Tag Archives: Bible Study

God Keeps His

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Promises

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 30

Have you ever taken a vow? According to dictionary.com a vow is a promise, pledge, or personal commitment. It makes me think of marriage vows, a vow of secrecy, the Pledge of Allegiance, oath of office, promissory notes, and debts to be repaid.

Chapter 30 speaks of vows; a young daughter under the authority of her father and a wife under the authority of her husband. Vows are our responsibility. God doesn’t make us make vows. He doesn’t force our hand in marriage, bond us to a 30 year mortgage or strap us with the pinky promises we make between girlfriends. God says in verse 2, “When a man [woman] makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.”

As sinners, who fall short of God’s perfection, we break vows. It’s unfortunate because vows are the most sacred promises God entrusts us to make and commit to follow through. Statistics show that keeping our vows are not stacked in favor of the people making those vows.

But God keeps His!

His Word is FULL of promises. Among my favorites are:

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Acts 16:31  They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Romans 10:9-10 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

1 Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast”

So, my takeaway in Numbers 30 is that we need to be true to our earthly vows and take them very seriously. However, one thing that we can be confident in…. God keeps His.

Sad Worship

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True WorshipTears

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 28-29

In my commentary, Dr. Vernon McGee describes the worship described in Numbers 28-29 best. “Now what does this mean to you and me? We hear a lot today about worship and worship services. But how much is true worship in our services? How much is just aimless activity? Real worship is when we think God’s thoughts after Him. This sweet savor offering which God speaks of as My offering, My bread, My sacrifice, represents what God thinks of Christ. God is satisfied with what Christ did for you and me on the cross. What about you? Are you satisfied with what Christ did for you on the cross? Are you resting in that today? His invitation is “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Have you brought your burden of sin to Him and received Him as your Savior? Are you satisfied with who He is? If He is not the Son of God, then what He did is absolutely meaningless. True worship is a recognition of who He is and an adoration of His Person. In other words, it is thinking God’s thoughts after Him.”

Have you ever thought of worship as being sad? When I think of worship I picture hands lifted, eyes closed, hearts connected and praises sung, but then I search my heart and remember that my most raw, heart-filled, genuine, God-centered worship has been on my knees, tears flowing, eyes puffy, nose running and auditory weeping.

Numbers 28-29 reminds me that sin is ugly and when we truly see ourselves has sinners, we become aware that sin robs us of our fellowship with God; sin is an occasion for mourning. When was the last time you wept over your sins? Have you been before God and wept over your sin, over the failure of your life, over your coldness and indifference? My, how we need to confess that to Him today. It is not because God is high and we are low, or because He is great and weare small, nor because He is infinite and we are finite that we are separated from Him. He says it is our sins that have separated us from Him. That is the occasion for weeping.

I realize it is really our lives that are an act of worship and we don’t want to be wandering depressed souls living aimless lives that is a constant beat down of our inadequacies, but an occasional pause to put things into perspective is not a bad thing. I think that is why much of the book of Leviticus and now a detailed reminder of God’s offerings are reiterated here in Numbers.

I’m Nothing Special

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Garbage

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 27

Moses gets ready to pass the baton. We have been with Moses since Genesis. Not only a long life, but a lot for us to learn from this man of God and today, in Numbers 27, is no exception. I love Numbers 27: 15-17, “Moses said to the LORD, ‘May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.'”

Joshua is to be the successor of Moses. After Moses lays down the work, Joshua will pick it up. In one sense he was the most unlikely one to succeed Moses. Do you know why? He was an average man. No one went around saying that Joshua had great potential, great leadership ability and all that sort of thing. Apparently Joshua didn’t have that. He was an ordinary individual. Joshua reveals what God can do with an ordinary man.

