Often when I journal I start out with Bible Study.  I ask God to give me ears to hear Him as I read.  I like that I can ask Him questions about what I read and I love it when He responds in a way that I can understand. However, I confess, it doesn’t happen all of the time and sometimes I just have to trust that He will show me what I need to know.

From the journal . . . August 2010

Mal 2:5-6 ⁵ “The purpose of My covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered Me and stood in awe of My name. ⁶ They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from Me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with Me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. NLT

I’m reading in Malachi.  Verse 2:5 basically says the purpose of the covenant with the Levites is to bring life and peace to the people. The priests would pass on God’s instructions. They revered God and lived in a way pleasing to Him.

This reminds me of Psalm 50:15 about how God blesses us and we honor Him.  *¹

The priests are to have God’s knowledge and tell others.  We, who are believers in the Lord, are supposed to do that. *²

Lord, am I a priest? 

And I Believe God Said:

I give you knowledge and wisdom.  You are to pass that on and you are to be an example.  You are obvious about belonging to Me, so you need to be responsible to represent our family.  I am your father – you are My daughter.  I bless you – you honor Me.  

Priest is a word that doesn’t have a lot of meaning for you.  There are good priests and there are bad priests.

Further in the chapter I found that the priests had left God, they married women who worshiped idols, and then brought their offerings to God. vs. 8-12. *³

I know God wants us to serve Him alone. *⁴

Lord, in public school I am to ‘honor’ or at least respect all religions.  How do I do that and remain faithful to You?

Help me Lord to be true to You, but to do what is right concerning my non-Christian students.

You can respect the right to choose.

Josh 24:13a But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.

I love your students.  My complaint is with My people – who are called by My name but worship other gods – I will spew the lukewarm out of my mouth.

⁵ Rev 3:15-16. ⁵ “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! ¹⁶ But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!

There are many challenges for Christians teaching in public school.  Some curriculums are not in line with God’s word, some families are of different cultures that don’t honor Jesus and politics can cause divisions within the staff.  My experience wasn’t bad., especially concerning the students.  We were a high-risk school with poverty, single parent homes, and needy children.  When I taught kindergarten, my first priority was to value and accept each child, while teaching them appropriate school behavior.   I wasn’t there to evangelize the students, but I always prayed that they would find the Lord.  I asked God for wisdom continually and He always came through for me.

Bible References:

*¹  Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me on the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

*²  Luke 9:2 Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Mark 5:19As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. ¹⁹ But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.”

Psal 73:28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

^{*3  Mal 2:8-9But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.”}

*⁴ Ex 20:3. You must not have any other god but Me.

Deut 6:13-14. ¹³ You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.  ¹⁴ “You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations,