
with God, with myself and with the people around me.
Jesus is very generous to understand us and help us and give us a hand when
we need it.
I'm sure that as with the man in Mark 9, Jesus will understand you and me
when we say, Lord Jesus I wish I had all the faith in the world, but today
I find myself feeling low in faith, please help me and He will help you.
May you have a great Sunday here at Hillcrest Church! And remember that if
you lack faith, ask, don't worry, Jesus will help you.


Sincerely,




Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest




Levítico 20:22-22:16 Marcos 9:1-29 Salmo 43:1-5 Proverbios 10:18
Si a usted le falta fe, no se preocupe y pídale ayuda A Jesús.

El relato de Marcos 9:14-29 me motiva a decirle a usted amable lector y
hermano en Cristo que a veces en nuestra vida cristiana pasamos por momentos
donde al buscar ayuda para una situación que estamos viviendo, parece que la
fe no nos alcanza y entonces aparece la desesperación en nuestro corazón.
Vivimos en una época donde parece que la súper fe sobreabunda por todos
lados. Oímos mensajes, enseñanzas y predicaciones donde se nos da a
entender que la fe es algo muy fácil de obtener y que es tan fácil tenerla y
llega a parecerse como a una varita mágica que el hada usa para tocar algo,
y con solo un toque todo se resuelva. Sin embargo la fe va mas allá de
simples formulas teológicas y es un asunto que en muchos casos nos deja
perplejos cuando al orar y pedir algo del Señor, eso que estamos pidiendo no
viene tan rápido como esperamos.
El caso de este hombre que llevó a su hijo a los discípulos de Jesús me
gusta mucho porque me deja una enseñanza muy sencilla pero muy real y es
esta, cuando Jesús le afirmo que si podía creer iba a tener la solución a lo
que estaba pidiendo, el mismo se dio cuenta que su fe no llegaba a ese nivel
y entonces hizo algo, pidió que Jesús le ayudara en esa área y lo
maravilloso es que Jesús le ayudo y el hombre obtuvo su bendición.
Cuando usted sienta que no tiene la fe suficiente para algo, simplemente
pídale ayuda al Señor y dígale que su fe no esta lo suficiente grande y que
por favor le ayude. Cuando yo me doy cuenta que me hace falta fe, no trato
de impresionar a Dios, no trato de sentirme culpable por el hecho de que soy
un pastor, simplemente le digo al Señor que me ayude a creer, que me ayude a
levantar la fe, que me ayude porque me siento bajo de fe. Eso me quita el
estrés, me quita la ansiedad y me hace ser transparente con Dios, conmigo
mismo y con las personas que me rodean.
Jesús es muy generoso para entendernos y ayudarnos y darnos una mano cuando
lo necesitamos.
Estoy seguro que como a este hombre de Marcos 9 a ti y a mi Jesús nos
entenderá cuando le digamos, ³Señor Jesús quisiera tener toda la fe del
mundo, pero hoy me encuentro bajo en fe. Por favor ayúdame² y El te
ayudara.
¡Que pases un buen domingo en Hillcrest Church! Y recuerde si le falta fe,
pídala, no se preocupe que Jesús te ayudara.


Atentamente,


Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest

February 26

Leviticus 19:1-20;21; Mark 11:8-38; Psalm 42:1-11; Proverbs 10:17


"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray". Proverbs 10:17

Discipline is used to "teach a lesson" that has previously been ignored, disobeyed, or otherwise not learned. It can come in many forms, ranging from a spanking to jail time...depending on a person's age and the severity of their offense. Simply put, discipline is correction.

If a spaceship gets off course, the longer it stays that way, the further it travels from where it was headed. It doesn't take long to get past the point of no return because there won't be enough fuel to make a course correction. The results can be catastrophic.

When we get off the right path and steer towards temptation and sin, a life correction (discipline) is needed to get us headed back in the right direction. The longer we head the wrong way, the more difficult it may become to turn back. For some people, they never get the chance --- or take the opportunity --- before it's too late.

One of the best ways to stay on course is to carefully follow the map. God has laid out directions for walking the straight and narrow path that keep us with Him. "So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left...so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deut 5:32-33).

Today's verse in Proverbs points out an important reason to pay attention and respond to correction. The results don't just affect us. When we mess up, people watch to see how we handle things. If we humble ourselves and accept discipline and correction, it speaks well of our character and ultimately "shows the way to life".

But if we get defensive, arrogant or lash out when we're corrected, our behavior tarnishes the image of Christianity for those who watch us, and it can actually "lead them astray" by pushing them away from the Jesus they know we follow.

Heavenly Father, help me to stay on course, following the path You've set out for me. If I get off track and need discipline, cause me to receive it with grace and humility and make the necessary life corrections to get back in line with Your Word. In all that I say and do - even when I mess up - cause me to always bring honor to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Susan

February 25

Leviticus 16:29-18:30; Mark 7:24-8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16

Have you come along way?

What would you consider a long distance? From here to the moon, maybe LA to New York City, maybe from your pillow to the snooze button on the alarm clock. Many times a long distance has nothing to do with inches, yards or miles; have you ever felt far away from a loved one yet be standing right beside them. How about the times we feel far away from the Lord, yet we know He is present in our lives.

