Feb.28 - Deuteronomy 25 - 27

I know it's looking bleak on the economic scene, but Jesus reminds us "let not your heart be troubled."

Now, to today's bible study!

Immediately upon reading these three chapters today, you start seeing some allusion to New Testament events. For example:

1) Jesus was flogged more than 40 lashes, in spite of the Jewish law we read in 25:3! Here's why Moses said that 40 lashes were plenty - in verse 3, it says, "more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor." In other words, it would be a demonstration of public humiliation to be flogged more than 40 times! To be safe, the Jewish leaders in Jesus' day would only flog someone 39 times in order to be safe from miscounting and thus violating the law of Moses! But, how many times was Jesus flogged? Remember, he was under Roman jurisdiction, not Jewish jurisdiction. The Jews had appealed to Pilate, a Roman governor. And, under Roman law, they did NOT have a limit. According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, it was uncommon for the Romans to flog a man to death! But, we can safely assume that Jesus was whipped more than 40 times due to the fact that the bible teaches in Isaiah 52:14, "But many were amazed when they saw him (Jesus). His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man." Jesus was whipped cruelly and inhumanely!

And, Jesus underwent public humiliation while being lashed MORE than 40 times! In spite of the fact that every Jewish leader knew of this Old Testament law, they blatantly disregarded it as it was being committed upon Jesus. How shameful it was of those "religious" leaders to disregard their own law they pretended to love and defend so much!

In today's perspective, however, I think Jesus is still getting flogged today! How, you ask? I think we do it with our disobedience! I'm sure His heart aches each and every time we decide to turn our backs on Him and willfully sin against Him. It was for our sin that he was flogged and publicly humiliated.

2) Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4 to defend PREACHERS so that they could be PAID WELL for their ministry services! As you read verse 4 in its text in Deuteronomy, you might not of thought of its application as Paul did in 1 Timothy 5:18 when he was encouraging the people to pay the elders of the church WELL! He said, "Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well...for the Scripture says, 'You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain." In other words, Paul was reminding the church people that if God was concerned that an animal (an ox) should be well rewarded for working hard, then shouldn't our preachers be rewarded more so!

3) The Sadduccees of Jesus' day use Deuteronomy 25:5 to tempt Jesus with a question! Read verse 5 and then jump over to Mark 12:19-23. Can you see how these religious leftists tried to challenge Jesus by using the law you just read in today's readings?

4) Cheaters are "detestable" in God's sight! Wow! Did you catch that verse in 25:13-16? God must really hate cheating! Notice what he does! In verse 15 offers people a "long life" who don't cheat in life, and in verse 16 He confesses that those who do cheat are "detestable" in His sight! Cheating is a real serious thing with God! Whether cheating on a test or cheating on business expenses, God doesn't like cheating at all.

5) Tithing obligates God to bless you! That's one lesson you can get out of Chapter 26. Moses commands the nation of Israel to do 3 things:
- Offer up the first fruits of your harvest when you enter the Promised Land.
- Then, tithe on your crops in a "special tithe" every 3 years!
- Then, ask God to look down from Heaven and bless you!

In other words, it's almost like Moses is saying, "If you honor God with your substance and obey Him, then ask Him to bless you and He will!"

6) The Mountains of Blessing & Cursings! We often see Jesus in the New Testament speaking in simple stories or preaching with visual aids. Now, here in Deuteronomy 27, Moses is doing the same thing! He tells the 1.2 million person crowd that once they cross the Jordan River to enter into the Promised Land, their first act of responsibility is to split up. He instructs half of them to go up and stand on the side of one mountain (Mount Ebal) and the other half to go up and stand on the other mountain just across from Ebal (Mount Gerazim). While each half is on the side of their respective mountain facing each other, the Levites are to offer up a Recital of Cursings and Blessings! As the Levites shout the curse, the entire nation shouts back, "AMEN!" - which literally means "so shall it be!" This was Moses' way of providing a "visual" demonstration for the purpose of reminding the nation of Israel that they have a choice to either follow God's instructions and be blessed, OR go their own way and receive a curse. It must have been a powerful moment to have seen 1.2 million people do this! I've been in Arrowhead Stadium with more than 80,000 people in attendance shouting for the Kansas City Chiefs. It was deafening! I couldn't even hear the person sitting next to me asking me a question! Wow! I can only imagine the deafening noise that must have rumbled the ground beneath them as they shouted "Amen!" What a powerful visual it was!

That's all for now! God bless!

Feb.27 - Deuteronomy 22 - 24

Wow! You talk about "Sexual Abstinence!"

1) If you had sex outside of marriage you were to be stoned to death! Today, if God's laws were in effect as they were in the day of Moses, millions of teenagers would be stoned to death! God made a strict law on this! He demanded that if any teenage woman who promiscuously violated her virginity she was to dragged to the front door of her parents home and stoned to death! And, anyone who committed adultery or any sexual act outside the bonds of marriage was to stoned to death as well! Can you imagine how this law, if it could be made into effect today, would save so many teenagers and our world today from emotional pain, sexually-transmitted diseases, unwanted babies, and abortions?

2) Ruth must have barely made it as an Israelite! In the next few weeks, we're going to read the story of Ruth, the great grandmother of King David. She was a Moabite woman. The important thing to know here is that in today's reading 23:3, "No...Moabite or any of their descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the Lord." In fact, according to the book of Matthew 1:17, there were "fourteen generations from Abraham to David." This means that Ruth actually was within the 10 generation elimination period. In other words, she could NOT be accepted into the assembly of Israel. However, God's mercy on Ruth due to her faith in Him, allows her to be married to Boaz, a Godly Jew, and is graciously given the privilege to be the great grandmother of one of the Godliest men in the Bible!

3) How would you like to have the law found in 24:5 put into legislature today! In this verse, it says, "A newly married man must not be drafted in the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married." I can hear all the women saying "Amen!" to that one!

4) Be a merciful person! That's the message of Deuteronomy 24! Listen to all the great advice Moses gives concerning the need to be gracious and merciful to others:
- Pay the poor before sunset! They need it!
- Give justice to people less fortunate or different than you!
- Be generous with your crops to feed the poor and needy!

Have you noticed how many times Moses reminds Israel throughout the book of Deuteronomy that they were once slaves in Egypt? He doesn't want them to forget where they came from! He want's them to always be thankful for what they have!

While so much more could be discussed, I hope this gives some food for thought. God bless!

Feb.26 - Deuteronomy 19 - 21

Moses continues to give GREAT ADVICE!

In chapter 19, he recommends 3 "cities of refuge" for any individual who "kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility (vs.4)". The whole purpose of this type of arrangement was to protect the person who accidentally killed someone from "an enraged avenger" who might "chase down and kill the person who caused the death (vs.6)". God did not want the Promised Land polluted by murder! These cities of refuge were to be temporary restraints from a person being preliminarily put to death before a fair trial. Not a bad idea!

In chapter 20, God offers "rules of war!" Here they are:
- Don't be afraid of an army GREATER THAN YOU!
- The priest is to offer the troops a motivational charge before the battle and remind them that God will fight for them!
- The army officers are to eliminate troops who
1) Have built a new house without living in it yet
2) Have planted a vineyard who has eaten from it
3) Has just become engaged to be married
4) Is afraid!
I bet this eliminated A LOT OF GUYS!!!
- Offer a peace treaty to distant towns people.
- Kill every living thing in all the towns within the Promised Land!

