Monthly Study
April 2023The Heart of Worship
A Study of Leviticus
Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.—Leviticus 19:1
The detailed procedures for sacrifices, lists of clean and unclean animals, and peculiar laws in the book of Leviticus may seem too complicated and irrelevant for us today. But as we celebrate our risen Savior this month, Leviticus will reveal Christ’s sacrifice to us through the pictures in the Old Testament. We’ll see His death and resurrection in a new way and learn to worship Him better. We pray this study will help you:
- Be inspired to worship God in every aspect of your life
- Understand the purpose of sacrifice, fulfilled by the atoning work of Jesus
- Grow in holiness, to become more like Christ
Your devotional author,
Ryan J. Cook
Volume 36Edition 4
Managing Editor: Jamie Janosz, Senior Editor: Elena Mafter, Contributing Editor: John Koessler, Writer: Ryan Cook, Art Director: Lynn Gabalec, Graphic Designer: Rachel Hutcheson, Marketing & Production: Paul B. Currie
About the Author
Devotional Calendar
Podcasts
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From and For
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In church, we like to talk about what we were saved from. We were saved from sin and God’s judgment. But we don’t often stop to ask, “What were we saved for?” What has God called us to? The Bible from beginning to end describes how we were created to be in relationship with God and dwell in His presence.
April 1, 2023
Total Dedication
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Have you ever noticed how many people are involved in planning a church service? From people in the sound booth, to musicians, to building maintenance and ushers. When leading people in worship, it is important to get the details right. We see this type of attention to detail in Leviticus as well.
April 2, 2023
Giving to God
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On my office desk, I keep some homemade bookmarks, a gift from my daughter. She took some things she had lying around the house and created this lovely present. Each bookmark is decorated with pictures and quotes like, “just one more chapter...” or “fell asleep here.”
April 3, 2023
Give Thanks!
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The only time I eat turkey and pumpkin pie is at Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is one of the few times a year when our extended family is together without much of an agenda other than enjoying each other’s company. It is also a time to stop and give thanks to God for His blessings over the past year.
April 4, 2023
Sin and Forgiveness
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While driving down a two-lane road in rural northern Michigan, I looked in my rearview mirror only to see flashing red lights. When the police officer pulled me over, he asked if I knew why. I honestly did not. He informed me that the speed limit had lowered to 35 mph because the road was approaching a small town. Unfortunately, my ignorance did not get me off the hook.
April 5, 2023
He Gets Us
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When I was fresh out of college, I worked for a couple of years as a high school teacher. I noticed that students gravitated toward a particular teacher, Mr. S. One day I asked a student, “What do you like about him?” The student responded, “Oh, Mr. S., he gets us.” Mr. S. understood what students cared about, struggled with, and needed: he was a good teacher.
April 6, 2023
Dedicated to God
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Some professions require people to wear a particular uniform. A police officer wears a badge and uniformed pants and shirt. If you see someone in a white coat with a stethoscope around their neck, most likely they are a doctor. Each uniform communicates that these people have been trained, equipped, and authorized to engage in their profession.
April 7, 2023
An Approved Order
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When my wife and I put our youngest daughter to bed, she likes things done in a certain order. First my wife will pray with her and say goodnight. Only then can I come in and do the same. For some reason, it just does not work if we change places.
April 8, 2023
A Consuming Fire
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Is a fire always bad? According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire, forest fires serve some important roles. They clean the forest floor, provide wildland habitats for animals, and rid trees of dangerous diseases. While a fire may destroy, it also provides life for future generations.
April 9, 2023
The Burden of Leadership
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In the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln’s eleven-year-old son William succumbed to typhoid fever. Because of the crisis embroiling the nation, Lincoln did not have much time to stop and mourn. He carried his grief with him as he conducted his responsibilities as President.
April 10, 2023
You Are What You Eat
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Keto. Paleo. Atkins. Vegan. Carnivore. Mediterranean. The sheer number of popular diets can be bewildering. We love food and, at the same time, we worry about what we eat. That makes diets a lucrative business. According to CNBC, in 2021 the diet industry was worth an estimated $71 billion.
April 11, 2023
Clean and Unclean
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Have you seen those dishwasher magnets with two words on them: “Dirty” and “Clean”? They help us know when it’s okay to add dirty dishes to the racks and when it’s time to put clean dishes away.
April 12, 2023
Made Clean
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My father enjoyed quoting Leviticus 13:40: “A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean.” Certainly, that verse is a comfort to many who have experienced male-pattern baldness.
April 13, 2023
Uncanceled Culture
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The term “cancel culture” is often used today. Someone who says or does something another group does not like is “canceled,” ignored or disregarded. While our society has become pretty good at canceling people, we are not so skilled at welcoming into the community.