In our New Testament passage today, I see a large crowd with many different lives. Some have traveled for days, some may have just arrived, some might come prepared for a journey, some might have left everything to follow Jesus. Regardless of the life experience, each one had, they all ended up in this remote place with Jesus.
In verse 2 of chapter 8 our Lord says, "I have compassion for these people," what beautiful words may friends. Compassion is not simply acknowledging a persons need but it is becoming passionate enough to take action in the situation. Do you want Jesus to take action in your life? Have you come a long way?

Beloved friend, your need has been seen by the Lord and I believe He wants to do a miracle in your life. He may even use what you have in your hands (7 loaves, fish) to bless everyone around you today. Congratulations on your journey!

February 23

Great Needs Great Miracles

Leviticus 14:1-57 Mark 6:30-56 Psalm 40:1-10 Proverbs 10:11-12

God meets great needs with great miracles. I hope we can all look back in our lives at times of great need and celebrate God's miraculous intervention in meeting those needs. I believe the past couple of weeks at Hillcrest Church have been like that. The need was great and the provision to meet that need was even greater. We needed a financial breakthrough and it came as the people of the church united and brought forth an offering great enough that it had God's fingerprints on it.

In today's reading from the Gospel of Mark we have a story of great need and miraculous provision. It is the story also recorded in Matthew 14 and Luke 9. Mark brings the two accounts together, and if you read carefully, you will see the details from each of the other two gospel accounts included in this one. In fact, as you read through Mark's gospel in these days, you may well notice that Mark is always pulling together the other two gospels, including a few words here and a few there from each of them to form a sort of Readers Digest condensed version of the gospel. Mark eliminates most of what Matthew and Luke do not have in common, but he includes both of the accounts of Jesus' miraculous feeding of the crowds. God wants us to get this message. When the need is great, if we turn to Him, the opportunity for a miracle is there. We should not fear the need, we should not turn away from the opportunity to let God intervene through us to meet that need.

Notice how, as in the remarkable offerings that met the ministry needs of Hillcrest Church in the past weeks, the miracle here happens in the hands of the disciples. It is God's power, flowing through Jesus to the disciples to meet the needs: "Taking the the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks and broke the loaves. The he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of the broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand." (Mark 6:41-44)

We, as Jesus' disciples, are to let God's miracles happen in our hands! If we shrink from great need, we will miss the opportunity. Our readings today resound with the message that God wants to meet needs, whether for healing--like the skin diseases detailed in today's reading from Leviticus, or for personal freedom from quicksand-like sin evidenced in Psalm 40 with reference to the slimy pit and the mud and the mire. We can cry out to God and receive his miraculous help at our time of need, and we can be the ones through whom God works His miracles. In our own lives, our families, our church, our city, our nation, our world, we can see God meet great needs for salvation, for healing, for deliverance, for financial provision, for the feeding of the hungry--no need is too great for God!

Let me end with a song for us all to be singing as we celebrate God's miraculous supply for all of our needs. Psalm 40 inspired this popular old Southern Gospel chorus: "He brought me out of the miry clay. He set my feet on the Rock to stay. He put a song in my soul today. A song of praise, hallelujah!"

Pastor Paul

February 22

In our New Testament reading for today in the book of Mark 6, we see King Herod making a foolish promise to his niece, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” As it ends up, she asks for the head of John the Baptist. Herod was “greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.” So John the Baptist, the one who introduced Jesus, was beheaded.

The Bible teaches us the seriousness of promises. Ecclesiastes 5:5 says “It is better not to vow than to make and vow and not fulfill it.” Psalms 15:1:4 says that the person who may dwell in His sanctuary is the one who, “...who keeps his oath even when it hurts.”

But what if you have made a foolish vow, one that you cannot fulfill in good conscience? What can you do? I believe that Proverbs 6 gives the answer: “If you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself…Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!...Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler…”

Prayer: Lord, please help us to guard our minds and our mouths, so that we will make only promises that honor You. If we make a foolish vow, like King Herod did, please give us the humility and courage to do whatever we can to free ourselves from that promise so that we may continue to walk faithfully with You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Teresa Brand

There is Freedom in Confession

There is no health in my bones because of my sin.” (38:3)

“My iniquities….are too heavy for me.” (38:4)

“I groan because of the tumult of my heart.” (38:8)

“The light from my eyes has gone from me.” (38:10)

“I am sorry for my sin.” (38:18)

Have you ever felt like David did in Psalm 38? I know I have…too many times. I love David’s story. He was a man who was very much like you and me; a man of many faults, but a heart after God’s own heart. What a merciful God we serve! A man who would be a friend of God, and a man with whom God would make an everlasting covenant, is the same man who is writing this Psalm while wasting away to nothing apparently because of some sin he had committed. David committed some pretty rotten sins in his life, yet God still loved and accepted him—and He will do the same for you.

1. God never expected any of us to be perfect in the flesh—I do believe that we can be perfect in heart. God looks on the heart—as a matter of fact, that is what God said to the prophet Samuel when he was going to anoint David as the new king of Israel! God sought for David, not for his perfection, but for his heart. A heart of repentance, love, faith, and obedience to the Lord will not be rejected by Him!