This last rule of killing every living thing may be hard to understand. But remember, earlier in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy God told Israel that the only reason He was giving them the Promised Land was because the people of the land were extremely wicked! They had rejected God, worshipped demons, practiced witchcraft, sacrificed their children to other gods, engaged in homosexuality, and the horrible list goes on and on! God's patience had run out on the inhabitants of Canaan. That's why God said to wipe them out completely! He did not want Israel to run the risk of allowing them to live and spread their wickedness among the Israelites. God is jealous over His own. He will do anything and everything to protect us from being spiritually diseased through our prolonged association with wicked people.

In chapter 21, God once again shows how important it is to have the land cleansed of the guilt of murder! Look at the ritual God is requesting of them when a person is found murdered and there is no one to blame! They are to take a young cow and break its neck, and then allow the elders of the city to wash their hands over the cow and pray for God's mercy so that God won't punish the people of the land for the murderous bloodshed that took place. God says this "will cleanse the guilt of murder from the community (vs.9)."

There are 2 other VERY POWERFUL POINTS:
1) God demands a death sentence to rebellious children! Look at 21:18-21! If any parents could not control their children from a rebellious and disobedient attitude, God demanded that the elders of the city stone them with stones that they die! Wow! God is serious about children obeying parents! This is why it is the 5th commandment of the 10 commandments, and it is the ONLY commandment with a promise - the promise of a long life!

2) Jesus was cursed in God's sight! Did you read 21:23? It says, "for anyone who is hung is cursed in the sight of God." Jesus became sin for us! He was willing to become "cursed" in the sight of His Heavenly Father out of His love for us and His Father! How tough this must have been for Jesus! How humiliating! All Jews knew this verse! That's why many of them "wagged their heads at him" at the foot of the cross. Isn't Jesus amazing!

Have a Spirit-filled day!

Feb.25 - Deuteronomy 16 - 18

There's alot to be said about today's reading, so let me just give you some important highlights!

1) We ought to celebrate Jesus like the Israelites did in the Old Testament! Even though they didn't know about Jesus, they celebrated Him in all their festivals. In Chapter 16, Moses reminds Israel to "celebrate" God! He begins with the Passover which represents Jesus as the passover lamb who shed His blood so that we could escape spiritual death in Hell. Moses tells them to eat bread for seven days without any leaven in it. Leaven, in the bible, represents sin. And the bread represents the body of Jesus Christ who was without sin! Remember what Jesus said in John 6:58, "I am the true bread that came down from Heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will never die..."

The next festival Moses mentioned was the festival of harvests. Its purpose was to celebrate "the blessings you have received from Him." When's the last time you created a celebration to thank the Lord for the blessings you've received from Him? This is certainly the purpose of our national holiday of Thanksgiving which was reflective of America's first pilgrims who celebrated the harvest God blessed them with after coming to the New World.

Another celebration mentioned by Moses in chapter 16 was the festival of shelters. It was to be a "time of great joy for all." It was another time of celebrating God's goodness!

2) God wants nothing less than your best! In chapter 17:1, Moses warns the Israelites about giving God less than their best. He warns them not to be tempted with sacrificing animals that are defective. This is yet another verse telling us of God's desire to receive our very best!

3) Leaders are to read the Bible every day! Did you notice in 17:16-20 what God said the requirements were for the king of Israel? Among a list of things he was NOT to do, he was to do 2 critically important things:

A) Make handwritten copies of the Scriptures in the presence of Levitical priests!

B) He was to read Scripture every day of his life!

God says He was to read the Bible every day due to 5 VERY IMPORTANT REASONS:

1) To fear the Lord (vs.19)

2) To obey the Lord in all the terms God describes in Scripture (vs.19)

3) To prevent him from becoming too proud and to think himself above others! (vs.20)

4) To keep from turning away from the Lord even in the smallest way! (vs.20)

5) To ensure Israel's longevity as a blessed nation! (vs.20)

4) King Solomon obviously NEVER read Deuteronomy 17! In verses 16-17, God warns every King of Israel to refrain from 3 things - all of which King Solomon was guilty of!!!

- A large stable of horses!

- Marrying many wives!

- Accumulating large amounts of wealth!

While much more could be said...this is enough for today! May God give you a wonderful day!

Feb.24 - Deuteronomy 13 -15

It's tax season! Does this look familiar?

Moses continues to give POWERFUL WARNINGS to the Israelites that are good lessons for us today! Here are a few insights you can gain from today's reading:

1) God will test you! In Chapter 13, Moses informs Israel that God is going to test them on their faithfulness once they enter the Promised Land. And, here's how He's going to do it!

- First, He'll send men among them who'll act like true prophets of God with tremendous abilities to accurately forecast future events and perform miracles! However, they will eventually teach the people that their powers to accurately predict the future will come from other gods! Moses carefully reminds them that if this happens, they're to kill them at once, lest they lead anyone astray! Wow! Didn't Jesus tell his disciples that the moment He was ascended to Heaven that "wolves in sheep clothing" would come in and try to destroy the flock? Didn't He also forewarn His disciples saying in Matthew 24:24, "For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones."

God will allow His children to be tested. That is why the apostle Paul so strongly encouraged the believers of his day in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." He forewarns us to know the Bible and to discern its truth because, "the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. " (1 Timoth 4:1"). Jesus even said it was "better if a millstone was tied around someone's neck and then cast into the sea" than for someone to lead one of God's children astray!

2) Second, Moses warned that God may test them with close relatives such as brothers, sisters, and even wives who may one day encourage them to follow after other gods. If this was the case, they were to have them put to death!

3) Thirdly, Moses warned that if a nearby town is worshipping another God and begins to lead any of them astray, then they were to attack the town and DESTROY EVERYTHING IN SIGHT!

God has literally no tolerance for anyone or anything that distracts people from following Him with all their heart! Do you know of anyone or anything that might be distracting you from following God with all your heart? Get rid of it!

Another POWERFUL CONCEPT is found in Chapter 14. it's about tithing! God said tithing does 2 powerful things:

1) It proves your fear or respect of the Lord! (14:23)
2) And, it is a method by which God will bless you in all your work! (14:29)

In Chapter 15, there are at least 3 more POWERFUL PRINCIPLES:

1) Cancel all debts in the 7th year! In other words, never make a loan for more than 6 years. But, if the debt is not paid off by that year, then cancel the debt. Now, this sounds like a great opportunity for someone who doesn't like to pay back their debts, but God strictly prohibited people from taking advantage of this rule!

2) Take generous care of the poor! Moses reminded the Israelites in 15:11 that "there will always be some in the land who are poor." In verse preceding this, he says, "Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do." We ought to practice this today!

3) Loan, but NEVER borrow! God told Israel to be generous in loaning money to anyone who needed it, but they were to never borrow money! Borrowing money, in any form, was always strictly forbidden of God's people. This is a good lesson for us today! In fact, perhaps the only borrowing that any of us should ever consider would be on a home - an appreciable item. But, even still, it's better to trust God for everything and to never get into a "borrowing position!"

Have a wonderful day, and may the Lord guide you in everything you do today! And, may the wonderful countenance of His face shine upon you!

Feb.23 - Deuteronomy 10 - 12

Moses gets down to the basics as he shares his last few words to the nation of Israel before he dies and before they enter the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership. Moses puts it plain and simple when he says, "Hey...this is all that God wants from you... fear him, please him. love him with all your heart, and always obey him!" That's it! That's the life God wants all of us to live! Plain and simple! Are you doing that? Do you fear Him? Do you really love Him with ALL your heart? Is your life pleasing Him? And, can you say that you are always obedient to His will? Who's in charge...you or God?

