Live the Word Bible Studies

Welcome to Live the Word

I am happy you have visited this site, where my goal since 2001 has been to help people all over the world understand and then apply the word of God in their lives. If you look on the right hand side of this blog site, you will see the name of each book in the New Testament, where you will find what I call a devotional commentary for every verse in those books. My goal was not to do a technical study, but rather a practical one that presented not only insights, but also questions and recommendations to help you apply or live the word. I have now published those studies in book form, but it's time to expand my work with something new (pictured here are two of my commentary covers, and they are all available in paper or Kindle format from Amazon).

For several years, I have had the idea to develop a Purpose Study Bible, similar to others on the market like The Spirit-Filled Bible, The Leadership Bible, The African Bible, and The Student Bible. Each one of those incorporates insights about a particular topic right in the Bible itself, like an easy-to-use commentary. I have been teaching on the topics of purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith since 1991, and have gained insight and often taught about or written about those topics from a biblical perspective. For the remainder of my days, I want to share what I have learned with my readers on these five topics I have labeled the five Gold Mine Principles, and this format seems like an economical way to do so (since I am not ready to undertake publishing a Bible). This particular study will begin in Genesis and move on in an orderly fashion through the rest of the Old Testament. Should God prolong my days, I will then move into the New Testament.

I also want to learn from my readers, so I invite you to post comments to supplement, adjust, or augment what I have written. My goal, however, is not to make us all experts on what the Bible has to say about purpose or creativity, but rather to help us become people of purpose, for as Jesus said, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:17). That is why my commentaries are called Live the Word, for that is what we are expected to do.

I hope you enjoy reading these studies as much as I enjoy writing them, and I hope you will be an active participant by sharing your own insight and testimonies. Thank you, and may the Lord bless the study and reading of His word!

Purpose Study Bible 112: Priestly Fire

Leviticus is all about the priest, his duties and purpose in the nation's life. In fact, the priest is mentioned 143 times in Leviticus. Here are a few of those mentions:

The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out (Leviticus 5:8-13).

Notice that the priest had to wear "linen undergarments" for he always had to carry out his job in a way that was dignified and formal. Then they all had the duty to ensure that the fire on the altar never went out, for he was always on duty on behalf of the people as their mediator before God.

Now we are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9) and have no need for the sacrificial fire but we do need the fire of the Holy Spirit and the best way to never allow that fire to go out is to keep doing what we love to do. In other words, you can keep the fire of God by flowing in your purpose and expressing your creativity, things you love to do that energize you. In a sense, you are like the burning bush in your purpose: you burn brightly but are never consumed.

Do you take your priestly duties seriously? Are you wearing your linen undergarments, carrying out your priestly, royal duties with dignity and grace? Has the fire gone out on your altar? Do you burn brightly, on duty at all times to be who God made you to be? What can you do to stoke the flames and keep them burning?

Purpose Study Bible 111: Sin Offering

Some of the priest's offerings were to restore fellowship, and others were to honor God, but most were to deal with the sins of the people, both intentional and unintentional:

“If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting . . . When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect . . . If any member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering for the sin they committed a female goat without defect" (Leviticus 4:13-14; 22-23; 27-28).

The community, leaders, and people were to be conscious of sins they committed even when they were unaware and only later became aware. If you are like most people, when you read this, you think of sins that were committed, labeled in theology sins of commission. But what about the sins of omission, those being the good things you could have done but did not do? Is sin only the "bad" things you do and not also the "good" things you don't do, whether intentional or not?

When you don't learn the language, don't the people who know that language miss hearing what you have to say? What about the book you don't write? Aren't potential readers deprived of your testimony or insight? What happens when you don't take the missions trip? Don't the people with whom you could build a relationship miss out on your gifts and love?

The point is that the sacrifices were instituted to sensitize the people to the concept of sin, but keep in mind that sin isn't just what you do, it's what you don't do that you could do but refused or neglected to do. Determine to be all you can be and do all you are capable of doing, and if you become aware that you have ceased doing either, then you need to repent and get back on track to lead a fruitful and productive life.

Purpose Study Bible 110: A Memorial

Let's continue to look at the grain offering which we began in the last study as found in Leviticus 2:

He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord (2:9-10).

The grain offering was cooked in a pan having been mixed with oil and salt, all of which made up a concoction that was to be consumed by the priests except for part of it which was burned on the altar as an "aroma pleasing to the Lord." There is much symbolism here, but let's restrict our attention to what is referred to as the "memorial portion."

The memorial portion is like saying a blessing over your food when you give thanks for God's provision. It's taking a part of what you have and dedicating it to the Lord as a remembrance of your source, thinking back over your history of how God has always provided for you and yours. You recognize that what you have, not only for food, but for life is from His hand. This memorial portion also serves as a faith boost for today, for in essence you are saying, "God, You've provided before and here You are doing it again. I trust You today for tomorrow because of yesterday."