2. When we sin, we have one of three choices: 1) continue sinning, 2) pretend that it never happened, 3) bring it before the Lord, confess, and repent. It is no use hiding from God—where can we go to hide from Him? Have you ever done something you were ashamed of and tried to just act as if it never happened? I have. And no one can shake the feeling of guilt, dirtiness, and condemnation. It feels as if something was eating you from the inside out. It causes depression and shame. It truly is horrible to have unresolved sin in one’s life. No wonder David cried out in verses 21-22, “Do not forsake me, O Lord…Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

3. However, when we do cry out to the Lord, our confession brings forgiveness and freedom. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Hiding sin does nothing but hurt us further and leave an open door for more sin. God desires our freedom, but our freedom requires and honest and forthright heart—like David’s. David always “owned up” to his sin, and the Lord forgave him.

If you are struggling with some sin or hiding something and trying to live “as if it never happened,” God is willing to forgive and heal you. He does not desire you shame, nor is there “any condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.” Forgiveness is offered in Jesus Christ who took our sins upon Himself. When you come to Him in repentance and faith, God rightly and justly looks at you “as if it never happened!” There is freedom awaiting you in Jesus Christ! Be done with sin!

Pastor Kyle Bauer

February 20

The Incomparable Blessing of The Word of God

Leviticus 9:7-10:20 Mark 4:26-5:20 Psalm 37:30-40 Proverbs 10:6-7

I remember very well the first Wednesday after I accepted the Lord; the
pastor gave a teaching on the blessings from Psalm 37. This Psalm was
marked in my life forever, and believe me that it has been a refuge through
the persecutions of the enemy against our souls.
That Wednesday night pastor Gerardo Muñoz (he went to be with the Lord last
year) went through the entire Psalm 37 giving us a real spiritual banquet in
the Promises of The Lord in this Psalm.
After that night, the Bible has been an incomparable blessing for me and let
me tell you that the Word of God will never fail. Please observe these
blessings and make them yours forever and you will never be defeated!

Blessing #1. Psalm 37:31 Your feet will not slip
This means that our Christian walk is a sure road because our steps are
steps in guaranteed promises!

Blessing #2. Psalm 37:32, 33 The devil will not have the pleasure of
destroying us because Jehovah will not leave us in the hands of the
destroyer.
This means that the devil has a limit and God has set that limit.

Blessing #3. Psalm 37:34 Wait on Jehovah, and keep His ways and He will
exalt you.
This means that we do not need to rush to make decisions without taking the
time to consult those decisions with God. No matter how serious the
situation you¹re going through may be, it¹s worth waiting on the answer from
God because He doesn¹t just have the solution, but He IS THE solution.

I¹d like to repeat that after that Wednesday night at church when I learned
about the Promises of Psalm 37, this has been one of my favorite Psalms and
I hope that it will be one of yours also. Have a blessed Sunday!

Sincerely,


Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest


La Incomparable Bendición de la Palabra de Dios

Lectura Levíticos 9:7-10-10:20 Marcos 4:26-5:20 Salmo 37:30-40 Proverbios
10:6-7

Recuerdo muy bien mi primer miércoles de convertido, el pastor de la iglesia
dio una enseñanza sobre las bendiciones del Salmo 37. Ese Salmo quedo
marcado en mi vida por siempre y créanme que ha sido un refugio para mi en
los tiempos de angustia y en los tiempos donde he necesitado un refugio a
causa de las persecuciones del enemigo de nuestras almas.
Ese miércoles en la noche el pastor Gerardo Muñoz (que el año pasado fue a
la Presencia de Señor) fue por todo el Salmo 37 dándonos un verdadero
banquete espiritual en las Promesas del Señor en ese Salmo.
Desde entonces la Biblia ha sido para mi una incomparable bendición y
permítame decirle a usted que jamás la Palabra de Dios fallara. Por favor
observe estas bendiciones y hágalas suyas para siempre y ¡jamás usted se
vera derrotado!

Bendición #1. Salmo 37:31 ¡Sus pies no resbalaran!
Esto quiere decir que nuestro caminar en la vida cristiana es un camino
seguro porque nuestros pasos son pasos en ¡promesas seguras!

Bendición #2. Salmo 37:32, 33 El diablo no podrá darse el gusto de
destruirnos porque Jehová no nos dejara en las manos del destruidor.
Esto quiere decir que el diablo tiene un limite y ese limite se la ha puesto
Dios.

Bendición #3. Salmo 37:34 Espera en Jehová, y guarda Su camino, y El te
exaltara.
Esto quiere decir que no debemos apresurarnos a tomar decisiones alocadas y
sin tomar tiempo de consultar esas decisiones con Dios. Por grave que
parezca la situación que estés atravesando, vale la pena esperar la
respuesta de Dios, porque El no solamente tiene la solución sino que El ES
LA solución.

Otra vez quiero decirle que desde esa noche de miércoles en la iglesia
cuando enseñaron las Promesas del Salmo 37, este ha sido un Salmo favorito
en mi vida cristiana y espero que para usted también lo sea. ¡Que pase
usted un feliz domingo!
Atentamente,

February 19

Leviticus 7:28-9:6; Mark 3:31-4:25; Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5

Jesus spoke in parables and revealed the secrets of the Kingdom of God to His believers. In the story of the farmer sowing seeds, He gave great insight into being a fruitful follower. The farmer sows seeds, but not all of them take root and grow or bear fruit. Our lives were compared to those seeds. Through our choices and actions, we decide whether to be fruitful or to allow our faith to wither up and die.

Some people are like seeds that fall along the path and are eaten up immediately by the birds. When they hear the Word of God, the devil immediately comes along and snatches it away. For many years, this is who I was - completely closed to any kind of relationship with God. I didn't think I needed Him. I am thankful He gave me another chance!

Another group of people are like seeds that are sown on rocky places. They receive the Word of God with joy, but never put down roots by getting deeper into the Word. Soon the shallowness of their faith causes them to fall away from following the Lord.

The third group of people Jesus refers to in the parable are like seeds that are sown among thorns. They hear the Word, but it is choked out by things of this world: worries, deceitfulness of wealth, desire for other things, etc.

The final group of people Jesus speaks of are like seeds that are sown in good soil. They hear the Word, they accept it and allow it to produce a crop. I want to be counted in this last group...producing a fruitful crop for the Kingdom of God!

My grandparents and great-grandparents were farmers. When I was a little girl, my grandfather taught me to drive in one of his fields. I learned there was a lot of work to be done to the soil before it was ready to be planted.

First, the soil had to be plowed and loosened so the seeds had a safe place to land. My heart must be softened to receive and keep safe the Word of God. That requires me to remove any obstacles in my life that might choke out what God is trying to deposit in me...it can be busyness, wrong relationships, bad habits, unforgiveness, greed... I must daily ask Christ to cleanse my heart and keep it open to Him.

The soil had to receive nutrients and water so the seeds would develop roots. I must hear the Word of God then nurture it through study, fellowship and prayer to create understanding and "feed" my faith. Roots are to seeds like faith is to the believer...it's what helps us stand firm through the wind, rain and storms of life.

The soil had to be in a place where it received light from the sun. Without light, the seeds would never grow. I must have a constant relationship with the Son who brings His light into my world. If distractions in my life crowd out His light, I will stop growing and never bear fruit.

Fruitfulness must be our goal. Jesus' parable says the crop from one seed can be as much as a hundred times what was sown. Healthy seeds grow into plants that actually produce more seeds. The fruitfulness of God's people is what keeps the gospel alive! The way we live our lives, first by growing in the Lord, then by shining His light so others know Him, allows us to bring increase to the harvest for God's Kingdom!

Blessings,
Pastor Susan

February 18

Leviticus 6-7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4

Are you waiting for God to do something because of a vision, a dream, a prophecy, a hearts desire, or a prayer? Why does it seem so hard sometimes to trust God's timing! My grandmother always says, " The Lord may not come when you want Him, but He will be there right on time." I am so glad I serve an "on time" God.

We read today in Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him". Many times in life we find ourselves waiting, waiting on that vision, that dream or the desires of our heart to happen. God longs for you and me to come into that place where His will, plan and purpose are fullfilled in our lives. When we embrace the truth that it is an honor to wait on the Almighty God to direct our lives, waiting doesn't seem as hard.

As you go about your day, keeping your appointments, may I encourage you to keep the most important one; being still before the Lord. God always keeps his appointment with us in prayer. God cares about time, however, He is not bound by time. He is always available to talk with us and spend time with us. The Lord is never late. He's always on time. Determine in your heart this day that you will live out your God given assignment as you continue to offer to Him the fruit of your lips, giving thanks in the midst waiting and in all things. This is Gods will for all of us. Be encouraged! God may not come when you want Him, but He will be there right on time.

Let's pray
Father we long to be still before you. As we wait on you Lord, we stand on your promises and trust in your timing and direction for lives. Amen.

Blessings,
Shaun Estrada

As I prepared to preach last night about the Book of Leviticus in our Wednesday night service, I was struck by the fact that this was the first book of the Bible studied by the typical Jewish child, yet, although it is referred to about 40 times in the New Testament, it is often one of the last books of the Bible to be studied by Gentile Christians!

I think part of the challenge for believers in Jesus today is that since we relate to God under the New Covenant, we assume that there is nothing in the detailed descriptions of Old Covenant worship forms, sacrificial prescriptions, and the like, that has any relevance for our own lives. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The Apostle Paul made it very plain in his Second Epistle to Timothy that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, i.e., “beneficial” for each one of us. That includes Leviticus.

When we read it with an open heart, there are at least five themes in the Book of Leviticus that have the power to profoundly impact each one of us who reflects upon its contents:

1. God is absolutely holy.

2. We are called to be as holy as He is in every area of life.

3. In His grace, God provides a means for cleansing from our all our sins.

4. Forgiveness requires a sacrificial substitute.

5. Sacrifices “worked” through faith and a repentant heart – the same way salvation “works” today.

Keep these five things in mind as you read through this book, as alien as some of its emphases may seem to you in your own life context and you will be blessed!

When you finish reading this devotional, I encourage you to pray this prayer,

Heavenly Father, Help me to have a tender heart before you. Your prophets in the Old Testament pointed out repeatedly how sacrifices and offerings alone could not bring one into a right relationship to you. Thank you for providing a way through the death of Jesus in my place for me to receive forgiveness for my sins and eternal life through Him. Help me to share that Good News with other as often and in as many different ways as I can. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

February 16--A Walk with Jesus

Leviticus 1:1-3:17 Mark 1:29-2:12 Psalm 35:17-28 Proverbs 9:13-18

A Walk with Jesus

Have you ever taken a walk with someone and never forgotten that time with them? Some 15 years ago, I took such a stroll with my uncle, John Alexander. Uncle John is in heaven now, and perhaps because of that, I remember that walk rather clearly. It was a chilly summer morning and we set out from the house on Potrero Avenue in San Francisco and walked a hilly route to a Seattle-style coffee shop serving coffee as good as any Starbucks (and years before such brew had become so popular in Dallas). Along our walk, many people greeted us and said hi to John and his sad-eyed basset hound. John said it was just the dog that made him so popular. I knew better as he told how he had moved there years before as a missionary to the Mission District to start a home church and reach out to the neighbors. It had worked! His church had grown to a vibrant community with church members sharing their resources, living in multiple homes with multiple families, outreach programs to the children (many of them refugees from Central America), and sponsoring their own and other missionaries around the world. Every street on that walk came with a story of Uncle John’s “ministry” there in the barrio right across from San Francisco General Hospital. That walk made a powerful impression on me, on my faith in Jesus, on my resolve to live a Christian life in some way like my uncle John’s.