Notice the POWERFUL CHALLENGE he gives the Israelites in 10:19, "show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt." During Jesus' day, this rule was long forgotten! The Israelites of Jesus' day were some of the most prejudice people on earth! They literally hated and despised Samaritans - who were half Jews and half another nationality. They called Gentiles "dogs" and they were strictly forbidden to enter into the home of a Gentile. If anything, the Jews did NOT show love to foreigners during the time of Christ. That's why the Samaritan woman in John 4:9 was literally shocked that Jesus, being a Jew, would even speak to her! She said, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Only Jesus lived according to this rule of Moses. The rest of the crowd refused to love anyone else that didn't conform to their standards. Even the religious leaders no longer practiced nor preached this part of the law of Moses.

Physical Reminders Of God's Commands! In Deuteronomy 11, Moses strongly encourages the people of Israel to wear or place on their body some form of reminder to keep God's commandments. In 11:18, he suggests, "tie them (the Scriptures) to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders." The Jewish leaders often did this! Many of them wore what was called "philacteries" on their foreheads which contained scripture to remind them of God's commandments. Here are a couple of pictures of the kind of philacteries that were worn by the Jews:

Do you have any reminders that help you to remain faithful and loyal to God's command?

Have a great Monday and may the Lord be blessed with your life!

Feb.22 - Deuteronomy 7 - 9

As we read today's chapters, we begin to get an "inside" look at the subjects of salvation and the Christian lifestyle. As Moses begins chapter 7, he offers the people of Israel some very valuable lessons about God and how to please Him.

For example: In chapter 7, we learn:

1) What God promises, He delivers! God promised Israel's ancestor, Abraham, that he would give his descendants the land of Canaan (or what we call the Promised Land). Today, in 7;1, Moses reminds Israel of that promise and explains to them just how God's going to fulfill His promise to them - "he will clear away many nations ahead of you" who are "greater and more numerous than you." Hey listen...what God promises He keeps! If He has called you to something, even though it may seem to be an impossible task to accomplish, He will clear the way somehow!

2) God doesn't what us to be "immersed" with non-believers! In 7:2-6, Moses warns Israel of God's command to avoid dwelling in the land of these unbelievers and having an intimate relationship with them. In fact, He demands that they "drive them out!" God's reason for this is found in verses 4 and 6 and is threefold:

- "for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods."
- "the Lord's anger will burn against you and he will quickly destroy YOU."
- "you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God."

Listen, God is a jealous God when it comes to protecting His own children! He knows very well that we end up becoming like those we hang around with! He knew that these pagan Canaanites would weaken the Israelites spiritually and eventually turn their hearts toward other gods and ultimately away from the Lord - which eventually happened later on into the Old Testament! Therefore, that's why God sternly warned them that when they were to go into the land to conquer it, if the inhabitants didn't voluntarily leave on their own cognizance, then the Israelite army was to do these 6 incredible things:

- Complety destroy them!
- Make no treaties with them!
- Show them no mercy!
- Don't intermarry with them!
- Break down their pagan altars!
- Destroy any and every idol!

2) Salvation is NOT based on anything we've done to deserve it! In Chapter 7:7, Moses explains the purpose of Israel's salvation and relationship with the Lord. Notice that it had NOTHING to do with what Israel did to deserve God's affection! Moses explains, "The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you..." In fact, later in Chapter 9:4, Moses warns them from saying, "don't say in your hearts, 'The Lord has given us this land because we are such good people.' No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that he is pushing them out of your way." God wanted Israel to know that only by His GRACE did Israel receive this incredible opportunity to know and experience God and His power! And, that it's only through FAITH in Him that will sustain them!

It's the same way for all of us who are believers in Jesus Christ today! God saves us by His GRACE and through putting our FAITH in Him! Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." God saves us strictly out of His infinite and unconditional love, and out of His promise to the world a long time ago! God didn't save us from our sins because we deserve it, we didn't deserve it! The truth is, God "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)." God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, as an outpouring of His love on His creation! We did NOT do anything to deserve his gift of eternal life. It is only when we recognize that fact and turn from our sin and to God that God gives us the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus!

3) God's blesses those who trust and obey Him! In Chapter 7:12-15, God promises 7 incredible blessings for those who are obedient to Him. Listen to what He says:

- I'll keep my promises to you!
- I will love you!
- I will bless you!
- I'll make you productive in all you do!
- You'll be blessed above all other nations!
- I'll make your women fertile with children!
- I'll protect you from all diseases!

Wow! That sounds like a good deal to me, doesn't it you? And, do you know what? These promises are just as good today for us as it was for the Israelites way back then! God hasn't changed! He's immutable! What He felt then, He feels today. His promises to bless Israel are yours too... if you'll simply trust and obey!

4) Desert experiences teach us humility and proves our character! Have you ever had a "desert experience?" I have! They can strip you of all your confidence. In Chapter 8:2-3, Moses reminds Israel of the purpose of the desert experience, "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove our character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry...he did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." God is always in the business of growing up His children. At times, He will take us through our own desert experience so that we will learn that He is everything - our source and our provider! He will use those experiences to humble us to the point that we must rely on Him.

Here's some advice! Learn to rely on Him NOW! If not, you might find yourself in the desert for a while!

Attend a bible-teaching church and enjoy the Lord's day!

Feb.21 - Deuteronomy 4 - 6

Deuteronomy is Moses' final words of challenge to the people he's been leading over the past 40 years. The Hebrew name for Deuteronomy is "Devarim", and is obtained from the opening phrase of the book of Deuteronomy which says "Eleh ha-devarim", and actually means "These are the words". It simply refers the "discourses" or "talks" which Moses had with the people of Israel. These talks are comprised of mainly three speeches given by Moses some time before his death, in the mountains of Moab, in the penultimate month prior to their entering into the Promised Land.

Here are a few Power Thoughts from today's reading:

1) A lack of faithfulness to the Lord can impact your physical health! Throughout the Bible, we see numerous instances where people suffer physical ailments as a result of their sinful lives or lack of faithfulness to the Lord. Here in Deuteronomy 4:4, Moses reminds the Israelites that it was their faithfulness to Him that preserved their lives until today. Remember the man whom Jesus healed at the Pool of Siloam? After his healing, Jesus told him to "go and sin no more lest a worst thing happen to you." It was obvious from Jesus' comment that this man's physical health had seriously deteriorated due to a sinful life. In 1 Corinthians 11:30, the apostle Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth due to their habitual sinful living and lack of serious devotedness to the Lord and the communion table "for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." One of God's methods of spanking his disobedient children is through physical problems. He knows this will eventually get our attention!

2) Obedience to God displays wisdom to others! Everyone has a conscience! And everybody appreciates and respects a person of integrity and justice! That's what Moses was trying to say to the Israelites in 4:6-8. When Moses advised the Israelites in 4:6, to "Obey them (God's commandments) completely, and you will display wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations", he further explained himself by what he meant when he said in 4:8, "what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions...?" Everyone, even evil people, appreciate justice. God's law preserves justice and gives those who obey His word a wisdom about them!

3) God gives us the SECRET to a prosperous life! When the Israelites saw how awesome God was at Mount Sinai they actually had a fear of His greatness and holiness. In fact, they begged Moses to stand between them and God so that they wouldn't encounter God's wrath and be killed. When God heard them say this to Moses He replied (5:29), "Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands!" If there is any verse in the Bible we ought to pay attention to and take it to heart...it's this one! It holds for us the heart of God's desire for us!

More on this later! Have a great Saturday!

Feb.20 - Deuteronomy 1 - 3

It's Friday...the weekend's here!

Like a novel, Moses gives us a brief summary of Israel's days in the desert. How sad to read 1:2 when Moses says, "Normally it takes only 11 days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea ... but forty years after the Israelites left Egypt..." Moses is reminding them of the last time they were there and how they failed to believe God to drive out the inhabitants of the Promised Land. The result - 40 years of wandering in the desert waiting for "the wicked generation" to die off.