April 14, 2023
The Day of Atonement
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Starting with Adam and Eve, the central problem the Bible addresses is this: “How can a holy God dwell with a sinful people?” This almost led to the destruction of Israel after they sinned by creating and worshiping a Golden Calf (see Ex. 32–34).
April 15, 2023
Washed by the Blood
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Some people fear the sight of blood. They have to look away during their annual blood test and have a hard time helping bandage a wound. While blood can be frightening, it is also necessary. Every moment, blood pumps through our bodies, keeping us alive by supplying our body with oxygen and nutrients.
April 16, 2023
Faithfulness in Marriage
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Larry Nassar held an important role as team doctor for USA Gymnastics. But in 2017, Nassar fell from grace when he was convicted of abusing hundreds of children and young women under his care. He is currently serving a 175-year prison sentence. One of the elements that make his actions so reprehensible is that he was in a trusted position of authority.
April 17, 2023
Intentionally Inefficient
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Efficiency and productivity are buzzwords you often hear in the business world. Sharp business owners ask, “How can we do what we do better? How can I leverage my resources to maximize profits and efficiency?” This attitude has led many to unbelievable success and is understandably valued in our society.
April 18, 2023
Love Your Neighbor
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One day a teacher of the Law asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28). Jesus answered that the greatest commandment was: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (v. 30). But then He added a second, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 31). The reason Jesus gave two commands, not just one, is that they go together. You cannot really love God without loving your neighbor and vice versa.
April 19, 2023
Consequences, Consequences
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In one country I visited, driving was a terrifying experience. People did not pay attention to stoplights or lanes. Cars would veer into oncoming traffic to make a turn. For me, coming from the suburbs in the United States, it seemed chaotic. I asked a local, “Are there traffic laws?” He responded, “Oh, yes. We have laws, but no one ever enforces them.”
April 20, 2023
To Whom Much Is Given
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After Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and endowed with superpowers to become Spider-Man, his Uncle Ben gave him this memorable advice, “With great power comes great responsibility.” These words are similar to Jesus’ statement: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48).
April 21, 2023
The Heart of Worship
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It is often tempting to cut corners. A high school student might read the CliffsNotes version of A Tale of Two Cities instead of slogging through the entire novel. A carpenter might not use all the safety features on his table saw because it is quicker to use it without them.
April 22, 2023
Rest for the Weary
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We often like to tell people just how busy we are. “I’m so busy; I can hardly keep up!” As one author described the struggle, “I wanted to figure out why I was so busy, but I couldn’t find the time to do it.” One of the reasons we keep ourselves so busy is that we find a sense of value and worth in constantly being productive.
April 23, 2023
Remember!
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One of the most frequent commands in Scripture is “Remember!” God knows we are prone to forget. In Scripture, forgetting is considered a moral failure (Deut. 4:23). God is not concerned with everyday forgetfulness like trying to remember where you put your car keys. Rather, He is concerned with deep relational forgetfulness, forgetting who He is and what He has done (Deut. 6:12).
April 24, 2023
An Eye for an Eye
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During his tumultuous presidency, Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”
April 25, 2023
My Father’s World
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My son has access to the hand tools at our house. He is free to use them for his own projects. However, he also needs to be responsible with their use. He must use them safely and not leave them outside after he is finished. I set these rules for him because they are my tools, and he is my son.
April 26, 2023
The Year of Jubilee
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According to a recent report, there are only 2,668 billionaires in the world. Together, these individuals have accumulated $12.7 trillion in wealth. And 86 of the people in this exclusive club are under the age of 40! Consider the tremendous wealth held by those 2,668 individuals in comparison to the rest of the world’s 7.837 billion people.
April 27, 2023
Clear Expectations
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In 2006, a team of landscape architects conducted a simple study on the impact of a fenced-in playground. They had a preschool teacher take her students to a playground without a fence. The children all huddled around the teacher and did not utilize the full playground space. They then took the same class to a fenced in playground and observed that the children felt freer to explore the entire space. Having a clear boundary led to a greater sense of freedom and security. Through
April 28, 2023
Promises Kept
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The book of 1 Samuel opens with the story of Hannah. Unable to have children, Hannah was suffering. In her “deep anguish,” she vowed to the Lord that if He gave her a son she would give him back to the Lord “for all the days of his life” (1 Sam. 1:9–11).
April 29, 2023
God Made a Way
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It is easy to take aspects of our modern world for granted. For example, we have refrigeration to store and preserve food and ready access to clean running water. Unless you’ve lived without these conveniences, you might not appreciate how wonderful they are.
April 30, 2023