Today’s walk with Jesus in Mark chapters one and two is one with a powerful impression to make. See if you notice the pattern here as we follow Jesus. In verse 1:31, Jesus went to Simon’s mother-in-law who was sick and He “took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.” Just after that in verse 34 we read that “Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons.” As the journey in the reading continues, Jesus heals a man with leprosy by saying “Be healed!” Then in verse 2:11-12 our walk with Jesus through Galilee today concludes with this command from Jesus and response from a paralyzed man: “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Jesus heals. He does not just pray for people, or express sympathy for them. He is moved by them and He actually heals them. By the end of the journey with Jesus today, we see over and over again just how he does it. It’s somewhat like that walk with my uncle where I saw and heard how he had built a mission to a neighborhood touching the lives of individuals and large numbers of people. I challenge us today to be so impressed by this walk that we do as Jesus commanded in Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

How do we reach out to those around us and heal them? How do we see God’s power flow through us as it did through Jesus? Keeping it simple, I believe the gospel writer, Mark, is trying to say 1) look at what Jesus did, 2) have faith to believe what He did, and 3) follow His example. Let’s avoid making it too complex. If Jesus has not yet worked a miracle in your life—setting you free from your sins, transforming you from sickness to health, healing you of that which oppresses you, then I challenge you to receive His healing. He wants to heal you. Receive it, and with your healing, receive eternal life by placing faith in Him as your Savior and your Lord. If Jesus has already given you a new life, if you have been born again, set free from the death-dealing sickness of sin, then follow His example of healing others. Find those around you who need healing and extend God’s healing by taking them by the hand, helping them sit up, telling them to stand up, telling them that they are healed, telling them that they are forgiven, and telling the demons of sickness that afflict them to leave. Lest this seem way too simple, there is mention of Jesus preaching God’s word to the people, so do take your Bible with you as you go tell people to stand up! The lesson I see from this walk with Jesus today is mostly about following His example, having faith, and healing people very directly by speaking to them with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Keep walking with Jesus, be healed and be healers!

Blessings,

Pastor Paul

February 15

Our Old Testament reading for today us shows us how God set His manifest presence above His people Israel as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. Seen as a column or pillar of cloud by day whose inner fire became visible at night, the glory of God brought three blessings to His people:

Protection – Visible to all the nations around them, the cloud of God’s presence struck fear into the hearts of the pagan peoples living in their path. It also came down and provided a barrier between Pharaoh’s armies and the Israelites while they were waiting for God to part the waters of the Red Sea, as well as preventing the sun and the moon from "smiting" them.

Provision – As the Israelites lived and walked in God’s presence, they experienced His abundance for every area of their need. The manna fell from out of the cloud every day. As they followed the cloud, neither their clothing nor their shoes wore out.

Direction – When the cloud moved, the Israelites had to move. This could happen at any time without warning so it was extremely important for the Israelites to remain sensitive to any movement by the cloud. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the role the cloud of God’s presence played in the life of His people, because it appears that much of their 40 years in the wilderness was spent going in circles…! If they were following the cloud, my question is, “Why?” I think the answer lies at least partly in the fact that they were not learning the lessons God was trying to teach them.

As you and I pursue the manifest presence of God in our own lives, we will experience these same three blessings! As a church like the one at Antioch, God wants us to be known as a church where people feel God’s presence every time we come together. Under the New Covenant, we are the Temple God wants to abide in by His Spirit. God’s presence is not bound to a place or a building. We are called to carry His presence everywhere we go!

As I ponder these things, I think of how Moses told the Lord that the only way he and the Israelites could go up and possess the Promised Land was if the Lord’s presence went with them (Ex. 33:14-15). After Moses died and Joshua was positioned by the Lord to lead the people, the people agreed to follow Joshua’s leadership provided the Lord was with him the way He had been with Moses (Josh. 1:17). That is exactly the sentiment of my own heart when I pray about our church and our future. As long as God is with us, no matter where He takes us, everything will be all right…!

The First Day of the Week

As we read the account of the resurrection, there is a most beautiful phrase that the Gospel writer wanted us to see: “The first day of the week.” In order to understand the significance of this phrase, we need to see the resurrection in the context that it was intended.

As prescribed by the Lord, there are seven feasts that the Israelites were to hold every year. Three of these feasts were in rapid succession in the first month of the year, the month of Abib (March-April in our calendar). This is the month when the Lord delivered them from slavery in Egypt. On the 14^th day of the month, they were to keep the Passover. The lamb was to be slain and eaten as remembrance of their deliverance from both the deaths of their firstborn and from slavery. On the 15^th of the month, the feast of Unleavened Bread was to begin. The third feast was the feast of Firstfruits which was to take place the first Sunday after the 15^th. The Firstfruits was the celebration of the first of the winter barley that was harvested. Obviously spring is the time of planting, however this was the anticipation of a greater harvest. It was an “advance” of thanks on what they knew was coming in the autumnal months of the year.