As we go through the book of Deuteronomy, Moses will cover a broad spectrum of spiritual issues. He is getting ready to die. In fact, you can read about his emotional attempt to change God's mind about his premature death in 3:23-27. You'll also find that this book has 34 chapters containing the sermons and songs all written by Moses!

Moses' first sermon (Deut.1-4) - Look Back And See God's Faithfulness!

Moses' second sermon (Deut.5-26) - Look Inward And See If You Love God!

Moses' third sermon (Deut.27-30) - Look Forward And Trust God!

Moses' song to Israel (Deut.31-34) - Look Upward And See Your Redeemer!

Here's what you'll see in the rest of this exciting book as Moses speaks of the:

1) Word of God (Chapter 4 & 11)

2) Israel (Chapter 4, 11, 28)

3) Person of God (Chapter 6 - 7)

4) Promises of God (Chapter 7 & 11)

5) Grace of God (Chapter 7)

6) Will of God (Chapter 10)

7) Kings of God (Chapter 17)

8) Great Prophet of God (Chapter 18)

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

9) Warnings of God (Chapter 30)

Feb.19 - Numbers 33 - 36

Today, we'll finish the book of Numbers (Yeah!) and read an extra chapter (the last chapter) since it is the last chapter and is only 13 verses long.

As we begin today's reading, one of the first things you'll read is how God ordered Moses in the beginning to keep a "written record" of all of Israel's progress, from the leaving of Egypt to the entering in of the Promised Land. It says in Numbers 33:2, "At the Lord's direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress."

1) This brings up a very important question. If Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible (called the Penteteuch), "How do we know if he is accurate? How do we know if he's accurate about the book of Genesis? In 33:2, we can see how Moses would have created a written accuracy of the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy, but can we rely on his account of the stories and events in the book of Genesis - which was before his time?

Some bible scholars have attributed Moses' account of Genesis due to direct revelation from God. I personally disagree! I believe God tells us clearly in the Bible why we can rely on Moses' account of Genesis as being completely accurate. Moses didn't need to rely on divine revelation from God. He personally clarifies this issue by stating that he has carefully relied on historical records!

As early as Genesis 5:1, we see Moses purposefully stating, "This is the written account of the descendants of Adam" and then proceeds with an geneological accounting of the lineage of Adam through Noah. Moses says he is relying on a "written account!" In other words, he is relying on accurate, first-hand written records for the book of Genesis and concerning the events of creation and the geneological records leading up to the time of the events of his day. Think about it! As you read through Genesis, notice what Moses says! As he gives an overview (and that's all the book of Genesis is!), he states over and over again that he is relying on historical records - note Genesis 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 36:1, etc.

Think about this too! Since men lived to be 700 to 900 years old due to the antediluvian greenhouse effect of the earth's atmosphere, and since Noah's father would have personally known his ancestor Adam and heard first-hand accounts of the beginning of creation, it would not have been difficult at all to have a written record of accuracy by the time Noah came into existence. Adam would have had 900 years to provide a written record of his family. He would have personally known each and every one of his descendants down to Lamech, the father of Noah, and perhaps had told the stories of creation and the events of the first 900 years of man's existence over and over again to many people, and especially to his family members! After Noah, you see Moses writing of "the account" or written account of each family and significant events within that family record. I'm sure Moses had to sift through a vast amount of information in order to whittle it down to the exact and specific information God wanted him to share in the book of Genesis. From a purely practical perspective, it would not have been difficult for Moses to have obtained and accurate rendition of events. Therefore, it's not a stretch of the imagination at all to believe in the historical accuracy of the book of Genesis!!!

2) The chart below shows the actual wanderings of the Israelites as they left Egypt and made their way towards the Promised Land over a period of 40 longs years! This visual may give you a better perspective.

3) The next chart below shows the how the land was divided among the Israelites after they entered into the Promised Land.

Feb.18 - Numbers 30 - 32

Good morning! Happy Wednesday...the weekend is almost here!

As we read these 3 chapters today, here are a few thoughts from today's reading:

1) If you make a promise to God, you had better keep it! God takes it seriously when we make promises to Him. He told Moses in Numbers 30:2, "A man who makes a vow (or promise) to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do." Often times, I've heard of people making promises to God under situations of distress. For example, "Lord, I'm in a real mess! If you get me out of this I'll..." You know the story. My advice is that you do exactly what you promised God. There are several examples throughout the Bible of people who've offered up a vow to God and were required to pay it. For example: Jephthah in Judges 11:30 asked for God's help in defeating the Ammonites in war and promised to give the first thing that came out of his house (thinking that it would be an animal) as a sacrifice to God. After he won the battle, he came home and found his only child (his daughter) to be the first to come out of the house singing and dancing with joy over her father's victory. Sadly, Jephthah realized he needed to pay his vow to the Lord. While he didn't offer her up as a burnt offering, he did tell her of his vow (and as was customary) she dedicated her life to God and remained a virgin the rest of her life. Another example was Hannah, the mother of Samuel the prophet. Each year, Hannah, her husband and his other wife, would go up and offer up offerings to the Lord for each member of the family. Hannah was extremely grieved over the fact that she couldn't have any children. In a desperate act, she pleaded with God in the Temple for a child, and in return of her gratitude she vowed to give the child back to the Lord and His service for the rest of his life. God gave her a son, and after weaning him, she took him to the Priest and let him remain in the Priest's custody and service for the remainder of his life. These are just a few of the many examples of people, who out of desperation, offered promises to God and knew the importance of fulfilling those promises!

2) God curses those who curse Israel! In Numbers 31, God exacts revenge on the Midianites for leading Israel into idolatry. After Balak's, the Midianite king, failed attempt to get Balaam, the prophet, to curse Israel, Balaam comes up with a plan. Moses identifies the instigator of the plan in 31:16 when he says, "who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel..." Balaam knew he couldn't curse Israel because God wouldn't listen to him. So, instead of walking away from Balak's challenge to curse Israel, he comes up with the idea of enticing the Israelite men with the beautiful women of Midian. These women flirted with the Israelite men, had sex with them, and eventually got them to worship the idol, Baal. This, in turn, created terrible consequences for Israel as many died as a result. Now, God is getting his revenge on those who desired to hurt His people.

3) Be sure your sins will come back to haunt you! That's what Moses told the Reubenites and Gadites in Numbers 32:23! After conquering the Midianites in battle, the Reubenites and Gadites wanted the eastern portion of land on the opposite side of the Jordan river just before you enter the Promised Land. In other words, they saw that the land was incredibly good for their livestock and they wanted to request it for their portion of the land grant rights to Israel - even though it wasn't within the territory of the Promised Land. Moses was furious at first thinking that they were bowing out of the battle to conquer the Promised Land. However, once the Reubenites and Gadites convinced Moses that they would help their brothers get their own land, Moses offered them this stern warning! One things for sure, the Israelites always saw their sin return to them in the form of punishment. Why? Because God is holy and desires us to be the same way.

We only have a few more chapters in Numbers and then we'll be into Deutoronomy, the fifth book of Moses' writings. Hang in there, and keep reading!

Enjoy your Wednesday, and may His countenance be reflected in all that you do!