If you’re like me, I don’t feel like I’m anything special. You hear about the greatness of Marie Curie, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Billy Graham, etc, etc, etc… But throughout the bible God uses ordinary men to do His great work and I’m only to assume the greatest people in history probably didn’t see themselves as anything special either. If anything, I would bet most of them cried out, “Why me?” I’m inspired by Joshua and I’m always grateful when God uses the most unlikely as the best candidates to get the job done. He will not leave us to be without a Shepard and this tells me He can use ordinary people like you and me.

I’m so encouraged today that my ordinary day and ordinary life can be used by God for great and wonderful matters. Not for my glory, but His glory. Not by my abilities, but by His ability. Not for my needs and desires, but for His needs and desires. What a purposeful, yet amazing life we can led if we listen to His voice, be obedient to His calling and live according to His will.

Heavenly Headcount

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Appleton, WI

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 26

This is the beginning of a new section of the Book of Numbers and my bible labels this chapter as census and rules. The new generation is preparing to enter the land. The remainder of the Book of Numbers is about this preparation.

When I drive by those signs that tell us what the population is, I’m always fascinated by that number. I know it this the population that was recorded according to our latest census, but counting every adult on the planet is no easy task and it’s constantly changing. There is a small town that we pass through when we go to my in-laws house that reads population = 23. After all the years of driving past that sign and through that little town, I have often thought about going around to introduce myself to those 23 people and asking them what it means to them to be so significant? 23 is such a small number, but the fact that they live there and their population sign records it tells me that every one of them matters. In the sign above, I matter… I’m one of 70, 078!

I know, I have too much time on my hands, but truth is… someone took the time to count and tax payer dollars were spent to publish that number on their sign. So why does it matter? It matters because we matter to God.

Numbers 26:51 says, “The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.” The census determined that number. Sad thing is, that throughout the book of Numbers we lost a lot of people to sin, selfishness, greed, impatience, complaining and discontentment. The number is actually 1,800 few than the previous census that was taken back in Leviticus.

So here’s the deal, or at least my interpretation of what God is telling us today. You matter. We matter. We, collectively, make up mankind. God created us; every man, woman and child. This is our life to live, but we are His people called to live according to His purpose and plan. New Year’s Day was yesterday and many of us are going out in the world today (back to work, school, regular routine) with the intentions of being better people that we were last year or even a day ago. This is great, but we need to keep our focus on God, not ourselves. What is His plan to fulfill through us, what is He going to do to transform your heart this year and how can you most effectively do that? As we represent one human being in the headcount of believers, let’s exercise our significance and get out there and matter… For Christ’s sake.

Inner Enemy

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Implosion

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 25

Balaam couldn’t curse Israel, but he could tell Balak what to do. So Balaam led Balak to infiltrate Israel, integrate with them, intermarry with them, and introduce idolatry to them to turn them away from God. I conclude that God gaves Balaam an answer that he didn’t like so he uses manipulation and his own influence to get what he wants anyway.

It backfires (of course), but in the meantime there is a lesson here for us. We can’t let other people do our dirty work for us. Indirect disobedience is disobedience period. What I read here is if God says, “No”, God means, “No!” We are a squirrelly bunch of sinners aren’t we? Like Balaam, we selfishly move to getting what we want through other means. For Balaam, that meant Balak would be the fall guy. Not only does Balak fall, but Balaam goes down with him – God knows all.

As we enter 2014, this is a great way to keep our hearts in check with understanding the difference between what God wants/says and what we want/do. If we put our own needs before God’s wants, we will be in some serious trouble… That’s disobedience! The ground we walk upon is not stable and the enemy, who is working overtime in our hearts, will implode the foundation in which we stand. Our motives will crumble under disobedience to God.

God is doing a lot of work in my own heart. My heart is under some serious construction and I’m seeking my strength to be obedient. I hope you have a new years resolution to allow God to work on your heart. Of course that only comes through the reading and living out of His Word. Numbers 25 might be a great start and I look forward to growing in Christ with you this year.