We read back in Matthew 26, that the night Jesus was betrayed to His crucifixion, He had celebrated the Passover with His disciples. The Passover meal was a symbol of Jesus’ death on the cross. The Passover lamb covered the people and freed them from slavery just as the shed blood of the Lamb of God does for us. Jesus was arrested that night and crucified the next day which was a Friday and the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He spent Friday and Saturday in the grave, and then resurrected on the third day—which was the day of the feast of Firstfruits—on Sunday which was “the first day of the week.”

The very first time we hear the phrase “the first day”” is back in Genesis 1:5 at the very beginning of the creation week. The author wants us to see Jesus as the new Adam. Adam was the firstborn of the Old Creation, and Jesus, having buried the curse of sin and death of the Old Creation that came through Adam, steps out of the grave on the first day of the week and becomes the firstborn of the New Creation. We read the same account in John 20, and it is after this New Creation has begun that Jesus appears to His disciples and “He breathed on them and said, ‘receive the Holy Spirit.’” When God created humans, they did not live until God “breathed the breath of life into man’s nostrils,” and now at the onset of the New Creation, Jesus is breathing the Holy Spirit upon those who believe in Him to give them the life that only comes from from the Spirit of God. Also, the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:20 that Jesus Christ is the “firstfruits” of the dead. Just as the feast of Firstfruits is anticipation of a greater harvest at the end of the year, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first of many who will come to live in resurrection life through faith in Him, and of those who will be raised again with Him at the end of the ages.

The “first day of the week” offers new life and new hope for all who would come to Jesus to partake of the awesome resurrecting life that He offers freely. In Jesus, God has made all things new, He has reversed the curse of the Old Creation (Genesis 3:17-19), and brought us eternal blessing through Him who “became a curse for us,” (Galatians 3:13). There is deliverance from sin in Jesus’ death, but there is power for new life in His resurrection—and that power is available for me and you right now. Let’s live everyday in the very power that is able to reverse what was a curse for us!

Pastor Kyle Bauer

February 13

We Can All Produce a Financial Miracle!

Exodus 35:10-36:38 Matthew 27:32-66 Psalm 34:1-10 Proverbs 9:7-8

Blessings Hillcrest Family!
God has prepared this day to be a day of extraordinary miracles that will write a glorious page in the history of this congregation!
I’m the Pastor of the Hispanic church and as I have expressed it before, I’ve been a pastor for many years. Since August 1982 to be more exact, when after finishing my theological studies at the Baptist Seminary I was named as Senior Pastor in one of the key cities in my country of Colombia.

Through all these years I’ve seen that there is the SAME PRINCIPLE to produce financial miracles in the local church, I’ll share it in a moment.
It is not by coincidence that the Bible passage for today in our reading plan is in Exodus, and that it points specifically to the offerings giving us an exact picture of what it is to have abundance in difficult and challenging times, such as it was for Moses during the construction of the Tabernacle.

Brothers and sisters the gospel is free, but to take it to all the nations costs a lot of money. That is a phrase that I have heard a lot and as a Hispanic I would like to say to all of you who are reading this devotional and who were born in this great country, thank you!
Thank you for the finances that you have invested to take the gospel through missionaries to Colombia. Thank you for the offerings that sent American citizens to our countries, because of those offerings they built churches, hospitals, seminaries, they paid for salaries for pastors and today Colombia is a country experiencing a great revival!

I remember a missionary from Hereford Texas that helped us with his offerings to pay our tuition while we were in seminary.
The offerings that are given for the gospel have the power to change lives and change nations!

Today our precious Hillcrest Church needs a powerful financial miracle!
Why? Because this church has a vision, it has a mission and it has a destiny that cannot be stopped, this country is known for giving finances to great causes. When there is an earthquake somewhere, America is the first to give help! When there is a great need in another country, America is the first to give, and that same spirit of generosity should move us to give. Because the same way that Moses needed to build the Tabernacle, we as Hillcrest Church need to build a powerful church in Dallas.

This is the principle that produced the financial miracle when Moses asked the people to give:
“All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD FREEWILL OFFERINGS for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.” Exodus 35:29. If we apply that same principle as a church, we will see that same result that Moses saw.
This is the total offering that was received:
1 ton of gold
3 ¾ tons of silver
2 ½ tons of bronze
The miracle was in the people and the miracle is in Hillcrest because we are people of faith and we are determined to see this congregation in victory.
I prophesize over you that will give generously that over you Deuteronomy 1:11.
I will also encourage Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest to give today their best offering. Because together we can produce a miracle!