Feb.17 - Numbers 27 - 29

Yesterday, we read of the 2nd census Moses took concerning the nation of Israel. This census took place nearly 40 years after leaving Egypt, and the purpose of it was specifically for determining the land grant rights for each tribe before they entered the Promised Land. In today's reading, they're getting ready to enter, and before they do Moses will offer some final instructions and a reminder of all they've gone through. You'll see this as you read the rest of the book of Numbers and the book of Deuteronomy. In the book of Joshua, the Israelites enter the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. In fact, it's in today's reading (chapter 27) that we read of God's choosing of Joshua as a replacement for Moses. Moses will NOT have the privilege of entering the Promised Land due to his sin in striking the rock twice at Meribah. God had told him to strike it once, but out of anger he struck it twice! God saw it as a disobedient act and says in Numbers 27 concerning him and Aaron sin, "for you both rebelled against my instructions...". Consequently, Aaron died on the top of Mount Hor in chapter 20, and Moses will die sometime later in Deuteronomy 34 on the top of Mount Nebo at Pisgah Peak. This lesson should teach all of us that God is "no respecter of persons" and if you sin, no matter how spiritual you may seem, God will punish you because of that sin. God described it this way to Moses in Numbers 27:14, "you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them...".

As we read the rest of today's reading (chapter 28 and chapter 29), we basically see that the Lord is meticulously going over the sacrificial offerings once again with Moses. These offerings include:

- A daily offering

- A Sabbath day offering

- First day of Each Month offering

- The 14th day of the First Month offering - Passover - in the spring around April 14th.

- The New Harvest offering

- The Festival of trumpets offering in the fall.

- The Day of Atonement offering - 10 days after the festival of trumpets offering

- The Festival of Booths - 5 days after the day of atonement offering

Hang in there! We almost through the civil laws for Israel.

Have a great day in the Lord!

Feb.16 - Numbers 24 - 26

Some 40 years have passed since the first chapter of Numbers! It's hard to believe, but not a whole lot happened during those 40 years of wandering in the desert! The Israelites experienced an up-and-down relationship with God, and eventually ALL of the people 20 years old and older died - all except Moses, Joshua and Caleb! Remember, God was angry with them for not putting their faith in His ability to conquer the cities of the Promised Land when they were given the chance to inherit it the first time. They were afraid to go to war! How quickly they forgot God's powerfully destructive hand against the Egyptians only 12 months earlier! Now, 40 years later, the younger generation has taken leadership and their parents are dead and gone. Only Moses, Joshua, and Caleb are left of the original adult members who crossed the Red Sea on dry land and witnessed first-hand the destruction of Egypt.

Here are a few Power Points from today's readings:

1) Not everyone who communcates with God is God's friend! While it would seem that Balaam was a prophet of the Lord, he's NOT! In fact, he's a perverted prophet! Of the thousands of characters in the Old Testament, Balaam seems to be the most mysterious, and in some ways, the most tragic. His method of communicating with God was by divination (24:1) which entailed some sort of ritualistic method consisting of animal sacrificing and some alone time with God - which wasn't much different that what the Israelites did, except that he wasn't obedient to God. In fact, Numbers 31:16 explains that it was Balaam who craftily arranged for the Moabite women to sexually seduce the Israelite men - the very event which happened in Number 25! Since God firmly prohibited Balaam from pronouncing a "curse" upon Israel, he was, however, able to craft a way for Israel to bring God's curse upon themselves! He knew that if nothing could harm them from the outside, then perhaps he could create harm from within! His evil plan worked well! Eventually, this led to the deaths of many Israelites, as well as his own death and the destruction of the nation of Moab.

While Balaam had the wonderful privilege of communicating with God, he didn't obey Him! He was certainly no friend of the Almighty.

2) Everyone's name means something to someone! What does your name mean to the people who know you? When people hear your name, do they conjur up a good mental picture of someone they like or one that is lowly of you? Is it one of happiness or sadness? Is it one of respect or hate? Is it one that is honoring to God or do they consider you worldly? The one act of Balaam in tricking Israel into sin in Numbers 25 has been a warning to Israel throughout the ages! Balaam's name rings on! But, it's not one that's associated with goodness or godliness.

It's interesting to note that he is mentioned by at least 3 New Testament writers - Peter, Jude, and John. Peter speaks of Balaam in 2 Peter 2:15 and says, "the way of Balaam...who loved the wages of unrighteousness..." John writes in the book of Revelation "the doctrine of Balaam who...cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication" (Rev.2:14).

Each and every day we are living a testimony in the eyes of other people. What do they see? If God could line them all up and ask them to provide one sentence that depicts their image of you, what do you suppose they would say? What would your co-workers say? What would your neighbors say? What would your children say? Think about it!

May we all be the Godly people the Lord is calling us to be! Only with His help can we make it!

Have a wonderful, Spirit-filled day!

Feb.15 - Numbers 21 - 23

Like a rollercoaster, the Israelites' experiences with God are an up and down relationship! One day they get victory over their enemies and party it up big time, the next day they're complaining and feeling the heat of God's wrath. While Israel remains stubborn and rebellious, God is still faithful to them!

Here's a few thoughts on today's reading:

If you want eternal life, you must look to Jesus! That's the story of the bronze snake is short!

Throughout Israel's journey to the Promised Land, the Lord had been providing for His people. He gave them the necessity, riches and victories over their enemies. However the Israelites were still quite ungrateful. Instead of giving thanks to God, they were looking to things to complain about. Their sin had caused God to send poisonous snakes out. Many people were bitten and died.

Those who were still alive begged Moses to pray for their healing. Moses did. The Lord told Moses to make a replica of a snake and attach it to a pole. Anyone who looked at it will live. Moses used bronze to make the replica. Thus the bronze snake.

What does that mean to us? The Israelites faced a serious problem due to their sins. Their problem was in the form of poisonous snakes attacking them. God told Moses to make a replica of the snake and attached it to a pole. In other words, a representation of the problem was at a pole. Why pole? So that it can be lifted up high. Many people will be able to see it. Anyone who looked at it will live while those who looked elsewhere will die.

What has that got to do with Jesus? The pole represents the Cross. When Jesus was crucified at the Cross, he was lifted up for all to see. When Jesus was at the Cross, he was like the bronze snake that Moses lifted up in the wilderness. Jesus even told us, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man (Jesus) be lifted up." Jesus was speaking of His death on the cross and alluded to the bronze snake of Numbers 21.

Likewise today when we “look” to Jesus and accept His death on the cross for the atonement for our sins we are healed from the punishment of sin - eternal death in Hell. When He was crucified, all our sins were crucified with Him. To look at Jesus is to believe in Him. The result of that is eternal life!

2) If you want God's blessings, BLESS AND PRAY FOR ISRAEL! In Numbers 22-24 you read the story of Balak's great fear of the approaching Israeli army and his hiring of Balaam to curse Israel. While Balaam in some way used divination (24:1) to determine God's will, God did, in fact, speak to Balaam. Balaam, in 24:9, repeats what God told Abraham long ago "Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you!

That feeling God has for the nation of Israel is still true today! We ought to pray for Israel, especially that they realize that their Messiah (Jesus) has already come and that He stands with open arms ready to receive all who put their faith in Him!

Have a great day in the Lord!

Feb.14 - Numbers 18 - 20

Happy Valentines Day!

For those men who have forgotten what day it is - jump on it!

Today, we read about at least 3 interesting things: the "red heifer", the tragic sin of Moses and Aaron, and Aaron's premature death. Let me discuss a couple of thoughts with you today:

1) Many people believe that the "Red Heifer" of Numbers 19 is, in part, a future necessity for Israel as a sign of the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. In this chapter, God requires Moses to find a "red heifer, a perfect animal that has no defects and has never been yoked to a plow." They were to find this unblemished animal and slaughter it somewhere "outside the camp" instead of at the entrance to the Tabernacle. They were to then sprinkle it's blood on the front of the Tabernacle, and burn it in the place where they slaughtered it. As it was burning, the priest was to throw a stick of cedar, a branch of hyssop, and a scarlet thread into the fire with it. Not only was this a very unusual act, but also very different than all the other sacrifices God had prescribed.

Once the red heifer was completely burned, it's ashes were to be kept in a special place just "outside the camp" and later sprinkled into a bowl of water. This was to become the "water of purification." This water of purification was to be primarily used for a purification process when anything touched a dead person. The priest would sprinkle the water of purification with a hyssop branch on the tent or person who had become "ceremonial unclean" by touching a dead person. This process allowed them to become ceremonially "clean" again. And, it would allow them to stay in the camp and participate in any feasts or festivals Israel was having at the time.

Regarding the 2nd Coming of Christ, there are many people who think that a "perfect" red heifer is required to be found before Jesus can actually return! Of course, Jesus can return at any time with or without the finding of the red heifer. You see, they think that since the Scriptures speak of the rebuilding of Solomon's Temple as a sign of the second coming of Christ (which it does!), they believe that the Ultra-Orthodox Jews living in Israel will insist on finding the perfectly unblemished red heifer in order to reinstate the old Mosaic laws concerning purification. Therefore, many believers are looking to the events concerning the finding of the red heifer to conclude the timing of Jesus' 2nd coming.

My suggestion is the same as Jesus' - "always be ready!" The Bible does NOT give any indication that the finding of a perfectly unblemished "red heifer" is in any way a sign of the coming of Christ. It might be an interesting topic of discussion, but it is NOT a sign we're to be looking for.

2) Moses wasn't perfect! As we read Numbers 20 and 21, we hear God accusing Moses and Aaron as having a lack of faith and trust in Him! Wow...of all things! That's kind of hard to believe isn't it?

While the Bible doesn't say...it seems to me that perhaps Moses struck the rock the second time because nothing happened on the first strike. Or, perhaps Moses was so extremely frustrated with the people that he lashed out and vented his frustration by striking the rock twice out of pure rage. Whatever happened, God was NOT pleased! This action caused God to sentence Aaron to a premature death on the top of a mountain within the next few weeks, and forced Israel to re-route back into the desert because the Edomites had refused to let them go through their land towards the Promised Land.

Why? Why did Moses and Aaron lack faith? They had been so full of faith before!

I think they're just like all of us! They were growing weary in the battle, there's no doubt about that! Perhaps the constant verbal abuse and the recent challenge made by Korah and the 250 Levitical leaders started messing with their minds. Maybe they started questioning God's ability to use them and work through them. They were both very humble, that's for sure. It seems that maybe they simply started focusing on their own weaknesses and circumstances rather than in God's Power. Whatever happened, God accused both Moses and Aaron as lacking faith (20:12) And later, He accuses them of "rebellion" (20:24).

May God help you to be strong in your faith today! If you feel weary in the battle, find a friend you can talk to. We all need each other to keep going! Have a God-blessed day.

Feb.13 - Numbers 15 - 17

The Old Testament is replete with outstanding insights as to how God feels about us and our obedience or disobedience to His will! Here are a few powerful insights into today's reading:

1) You can't expect to be a part of God's family if you're going to brazenly live a life that opposes His will! Did you see what God said to Moses in 15:30-31? He tells Moses to excommunicate those who "brazenly violate the Lord's will." In essence, He tells Moses to get rid of them and that they are to be "completely cut off" from the rest of His people. God expects those who truly accept Him as Lord of their life to follow His will completely!

2) Like the WWJD bracelet, Israel wore blue tassels on the hem of their garments to continuously remind them to do God's will and obey His commandments. Having a bracelet like the WWJD bracelet is a great way to think about "What Would Jesus Do?" Wearing the blue tassels must have surely helped the Israelites remember God's law. There's a saying that says, "Out of sight, out of mind." It's so true!

My dear friend, Carey Casey, and his team at The National Center For Fathering have a great bracelet for reminding you of the 3 ingredients that make a Championship Father. Go to their website now http://www.fathers.com/ and sign up for one of their bracelets. Whether you're a father or grandfather, get one and wear it to remind you of the Godly characteristics of all great father-type role models! They're hoping to enlist 6.5 million fathering role models across America!

3) Pride will get you every time! One of the most sad chapters in the Bible is the story of Korah and what happened in Numbers 16! Notice the 4 tragic mistakes Korah made that became the root cause for God's wrath and the killing of hundreds of people:
- He forms a conspiracy against Moses in order to overthrow his leadership! (vs.1)
- He and his companions sow discord among Israel's leadership! (vs.2) According to King Solomon in the book of Proverbs, this is one of the 7 "abominations"! God hates it when we engage in disagreements that causes disharmony in the body of Christ!
- He pridefully thinks he can do a better job than Moses! (vs.3, 12-14)
- He wants a more significant role! (vs.8-9) In other words, he wasn't happy with the ministry God gave him - he wanted more! He wanted the lead role.

4) God always proves the choice of His annointed servants! Although Korah and many others among the Levites didn't think Moses should be the leader of the nation of Israel or that Aaron (his brother) should be the High Priest, God proves His choice by causing Aaron's staff to grow leaves and almonds overnight! While we may not always agree with our pastors and leaders, we do have to remember that they were called and annointed by God to do a job. We need to be careful how we talk about them and how we treat them! God is looking! While we may not agree with them, we need to be careful lest we find ourselves fighting against God!

Enjoy the day God has given you!

Feb.12 - Numbers 12 - 14

Wow! There is a lot that happens today! From these chapters we learn some very important lessons:

1) Being privately critical of God's servants may bring God's wrath! In chapter 12 Aaron and Miriam (Moses' brother and sister) had started to criticize Moses' marriage to Zipporah (the Cushite woman). Moses had sent her back to her father (along with his two sons) while he was in Egypt battling with Pharaoh (Exodus 18:2). Shortly after Moses and the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, Moses' father-in-law brought his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons (Gershom & Eliezer) to Moses. Apparently, Miriam didn't get along with Zipporah too well. Here in chapter 12 she complains to Aaron about her. She's obviously the one who's the instigator of the complaint by the very fact that God makes her leprous and not Aaron. Nevertheless, God was angry with both of them for even discussing the subject of Moses' wife in such a critical fashion! Notice what God does:
- Like a father who's getting ready to discipline his children, God orders all three to join Him at the Entrance of the Tabernacle - front and center!
- He then tells Aaron and Miriam to step forward! I bet they were nervous now!
- He exalts Moses above the status of a prophet!
- God asks, "Why were you not afraid to criticize my servant?" (vs.8)
- God makes Miriam leprous and casts her out of the camp for seven grueling days!

I don't know about you, but I'm going to very careful about criticizing others! The Bible says in 12:9 that God was "very angry." I certainly don't want God to get angry with me. I guess that's why David would not say anything against King Saul. David saw him as "God's annointed", even though Saul was sinful and proud in his ways. David knew the story we are reading here in Numbers 12 and took it to heart about criticizing God's servant. Who are you being critical of? Beware!

