February 7th - Lev. 4-6, Acts 14

Scripture: Leviticus 4:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: `When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands--

Observation: As you read Lev. 4 there are some interesting things to take note of. First there is a progression of level of sin which has a corresponding level of atonement. When the religious leader sins, you have the strongest level of atonement. We see too in the New Testament that pastors will stand and be accountable before God for those entrusted to their care.

Another thing to note, something fairly unfamiliar to our culture, is the idea of corporate sin. We see examples of this scattered throughout the OT, and the ramifications of this. I think that in our cultural context we distance ourselves from the idea of corporate sin through our strong independent upbringing. We loose the proper understanding of the impact it has on us. We are still affected by the sins of others.

Application: In my prayer life I need to become more aware of my sin and the sins of others that affect my life. I need to repent of personal sin, ask for grace and forgiveness. I need to lift up the other sins that affect me in a corporate way and ask for forgiveness there as well. I need to understand how this impacts me, and how deeply it distances me from our God.

Prayer: Just and True Father, we have pained you with our sins. I am a sinner. I ask for your forgiveness. I pray for your burden to make me away of unrevealed sins, and sins I might commit unintentionally. Thank you for Jesus who brings me back into right standing with you. Amen.