In the love of Jesus Christ,


Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest




¡Todos podemos Producir un Milagro Financiero!
Éxodo 35:10-36:38 Mateo 27:32-66 Salmo 34:1-10 Proverbios 9:7-8
Bendiciones Familia Iglesia Hillcrest, ¡Dios ha preparado para hoy un día de milagros extraordinarios que escribirán un pagina gloriosa en la historia de esta Congregación!
Soy el pastor de la Iglesia Hispana y como lo he expresado varias veces llevo vario años siendo pastor. Mas exactamente desde Agosto de 1982, cuando después de terminar los estudios Teológicos en el Seminario Bautista fui nombrado como pastor en una de las principales ciudades de mi país Colombia.
Y a lo largo de estos años siempre he visto que existe un MISMO PRINCIPIO para producir milagros financieros en una iglesia local, en un momento se los voy a compartir.
No es una casualidad que hoy una de las lecturas bíblicas en nuestro plan de leer la Biblia en un año se encuentre en Éxodo, y apunte específicamente a las ofrendas dándonos una fotografía exacta de lo que es abundancia en tiempos de grandes desafíos y grandes planes como fue para Moisés la construcción del Tabernáculo.
Hermanos el Evangelio es gratis, pero llevarlo a todas la naciones cuesta mucho dinero. Esa es una frase que yo he escuchado mucho y como latino que soy quiero decirle a todos ustedes que leen este devocional y que son nacidos en esta gran país de USA, Gracias!
Gracias por el dinero invertido para llevar el evangelio a través de misioneros a Colombia. Gracias por las ofrendas que enviaron como ciudadanos y cristianos americanos porque con esas ofrendas se hicieron iglesias, hospitales, seminarios, se pagaron salarios de pastores y hoy Colombia es un país en pleno avivamiento!
Recuerdo de un misionero de Hereford Texas que nos ayudo con ofrendas para pagar parte de nuestra educación en el seminario.
Las ofrendas que se dan para el evangelio tienen el poder de cambiar vidas y cambiar naciones!
Hoy nuestra preciosa Iglesia Hillcrest necesita de un milagro financiero poderoso!
¿Porque?
Porque esta iglesia tiene una Visión, tiene una Misión y tiene un Destino que no se puede detener por algo que en America ha sido característico y es Dar Dinero para las causas nobles. Cuando hay un terremoto en algún país, ¡America es el primero en dar ayuda! cuando hay una necesidad en cualquier país, America es el primero en dar, y ese mismo espíritu de generosidad debe movernos a dar. Porque al igual que Moisés necesitaba construir el Tabernáculo, nosotros como Iglesia Hillcrest tenemos que levantar una Iglesia poderosa aquí en Dallas.
Este es el principio que produjo el milagro financiero cuando Moisés le pidió al pueblo dar.
"Todos los que tuvieron corazón voluntario para traer para toda la obra que Jehová había mandado por medio de Moisés que hiciesen, TRAJERON OFRENDA VOLUNTARIA A Jehová" Éxodo 35:29. Y si aplicamos este mismo principio todos nosotros como iglesia veremos el mismo resultado que Moisés vio.
Este es el total de la ofrenda recibida:
1 Tonelada de Oro
3 3/4 Toneladas de Plata
2 1/2 Toneladas de Bronce
El milagro estaba entre el pueblo y el milagro esta en Hillcrest porque somos gente de fe y personas determinadas a ver esta congregación en Victoria.
Profetizo sobre usted que va a dar generosamente que en usted se cumplirá Deuteronomio 1:11.
Yo también animare a la Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest para dar hoy la mejor Ofrenda. ¡Porque todos juntos podemos producir un milagro!
En el amor de Jesucristo,


Dr. Oscar camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest

February 12

Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6

I've talked to many people who admit their prayer life isn't what it should be. They wait until they need something beyond their own ability to grasp it, and in desperation,  finally turn to God. At that point, praying feels awkward because they don't talk to God enough to know Him.

Getting into His presence takes time and effort. God told Moses very clearly in Exodus 34:20, "No one is to appear before Me empty-handed."

What could I possibly give God that He doesn't already have? Somehow, I don't think that's the right question. It's not what God needs...it's what He desires. It's what blesses Him.

When I come before God, I can give Him my praise. My hands will not be empty, they will be raised as I honor Him for Who He is and what He has done for me.

When I seek to enter into God's presence, I can give Him my worship. I will adore Him and Him alone.

Finally, when I appear before God, I can give Him me as I daily surrender my life to Him and ask for a fresh infilling of His Spirit.

Each time you approach the throne of Grace in prayer, stack in your hands the things you want to give God to bless HIM. Visualize placing them at His feet to show Him how much you love Him.

Never again will you need to appear before Him empty-handed!

God bless you!
Pastor Susan

February 11

Exodus 32-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverbs 8:33-36

Wake up! Have you heard the rooster crow today? I'm not sure how many of you grew up on a farm, but did you know that roosters don't just crow at the break of day? That idea is more romantic than truth. A rooster can crow all day, sometimes in the morning, afternoon and evening. You see the roosters main purpose is to guard his flock from the enemy. To alert, defend and even die for the hen house. The rooster is perched, waiting, watching and ready to call out the signal of "wake up."

In our New Testement passaage today we see the very familiar story of Peter denying the Lord three times. It was time for Peter to wake up from his road of denial. Some of us have walked down this road many, many times in our lives. Denying the Lord is not just about hiding our Christian faith. I know many people that wear a cross on their chest but are denying the calling God has given them. How about denying the opportunity to forgive a brother or sister. I believe all of us have denied the opportunity to love one another in times of distress. But guess what? There is a rooster perched, waiting, watching and ready to call out the siganl of "wake up."

Wake up! No matter the time of day. No matter the situation. It doesn't even matter how many times it has happen in your life. The rooster is calling... wake up! It is a call of mercy, a call of warning, a call to redemption.