What can do today to give a memorial offering to the Lord? Can you dedicate some time and use your gifts to help and serve others as an offering to Him? Perhaps you can give a testimony from your archive of blessings? Or maybe you embark on some new adventure by remembering the past and dedicating your new pathway to His purpose? Whatever you do, make sure you don't just memorialize the past but use it as an inspiration for your future.

Purpose Study Bible 109: Firstfruits

As the Lord explained the procedure He required for each of the tabernacle offerings, He had this to say about the grain offering:

“Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma" (Leviticus 2:11-12).

The offering was not to include yeast or honey for those would be additives that would cause the grain to be bigger or sweeter than it naturally was. The grain offering was to be composed of only fine flour, symbolic of the nature of Christ who was found to be refined through the things He suffered. But let's focus on another aspect of this offering which was that it could be presented as firstfruits. What would it represent and symbolize if someone brought a firstfruits offering?

When it's harvest time on a farm, it requires that all things go as they should in a small window of time for there to be a successful harvest. For example, farmers could work the first day and get an abundant harvest only to have bad weather come and ruin the rest that was in the field. The farmer offering firstfruits took some of the initial harvest and chose to offer it to the Lord, in essence saying, "God, what I'm giving you is the first yield from the harvest. I give it to You first to give thanks but also to make a faith statement that it's the first among more harvest yet to come. I'm trusting You that I will be able to successfully finish the harvest we have begun and as a token of my faith, I'm giving away what I have, fully expecting it to be replaced and then some."

Firstfruits is a faith statement that there's more to come and therefore you don't have to hold on to the first fruits of your labors. What's more, the firstfruits is optional and not required or commanded. You can willingly give it to God in faith that you will finish the task and reap the full harvest—with God's help. You are declaring that God oversaw the firstfruits and will continue to watch over what belongs to you.

How can you apply the principle of firstfuits to your purpose and creativity? Perhaps you give away the first output of a new creative expression you have? Maybe it's a special offering from the returns of a new venture in your company or ministry? However you express it, firstfruits is a way of saying, "Thank You, God, for what I have, but I'm expecting more to come with Your help."

Purpose Study Bible 108: Seasoned with Salt

There is a tendency to skip over parts of the first five books of the Pentateuch because they are irrelevant and detached from modern culture and understanding. As we move through the early chapters of Leviticus, there are treasures to be gained regarding the five Goldmine Principles (purpose, creativity, goals, time management, and faith) but like most gold, we have to dig them out. Here is one such gold nugget:

Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings (Leviticus 2:13).

Why were the people required to add salt to their offerings? Let's see if we can determine the reason and its relevance for us.

A covenant is an unbreakable agreement or treaty between two parties. God instituted various covenants throughout the Old Testament and then Jesus stated He came to establish another or a new covenant. It seems that salt was a part of establishing a covenant between the parties, which would symbolize that the agreements were to be preserved at all costs. There are certainly more symbolic meanings to the salt but that will suffice for our purposes.

Leviticus 2 discusses the grain offering which was composed of the finest flour, symbolic of Jesus' ministry through which He was sifted and found to be perfect or "fine" like flour. The grain first had to be grown through a farmer's effort, then converted to flour and then offered. As you create and express your purpose, you are growing the grain, so to speak, so that you and your work can be sifted and converted into fine flour. You are to add salt to what you do as a reminder that your work is not a hobby but rather an assignment from the Lord, just like He assigned work to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2. You have made a covenant with God, or shall we say He has made it with you, and you are to carry out your work as a matter of obedience and not convenience.

Is there salt present in what you do? Are you doing it for Him under His direction? Are you faithful to express your gifts, fulfill your purpose, and create to your heart's content? If so, then there is indeed salt in your grain offering and it will be preserved in God's memory, which will be one of a faithful servant who carries out His will in season and out.

Purpose Study Bible 107: Excellence

It's time to move on to another Old Testament book in this week's Purpose Study Bible lesson. Let's look at Leviticus in the next few months to see what we can learn regarding the five gold mine principles of purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith. We notice something right away in the early chapters of the book:

"If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect" (Leviticus 1:3).

We will look more closely at the burnt offering in a later study but for now, notice that this offering as well as all the others mentioned in the first few chapters were to be "without defect" or of the highest quality. Of course, all the offerings are a shadow of the One who was yet to come who was without defect--the sinless, morally perfect Son of Man. Yet, there could be another application to this truth. It indicates that whatever we do, we should produce a level of excellence in it because it is for the Lord and in His service.