2) What obstacles are you afraid of that's keeping you in a desert relationship with God? It's been a little more than one year that the Israelites have been in the desert of Mount Sinai. God tells Moses to send out a search party of 12 men to investigate the land. Obviously, this was a test! No one needed to know how good the land was, God had already told them that it was a land "flowing with milk and honey." God wanted to test the faith of these men. Only Caleb and Joshua passed the test! The other 10 men were afraid of the descendents of Anak - actual giants who lived in the land (such as Goliath). This created fear among the entire community and they "began weeping aloud, and they cried all night (14:1)." They even desired to go back into the slave pits of Egypt (14:2-4)! Wow!
In spite of the good preaching that Joshua and Caleb did (14:6-9) to motivate and encourage the community to trust the Lord, these people took their eyes off of God and put it right on their human circumstances! In fact, they "began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb."
Over the years, many preachers and prophets have been criticized for encouraging faith in the Lord. People would rather wallow in the mud pits of despair than to courageously overcome obstacles by putting their faith in God! As a result, God restricted the Israelites. Those who were 20 years old and older (who have seen His glorious power executed again and again) were sentenced to die in the desert and to NEVER enter into the Promised Land! What a tragedy!
What Promised Land awaits you? What obstacles are you facing that are keeping you from growing and going with God? What do you fear? What is it you could of had, but aren't having because of your fear? Stop fearing, and trust the God of the Universe to blast you through to your Promised Land!
3) There's power in prayer! God's fury and impatience with Israel's lack of faith moves Him to raise his glorious presence "to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle" (14:10) He wants to make sure EVERYONE sees and hears Him! In front of all of them, God expresses His desire to disown them! But, Moses pleads in prayer in behalf of them and for the sake of His Glory and image to the world. What I find that is so amazing about this very story is that God changes His mind and responds affirmitively to Moses' prayer! Instead of wiping them out and creating a new nation from Moses' descendants, He punishes them with an additional 40 years in the desert! He will not allow any of them who are 20 years and older who has visibly seen and experienced his miraculous power again and again to enter into the Promised Land! They simply should have known better than to act like that - especially after all God has done for them.
This story tells me at least two very powerful truths:
1) God is very interested in what we have to say! God literally changed His mind in response to Moses' pleadings! He loves us so much that He's willing to change His mind when we ask Him to! But why? Why would the Creator respond to such insignificant, lowly, sinful, creatures such as us if it wasn't for His unfailing love for us? Since knowing this one fact about the effects of earnest prayer, I ask you...how will you pray in the future?
2) We better be quick learners! God's patience does run out! How many times does God have to prove His power, His faithfulness, His provision, His mercy, and His love before you'll "get it"? So many of us are JUST LIKE THE ISRAELITES - thick-headed and stubborn! God has to proved Himself over and over again. That's why it's good to meditate on Scripture. It allows you to drink in the goodness, faithfulness, and power of God! It allows you to "get it!"
Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Feb.11 - Numbers 9 - 11

Finally, after one year from leaving Egypt, Israel gets the opportunity to celebrate their first Passover Feast! This was done in remembrance of being "passed over" when God killed the first born sons of Egypt. It is a special feast because it will futuristically represent Jesus Christ, the "first-born" son of God, who will shed His blood for man's sins!

NOTICE what happens as they prepare to celebrate their first Passover at noon time! Some men, who had been defiled due to touching a dead person, complained that they couldn't participate in the noon time celebration. Moses went to God about it. God gave the instructions to Moses that these men could celebrate the Passover, but that they needed to wait exactly "one month" before they could celebrate it.

Think about this! Jesus died on the cross on the very day of the Jewish Passover celebration in Jerusalem. You can imagine the sacrifice Joseph of Arimathea and the women were making when they took down the crucified body of Jesus and prepared it for burial. They were made "UNCLEAN" under the Jewish Law! Therefore, they lawfully could NOT participate in the Passover celebration they were so eagerly looking forward to. By touching the dead body of Jesus they were disqualified from participating with the rest of their families and needed to wait one month in order to celebrate it. It would be like having to stay home all by yourself and miss the Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration with your family! However, they didn't care! A horrible tragedy had taken place. And, as they gently unhooked the body of Jesus off of the Roman cross, I would imagine they felt like all Americans on that fateful day of 9-11-2001 when the twin towers disintegrated and killed more than 3000 innocent Americans! Joseph of Arimathea and the women weren't in a celebratory mood! They felt a large hole in their gut because Jesus, the Savior of the world, had died!

Only from this chapter (Numbers 9) can you realize the full sacrifice Joseph and the women made that horrible day on Golgotha's hill!

Numbers 10 reminds me of the trumpet call of the rapture! In this chapter, God gives Moses instructions for using trumpets to sound off a variety of messages to the more than 1 million people of the nation of Israel. These trumpets were often used acting like a modern-day PA system that blasted messages to far distances. My mind can barely imagine 1 million people congregating in tents and how vast of an area that must have took to hold them all. I remember when Billy Graham spoke in a crusage in Korea and 1 million people stood shoulder to shoulder to hear him speak. It seemed like the crowd had filled the entire scope of the visible landscape surrounding that stage. When you add tents and land for raising flocks, Israel must have been spread over several miles of desert! It took trumpets of pure, hammered silver to declare a message to the far ends of that camp! Only the priests could sound the trumpet. And, they would sound them for various reasons, such as:

1) To congregate the entire nation near the entrance of the Tabernacle

2) To break down the camp

3) To move on to a different camp site

4) To go to war

This reminds me of the TRUMPET BLAST FOR THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS! In 1 Thessalonians 4:16, God says, "For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMPET call of God." One day soon, you and I will hear the blast of God's trumpet resounding worldwide calling ALL BELIEVERS around the world to COME NEAR TO THE ENTRANCE (remember - Jesus is the door!) OF THE HEAVENLY TABERNACLE!!! What a day that will be! Are you ready????

How cool it would have been to see God's presence in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night! Yet, in spite of His presence, Israel (Moses too!) began to lose faith!

1) In Chapter 11, fire destroys people on the outer edge of the camp because they complained of hardships in the desert! Wow! Maybe we Christians ought to STOP COMPLAINING about our hardships in life!?

2) Moses is angry with God and attempts to remind God that he didn't want this job of leading the nation of Israel. Moses feels that God unjustly chastens him with that leadership position! He squarely blames God in verses 11 - 15. He even asks God to kill him!! Wow!

3) The Sanhedrin is born! God tells Moses to choose 70 leaders to help him share the burden. This group of 70 eventually becomes The Sanhedrin in the day of Jesus. They are responsible for killing Him!

Chapter 11 takes on a whole new and sad perspective! There are MANY lessons to learn from this.
Notice the Bible says in verse 1 "The people soon began to complain." It didn't take long. They were soon complaining about not having meat to eat! Look at what happens next.

1) Complaining angers God!  Why? It shows a lack of faith in His loving provisions. It says His anger "blazed against them." To show His anger over their lack of faith in Him, He cause the outskirts of the  camp to become a blaze of fire. They are surrounded by a wall of fire. No one can escape and I'm assuming by their fear that it's closing in on them. In fact, the fire was so intense that it "destroyed the outskirts of the camp."
2) Only prayer satisfies the heart of God!  Even Moses loses faith and asks God, "Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them?" How quickly we forget God's power, and how quickly we forget to TAKE EVERYTHING TO HIM IN PRAYER!

Listen, God answers as specific as we pray! Instead of complaining, be thankful for what you have and if you do have a need "pray" or ask God to meet that need! God takes it personally when we complain!!!
3) How Satan will use the ungodly to influence the faith of the Godly!  Look at verse 4. It was the "foreign rabble" that influenced God's people to change their heart toward God. It's amazing how much our friends and those we hang with can influence us either for good or bad. Sadly, we adapt to our surroundings. So, here's my question - "Who surrounds you?"
4) Moses becomes overwhelmed!  By this time, Moses has had it. He's burned out! He would rather God kill him than to endure the complaints of the people. But notice how lovingly God comes to his rescue. He provides 70 other leaders (eventually they become the Sanhedrin) to help him with the load of complaints.
5) Moses has a CRISIS OF FAITH!  Even Moses struggled with his faith in God! Notice verses 21-23. Moses is at the end of his rope. Even though he's visually sees God everyday and enjoys a verbal exchange with God everyday - still Moses wonders "HOW" God will meet their needs! Isn't that amazing?
6) You pay for your sin! Notice how God answers their prayers and sends an almost limitless supply of quail. More than enough! No one could have see that miracle coming. But it did. However, God knew those who were complaining and wanted to go back to Egypt and back to their old lifestyle. As they ate, God allowed a plague to kill every single one of them. Even God can loses His patience with us!