Watch And Pray

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New-Years-Eve

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 24

This chapter is a continuation from Numbers chapter 23 because Balaam gives us two more prophesies – one being the coming Christ, which is a story that is shared on Christmas fairly often. It is also noted that this is the message (prophesy) that the wise men had knowledge of and is why they knew to be looking for a star to find the coming Messiah.

See verse 17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.”

Tell me THAT isn’t cool!

This makes me wonder if we are paying attention and listening for the signs that God is giving us regarding the return of Christ. I don’t believe you would disagree that we don’t have to look far. Turn on the world news, watch the global economy taking shape, the natural disasters that are seemingly more frequent (like birth pains – Mark 13:7-9) and not to mention how sin is permeating our culture – a whole new meaning to the “Sex, Drugs and Rock-N-Roll” quote of the 70’s.

If we look to the new testament where God IS preparing us for what is to come, we will see His warning in Luke 21:36, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

I pray for you my girlfriends in Christ, that we will be wise to hear God’s voice, following His teaching and be wise to see the message that He has for us in preparation of what is to come. With a new year upon us, a fresh start – a new beginning in some aspects. Let’s not only plan to be healthy, make wise choices, be financially stable or whatever worldly self-improvement plans we have to check off our lists. Let’s put more emphasis on time in His Word, Following His plan for our lives; watching and praying for what the future holds so that we may stand before the Son of Man like wise men who read the message and followed that star.

Discipline, Not Condemn

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bookcase God's love

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 23

This chapter has been dubbed, “”The error of Balaam”—ignorance of God’s righteousness.”

Balaam has now come to Balak, the king of Moab. Balak takes Balaam to the top of a mountain so that he can see the camp of Israel below. Balak is not satisfied with any of the prophecies of Balaam; so he will take him to four different mountains on four different sides of the camp.

Balaam uses his own reasoning and rationalizing, and concludes that God must condemn Israel because of their sin. Man has a tendency to conclude that God must judge Israel, because of their sin, and that God must judge the individual sinner. However, God does not judge the sinner because He has already judged him in Christ Jesus—when he (we) came to God by faith in Christ.

The world does not understand that and neither did Balaam. He thought that God must condemn Israel. He figured that if God was going to judge Israel, he might as well get the benefit of the rewards from King Balak; thinking that God would condemn Israel and that he would be permitted to get a handsome reward as a result of it.

Balaam did not understand the righteousness of God either. He did not understand that the believing sinner, just like the people of Israel, could not come under the judgment and condemnation of God. When the believer sins, he comes under the disciplining hand of God, not under the condemnation of God.

Aren’t you relieved? I am! Disciplined for our sin, not condemned. That’s not to say the world isn’t out to get us or the devil doesn’t work overtime to discourage us, beat us when we’re down and rob us of our happiness and hope. Today, I’m thankful to have a God who knows my heart, has all things figured out, can right my wrongs and direct my path. I’m so glad that my God forgives, loves, redeems, restores, and rebuilds lives.

Thank you LORD!

Christmas… Do You “Get It”?

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter, Reflections From My Heart by

Christmas

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 19

It’s Christmas Eve. Do you want to know something? Since I became a born-again believer over 10 years ago Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning. One of my friends, Kent Maichle, who received Christ this year had an amazing post on Facebook. He says, “A few have asked, since my son is getting older. Does he still believe this Christmas? My answer is yes and for the first year his Dad does too.” As I paste this unto this blog tears run down my cheeks…. for the first year his Dad does too. (Awesome, absolutely awesome!) There is nothing more beautiful that a heart who ‘gets it.’ I remember so vividly my first Christmas with Christ – A whole new meaning, an entirely new perspective on life!

I went into my bible study in Numbers 19 today with the intention of extracting a Christmas message. After all, it is Christmas. What kind of blogger would I be if I just blogged through the holiday and didn’t acknowledge the special event of Christ’s birth. But then I came to realize something. By reading God’s Word, I celebrate Christ’s birth, life, and resurrection everyday.  Through the reading of His Word, I am constantly reminded of who God is, what He has done and how I should live in a surrendered, humbled, God-honoring life.