Let's pray -
Lord thank you for the new mercy you have given me today. Father, I ask that you quiet those things in my life that are distracting me from hearing the call. Give me eyes to see Your truth and ears to hear Your voice. Amen

Blessings,
Pastor David

February 10

Our New Testament reading for today in Matthew chapter 26, verses 47-68, describes how Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Loving Jesus the way that I do and being as appreciative of all his incomparable qualities of personality and character as I am, it is hard for me to imagine how anyone who knew the Lord could ever reject Him, much less betray Him!

The fact remains, though, that Judas did that very thing…even after having witnessed His awe-inspiring miracles, seen His incredible compassion for the hurting, sensed His passion for social justice, listened to His life-changing teaching, and walked along side Him hour after hour down the dusty roads of Galilee. As the Gospel accounts unfold, we not only see huge crowds thronging the Master as He went about doing good, but we also see wily Pharisees scheming against Him, sophisticated Sadducees sneering at Him, and arrogant Romans mocking Him. Although the biblical record clearly states that the “common” people heard Him gladly, not everyone was His fan…some were His enemy.

As I reflect back upon that astonishing reality, I would like to think that had I been alive at that time I would have recognized Him for who He was and that I would have quickly received Him into my life with open arms. Deep in my heart, though, I wonder if that would have been true or if I would have been deceived the way so many others around Him were. When I examine my own heart and history closely enough, I am reminded that there have been far less momentous moments in my own life when the enemy has succeeded in blinding my eyes to the truth about someone, who they really were, what they were really like, or why they said or did some particular thing.

Has that ever happened to you…? Have you ever rashly judged someone’s motives or succumbed to the temptation to imagine that you knew exactly what they were thinking without having any specific evidence to support your wrong conclusion? The Holy Spirit, of course, sometimes transmits His wisdom and knowledge to our hearts through what we call a “word of wisdom,” or a “word of knowledge,” but it is wise to be very prudent regarding these things. Not only do we all “know in part and prophesy in part,” as the Apostle Paul put it in his Letter to the Corinthians, but he also commanded us to “believe not every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they be of God.”

Why does Satan work so hard at trying to get us to believe things about others that are not true? As the “Accuser of the Brethren,” he knows how effective spiritual slander is at dividing God’s people so they will miss the mark and fail to fulfill their calling. He knows full well that, “United, We Stand; Divided We Fall.” 

When you receive this email, I encourage you to pray these words,

“Heavenly Father, Help me to overcome Satan’s attempts to deceive my heart and my thoughts. Help me to see people the way you do. Help me to discern between your thoughts about other individuals and my own human responses and opinions. Help me to promote the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. In the name of Jesus, Amen!”

February 9--Tree Rings

Exodus 29:1-30:10 Matthew 26:14-46 Psalm 31:19-24 Proverbs 8:14-26

Tree Rings

Tree rings are one of those striking elements of God's creation--concentric circles that show the growth of a tree from the center of the trunk to the outside edge of bark. My own growth circles included going to college to study biology with thoughts of being a forest ranger. Perhaps it was the trip to the Petrified Forest where the tree rings were most striking, or maybe when I saw the stump of one of those giant redwoods. I found it fascinating that you could see circles for each year of a tree’s life, or in some cases each good growing season with multiple rings in a single year. I learned how to see damage that occurred to the tree in a given year, or to see from a ring how good a year had been, or whether a rock or another tree had pushed against it for a year or more. There in the tree rings are the first to the last year of the tree’s life. For living trees, the rings show the past and even suggest the future growth of the tree.

The past and the present and a glimpse of the future--all before your eyes in the rings of a tree. In our OYB readings today, God's revelation in the Bible is a bit like those concentric tree rings. God’s truth is being revealed to us in growing circles. In the OYB, by seeing the Old Testament and New Testament side by side, like those rings beside one another, we can see the developing truth in God’s word. Let’s compare from today two verses from Exodus and Matthew. Exodus 30:10 reads "This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come." Here is God speaking through Moses to clarify the blood offering it takes to cover the sins of the people. Today's reading from Matthew 26:28 is "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." In this passage from Matthew 26, Jesus is celebrating Passover with his disciples. The Festival of Unleavened Bread (Passover) is presented by God through Moses in Exodus, and then given new covenant meaning by Jesus in today’s reading. Up until Jesus’ revelation, Passover referred to God’s deliverance of His people Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, His use of the blood from the sacrifice of a lamb to protect the people from the angel of death, and His direction that unleavened bread be a symbol of His redemptive act for the people. Now Jesus explains the bread of Passover as representative not of deliverance from Egypt, but of deliverance from the bondage of sin as Jesus’ own body is broken for our redemption. Likewise, the cup is now seen as not just the blood that protected the Jews from the angel of death, but is now Jesus’ own blood protecting all believers by offering forgiveness from sin and a once-and-for-all protection from death as believers are offered eternal life through Christ.

A later “ring in the tree” (a future passage in the Bible) describes this truth of the atonement for sins by the body and blood of Christ: ^“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. ²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” (Colossians 1:19-23)

As we continue to journey through the Bible this year, keep watching for the tree rings—the way God’s truth is revealed in one passage after another, foretelling in the Old Covenant the New Covenant of Jesus, and foretelling throughout the Bible the day when Christ will come again as He says “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29).

May the tree-ring-like revelation of God’s truth encourage you and add depth to your faith: “So be strong and courageous all you who put your hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24--NLV).

Blessings,

Pastor Paul