There's no doubt that today's chapter readings provide a lot of insight into the heart of God! We see God as being faithful to meet ALL of our needs, and we also see that He doesn't like it when we complain!

May you enjoy His presence today!

Feb.10 - Numbers 6 - 8

No where else will you see the "Vow Of The Nazarite" than Numbers 6!
But, what is it - this Nazarite vow? Well, first of all, God says it's a "special vow." In other words, it's a unique and special commitment a Godly man or woman as an offering of themselves to the Lord. It involves a total denial of the flesh and a complete focus on God and His will. God says in verse 2, that it is an act of "setting themselves apart to the Lord."

Here's some biblical examples:
1) God told Samson's parents in Judges 16 that he was to be a Nazarite from his birth to his death!
2) The apostle Paul committed Himself to God under the vow of a Nazarite in Acts 18:18.
3) And, four men did the same with Paul in Acts 21.

The vow of the Nazarite was voluntarily made by those who desired “to separate themselves unto the LORD” (v.2) for a determined season. “All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD” (v.8).

Once they made the vow of the Nazarite before the Lord, they were bound by 9 things:
1) Total abstinence from alcoholic drinks. (vs. 2)
2) Total abstinence from eating or drinking anything used for wine making (v.4).
3) Couldn't cut their hair (v.5).
4) Couldn't go near a dead body...even if it was a family member (v.6).
5) Couldn't be defiled by someone or something dying near them - they had to shave their head. (vs.9)

At the conclusion of the vow, the person had to do the following:
6) Offer 3 offerings at the Tabernacle: a burnt offering, a peace offering, a grain offering. (vs.13-17)
7) Shave their head completely at the entrance of the Tabernacle (vs.18)
8) Join the priest in offering up their sacrifices as a "gesture" before the Lord (vs.20)
9) Fulfill any additional promise they  made to the Lord. (vs.21)

Apparently, it would seem, the Nazarite himself would determine the length of the vow. Therefore, he decided how great the sacrifice would be.

NOTE:  If during the vow period the person was "defiled" in some manner, they had to start all over again! They would have to shave their head and rededicate their life to God. In fact, none of the days before the defilement would even count! (vs.11-12)

In Today's Terms, A Nazarite Vow would be similar to doing the following:

- Totally Set Yourself Apart For God's Glory and Service! One who separates himself to the service of Christ must be willing to give up some of the joys of this life for the sake of the Savior. Christ said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself” (Luke 9:23). To serve the Lord fully, you must be willing to deny yourself some of this earth’s pleasures. Sinful pleasures must certainly go. But God may ask you to sacrifice seemingly harmless pleasures for His service. If you really want to serve Him, you must be willing to sacrifice whatever He requires.

- Refrain From Alcoholic Drinks And Any Addictions!  God wants us to give up our earthly desires and become totally focused on Him.

- Refrain From Being Like Others In The World! Second, the Nazarite could not cut his hair during the time of separation. If his vow was for a long time, his hair would grow long. He would bear a distinctive feature! God wants us to be "distinct" from the rest of the world! We're to be "dead to the world and alive unto God."

- Refrain From Any And Every Sin! Third, the Nazarite was prohibited from touching any dead body. He must totally separate from death. The entire world is dead in trespasses and sins. In order to serve the Lord with all our hearts, we must follow Christ entirely and turn our backs on the things of this world. Christ told the would-be disciple, “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead” (Matthew 8:22). To follow Christ requires us to separate from the deadness of this world.
Paul taught this truth in Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Paul got to the point where the world had no attraction for him. It was dead (“crucified”) to him. We must separate ourselves from the death of this world if we would be true disciples.

The Special Prayer Of Blessing!
It's interesting the ONLY prayer God commands to pray with the exact words so that He might bless someone is found in 6:24-26. Today, in Israel, the Kohanim or descendents of Aaron still pray this prayer. It's a BIG DEAL!!! The priests or Kohanim raise their hands over the people and pray this prayer for a special blessing upon Israel.

Guess what?  You and I ought to be praying this prayer over our families! It's God's special prayer of blessing - the ONLY prayer He dictated to Moses and commanded Aaron to pray often.

What would God have you sacrifice for His sake today? Whatever pleasure it may bring you, the joy of obedience is greater still. What shame would He have you take upon yourself? That is your cross. Bear it with thanksgiving and Christ will reward you accordingly. From what, or from whom, would God have you separate? Separate yourself and Christ will be ever so glorious in your sight! May we all separate ourselves to be holy unto the Lord.

Feb.9 - Numbers 3 - 5

God is a God of order! Throughout the past several chapters of the Bible we have seen God give specific and detailed instructions to Moses as He calls the nation of Israel to civil order. What may seem somewhat boring to us as we read these rules and regulations was very important to God and to the nation of Israel. In fact, as you carefully and meditatively read these detailed instructions, you can get a sense of the heart of God and His desire for holy living!

In the 3 chapters we read today, we continue to see God's specific and detailed instructions - primarily regarding the intricate erecting, care, and dismantling of the Tabernacle. Notice what God says: - I'll put it in today's language:

- Moses is CEO (Chief Executive Officer) - The buck stops with him!
- Aaron is High Priest and COO (Chief Operations Officer) of the Tabernacle and it's services!
- Eleazer is Operations Manager - He was responsible (under Aaron) for the Levites and the erecting, care, and dismantling of the Tabernacle (3:32)
- The Levites are the Workers! These Levites were divided into 3 categories:
1) If you were a Gershonite between the ages of 30 and 50 you took care of ALL THE FABRIC of the Tabernacle.
2) If you were a Kohathite between the ages of 30 and 50 you took care of ALL THE FURNITURE of the Tabernacle.
3) And, if you were a Merarite between the ages of 30 and 50 you took care of ALL THE HARDWARE of the Tabernacle.

A couple of noteworthy points are:
1) God has purpose and order in everything! Notice how intricately God detailed His instructions to Moses when dismantling the Tabernacle! (Chapter 4)
2) This explains why Jesus didn't start His ministry until He was 30 years of age! Serving the Lord in ministry under the Mosaic Law required that you attain the age of 30 before you begin.

Did you read Chapter 5? Can you imagine what a frightening experience it must have been to be guilty of adultery and required to drink the "bitter water that brings on a curse?" The whole process must have been extremely intimidating! I would imagine that most women would have confessed before they drank the mixture. God says (5:24), "When the water enters her body it will cause bitter suffering if she is guilty." He goes on to explain (5:27), "Her abdomen will swell and her womb will shrink." Wow!

Reading stuff like this may seem boring, but it goes deep into the heart of God and shows His true feelings and nature! When I was younger and first started reading the Bible I would skim over this stuff faster than a speeding bullet. But now I enjoy reading through it with a meditative heart inviting God to show me MORE of Himself through the things He has said and done. Above all, God is holy and wants us to be AS HOLY AS HE IS! Only Jesus can and DID accomplish that feat! Still, God requires us to say "NO!" to the flesh and "YES!" to His Holy Spirit!

May the Lord bless you today for reading His Incomparable Word!