So that being said, of course there is a message of Christmas in Numbers 19, and this is what I found.  Verse 20, “But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean.” We are unclean, all of us. During this time in history, God put the calf and other sacrifices in place for man to deal with their sin and dirtiness. Today, because of Jesus, we HAVE a way to deal with our sin and become clean. The disconnect is knowing that and then living for that.

So Christmas is a symbolic celebration of the coming of our LORD Jesus to earth, as a human infant, to live a perfect life, so that we may live an eternal life. But when we truly come to accept that gift, we not only have His eternal promises, but we are clean. It’s like a Holy shower. So I pray for all of those who haven’t unwrapped their gift from God and given their hearts over to Him. My heart grieves when I remember seeing Christmas Day as the finish line for my 6 week marathon of retail frenzy. Now I go into the Christmas season with my heart and budget in tact. True peace on earth!

Blue, God Believing Day!

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BelieveGod

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 15

There is a Lorrie Morgan song with a line in the lyric that says, “I’m looking for something in blue” and the blue she seeks is for her unborn son. A couple years ago I was in a Beth Moore study called “Believing God,” we all cut blue ropes, made them into bracelets, and wore them as a reminder to believe God. This all based upon a the biblical message that we are studying today. In Numbers 15, verse  39 says, “You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.”

So is this tassel supposed to be some form of good luck charm like a pet rock, rabbits foot, or finding a penny, picking it up so all day long you have good luck? Not at all. This is a reminder. A reminder that we are to believe God. Since I became a born-again believer I have let go of all things superstitious. My parents used to call me every new years day to remind me that I was supposed to wash my hands in money so we could make sure we had enough for the year ahead. I stopped avoiding cracks on the side walk that would break my mothers back. I cringe at the thought of how many people put their faith into palm readers and horoscopes, and lastly, I gave up putting my faith into winning the lottery. (Although I still joke that that I would be the poorest lottery winner because I have so many people, causes, and ministry organizations that I wish to support.)

God is all we need. When I found Him, I found so much more than hope of 2 kids, a yard and a picket fence. I am reminded of this as I read Numbers 15, how God gave the Israelities something blue to remind them not to follow the lusts of their own hearts and eyes. Know that this message is intended to encourage you if there is something you are struggling with or striving to remain faithful to God in. It just might be between you and God, but you know what – everything is.

Let’s make it a blue, God believing day!

 

Wait Until Your Father Gets Home

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FINGER

Today’s Devotion: Numbers 11

I was fortunate to have an at-home Mom when I was growing up. There were days when my two brothers and I were a bit too much for her to handle. Generally, she would hold the line and usher the discipline, but there were those other days when our energy could not be harnessed and we would see her finger point while she declared those haunting words, “You just wait until your father gets home.”

Once we heard that, our attention shifted from the playfulness, rebelliousness and rambunctiousness to strategizing what we could do to minimize the spanking that awaited us when Mom told Dad about her day.

I remembered this when I read the first verse of Numbers 10. “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” Uh-oh, God’s mad! Rightfully so, He helped them escape slavery and what does He get? Tribes of Israelities complaining that His provisions are good enough for them.

If I read between the lines, God does not like whiners and complainers. As a matter of fact, in this passage, He gets very angry. Fast forward to today and I look at my life as it relates to this message and I’m guilty! Guilt of praying for things and circumstances that will make me happy. I may not be praying for meat instead of manna, but I do pray for material possessions, relationships that are challenging and for things to work out “my way.”

Shame on me! I hear God reminding me of 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, “Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Today I’m going to hold my head high, I’m going to be thankful for all God has blessed me with and praise Him for all He has given me and done for me. I appreciate His words this morning to put in perspective how we need to recognize the blessings and all He has done for us, instead of complaining and whining.