THE SEPARATION
During my years of Christian ministry my purpose has always been to drive people to the Word of God (the Bible) and to consistent prayer! I am so pleased to launch my new blog to provide my readers with inspiration, spiritual challenge and information based on the truth of Scripture. I personally continue to desire a closer walk with Jesus. Recently, that has included the reading of the 8 books written by Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Jew from the priestly line of Aaron. He is the pastor of a Jewish congregation, and the leader of Hope of the World Ministry in the state of New Jersey. I have great respect for him and for his truly Biblical teaching; he challenges me deeply. A couple weeks ago, I received his January 2024 newsletter and reading it, I concluded that the content was absolutely enlightening, challenging and Biblical. So, on this inaugural blog, I want to use the content of that newsletter.
"Israel was called out of the nations, and in Exodus 19, the Lord specified this calling. It was to be a priestly nation. Being called out and being priestly go together. After Israel was called out of the nations, the Levites were called out and separated from the twelve tribes. The tribe of Levi would be the priestly tribe. Again, their greater priesthood meant a greater separation. Then out of the Levites, God called out the Cohanim who were the sons of Aaron. They were separated from the tribe of Levi and had a greater ministry.
Notice the principle: each level of ministry had a separation. Each separation had a cost. The cost of Israel was that it could not participate in the ways of the nations. The cost of the Levites was that they had no land or inheritance. The cost of the Cohanim or priests was that they had additional requirements and restrictions that they had to abide by. Israel could do what no other nation could do. The Levites could minister in the temple where the rest of the Israelites could not. The Cohanim could do what the Levites could not do and go where they couldn't go. The greater the calling, the greater the separation; the greater the separation, the greater the limitations and requirements. But the greater the limitations and requirements, the greater the ministry and the greater the blessing.
Do you want to do great things for the Lord? Do you want to fulfill a great calling? Then learn from the priests of Israel. The great calling entails a great cost. The great calling means accepting the separation that comes along with it. If you are going to fulfill the high purposes of God, you have to separate yourself from the purposes of this world. It means you can't participate in what others participate in. It means you can't get wrapped up in the things the world gets wrapped up in. It means you have to view yourself as separate, sanctified, and consecrated to the Lord's purposes. Whatever you have to give up, you need to give up - and with joy. It means that some things may be okay for others, or even other believers, but it is not okay for you. Don't see the restrictions in your life as something bad. It is an honor. The Lord did not allow His priests to become wealthy in real estate, rich in the world, or loaded down with possessions. So in the same way, be blessed in what the Lord has given you and what He has not given you because He has called you to something greater. You may not have what others have, but you have something far more valuable. You have Him and a high and holy calling as well."
I pray these words inspire and challenge you to seek what God is calling you to do for Him and to accept the separation and cost it brings....with joy!
I am using this content with the express permission of Jonathan Cahn, taking it from his daily devotional magazine "Sapphires". You too can get a Free Subscription by going to the website:
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