I have differentiated over the years between perfection and excellence. The former is an elusive pursuit but excellence is within everyone's reach if this definition holds true: "excellence is doing all you do with a right heart and in a manner worthy of God." The right heart aspect means you are not doing what you do with any ulterior motives and the manner worthy of God speaks to the fact that God is deserving of your best efforts. That means your work, play, creativity, and any other role or activity require the best of who you are and what you can do. William Temple, one-time Bishop of Canterbury, had this to say about excellence: "At the root of all your being, your intellectual studies, the games you play, whatever it is, the impulse to do them well is and ought to be understood as being an impulse towards God, the source of all that is excellent."

Do you pursue excellence in all you do, especially where your purpose and creativity are concerned? Do you attempt to give God your best? Do you see excellence as a spiritual matter and not just an academic or personal matter?

Purpose Study Bible 106: Guidance

We have followed the people in our study of Exodus as they were enslaved in Egypt when Moses showed up as their deliverer, and then their departure and sojourn in the Wilderness. After that, much of the book was the account of the origin and construction of the Tabernacle, the completion of which ushered in the visible presence of the Lord by day and night. While the purpose of the Tabernacle was worship and sacrifice, Exodus ends explaining the main purpose for God's presence:

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels (Exodus 40:36-38).

The cloud and the fire were there "in all their travels" which means the cloud and fire were there to clearly lead and guide the people in a way that was not open to interpretation or confusion. In fact, guidance should never be a difficult challenge for God's people since He wants all to know His will both individually and as a body. That means He wants you to know your purpose and gifts and then know how and where He wants them to be expressed. Jesus gave us a strategy we can always use to discover God's will: "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own" (John 7:17). In other words, if you choose to know God's will and commit to do it before you know what it is, then God is sure to show you.

Is there a cloud or fire present in your life to lead and guide you? If not, then what obstacle is present in your mind that is blocking His direction? Is fear blocking your channels of communication with Him? What do you need to do to prove to God that you are serious about doing His will?

Purpose Study Bible 105: Faith Rewarded

Exodus spent many chapters discussing the preparations for and assembly of the Wilderness Tabernacle. What was the result of their efforts?

Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:33-34).

Moses led, the people gave, the workmen crafted and built, the people assembled, and finally Moses inspected and they all did what they did in faith. They believed they had received the word of the Lord, acted on it, and then trusted that when they were finished the Lord would reward them with His presence. Their response is summarized by the well-known verse in Hebrews 11:6: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

It will be no different for you as you seek to fulfill your purpose and be creative. You will have to exercise faith during the entire process from when you accept your gifts and call, through their development, to expressing them, and finally expecting to see the results the Lord promised and your work merits. Are you flowing in faith as you develop and set goals? Do you trust the Lord for time to do all that is in your heart to do? Are you willing to work in faith over the long haul to obtain significant results? If so, then you, like Israel, will enjoy the presence of the Lord as He shows Himself strong on your behalf.

Purpose Study Bible 104: Some Assembly Required

Have you ever bought something that needed assembled and the instructions assured you it was a simple process only to find you were stumped? Do you know someone you can turn to who seems to be able to put things like that together without even looking at the instructions? Moses had to the tabernacle together after all the work was done on the things the Lord had commanded the artisans to make:

So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the Lord commanded him. He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded him (Exodus 40:17-21).

Putting something together, whether it's a tabernacle or a bicycle, requires some creativity to do and is not just a matter of common sense. In fact, there are many things in life that are creative which you may tend to overlook or not place into that descriptive category. What creative expressions do you have that you take for granted? If you accept your ability to assemble (with or without the instructions) as a talent or a gift, what more can you do with it at church, home, or in your work? Do you see that this may be how to "assemble" an event, special occasion, party, or other activity that involves people and not things? In other words, take a closer look at who you are and what you do, and you will see that you are a creative person.

Purpose Study Bible 103: Pomegranates and Bells

We have spent considerable time examining the tabernacle furnishings but let's look at the priests' clothing in this week's study. We read

They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver—with an opening i n the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses (Exodus 39:22-26).

If you are familiar with a pomegranate, you know it has many edibles seeds surrounded by juicy pulp. It is said to have 613 seeds which correspond to the 613 commands of the Torah. Yet that is not the main purpose of that fruit being chosen for the priests garments. It is a reminder that anyone who is clothed in righteous garments is to bear fruit. How should that fruit be defined? It is any action you perform in the power of the Spirit according to your gifts in the service of others.

What about the bells? The traditional interpretation is that if the bells were to stop tinkling while the priest was in the Holy of Holies, then those outside would know the priest was struck down due to some violation of protocol in his service. That may be true, but could it also be that those dressed in holy garments are to be in motion serving the Lord and are to let others know they are doing so to encourage them in their own purposeful activities, stimulating them to good deeds as the writer of Hebrews described it. In essence, the priests were to attract attention to themselves as they went about their purpose duties. Are you afraid to "make noise" while you serve Him? Are you bearing fruit? Are you busy making a gentle sound as you move about serving the Lord and others?