READINESS FOR TESTI NG

 

READINESS FOR TESTING

Deut. 8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would really obey his commands. NLT

The Lord often leads us through the wilderness of life in order to test us and expose our true character. It is how we handle ourselves in adversity that reveals who we really are. Only those who will obey the Lord consistently through life’s difficulties will truly know who He is. It’s easy to trust the Lord when things are going well. However, when things are going bad for us, it’s far more difficult to trust in God’s goodness and provision.

It is important that we establish a rock-solid trust in the Lord in the smooth times of life so that we won’t be thrown off balance in the rough times. We need to seize every opportunity we have to grow in faith while we can because when tough times come we often don’t have the desire to pursue God. Anyone can follow the Lord when things are going well; it’s the tough times that separate those who really trust the Lord from those who don’t. If we are disciplined in our pursuit of God in the good times, we will carry on our discipline in the rough times.

Character is developed by committing ourselves to pursuing a growing relationship with God. We must not allow ourselves to be satisfied with where we are at in Him. We will never stand the testing of our faith if we are not totally committed to the Lord. He who knows the Lord well in the light will not doubt him in the dark.

Tough times do come in life. Don’t let them throw you for a loop. Jesus is the same loving Lord in the dark as He is in the light. Develop a trust that will anchor your soul in Him regardless of life’s circumstances. Obey Him always and your soul will surely be blessed.

TELL THEM

 

TELL THEM

Deut. 6:20-21a In the future your children will ask you, “What is the meaning of these stipulations, laws, and regulations that the LORD our God has given us?” Then you must tell them……” NLT

Tell them. It is the responsibility of adults to tell children about the Lord and His ways. The reason why so many people reject the Lord and choose the ways of the world is because no one told them about the Truth. When parents fail in the home to teach and live out the Gospel, they are depriving their children of the opportunity to embrace the Truth for themselves.

When we take away from teachers in the public school systems the opportunity to bring the Truth into the classroom, we are depriving children of the opportunity to learn how the Truth impacts our world. When we allow people to teach our children lies instead of the truth about life and our history as humans, we are depriving them of the opportunity to know the truth. When churches entertain children more than they do teach them the Truth, they are depriving them of the opportunity to build a solid foundation for their lives grounded in the truth.

Children have inquisitive minds. It is our responsibility to fill them with the Truth. We will be held accountable for the job we do at home, in the schools, and in the Church. Our job of teaching never stops. No matter how old a child may get, the need to be exposed to the truth never stops. Spiritual ignorance happens when Truth is withheld.

Tell them. Tell your children, grandchildren, and anyone else you can that God loves them, desires to have a relationship with them, and has a much better life for them to live than a life of sin. Show them. Show them that what you say is true by the way you live before them.

DON'T FORGET THE LORD

 

DON’T FORGET THE LORD

Deut. 6:11b-12 …When you have eaten your fill in the land, be careful not to forget the LORD who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. NLT

Pride in wealth can drive you away from God. When we rest in what we have rather than Who we have, we do so at the peril of our souls. We all desire the comforts of life, but the comforts of life often make us lazy towards God. We get the idea that we don’t really need God if we are blessed with enough of life’s resources to live a “good life.”

It is far better to have nothing of what this world offers and have a good relationship with God. Nothing you obtain in this life can save your soul. Don’t forget, you have to live with you for all of eternity. You have to live with the consequences of the choices you make for yourself in this life. You can choose to enjoy the things of the earth now, or enjoy the things of God eternally.

It is possible to be rich on earth and still be rich in Christ, but it is hard to do. The lure of wealth and all it can do for you easily robs you of the need you have to trust and rest in God alone. We like comfort and ease too much and must always work hard at diligently seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

If the Lord has blessed you with much, use what He has given you for His glory. Be a wise steward and invest your wealth in those things that really matter. Let the Lord use you for His good and not your own. If you have very little of earthly wealth, be a wise steward of what you do have and let the Lord use you for His good and not your own. Be content and thankful for what the Lord provides.

Invest yourself in the pursuit of holiness and godly love and whether you are rich or poor, you will be truly blessed and used by God. Your life will be a living testimony of God’s love, goodness and faithfulness for the entire world to see.

WHEN GOD SPEAKS

 

WHEN GOD SPEAKS

Num. 22:38 Balaam replied, “I have come, but I have no power to say anything. I will speak only the messages that God gives me.” NLT

Oh, but that this would be the response of all who speak in Jesus’ name! Oh, but that those who proclaim the Word would understand that they dare not speak in Jesus’ name unless they were compelled to by God!

There are far too many people who preach and teach without being compelled to by God. There are far too many who take the opportunity to speak for granted. There are far too many who take advantage of people whom they speak to. There are far too many who rely on their own wisdom and understanding when they speak. It is no wonder that the Church has gone soft. It is no wonder that most churches are nothing more than a social club.

When God speaks the message is understandable. He does not speak over people’s heads, but speaks so they can plainly hear what He says. He does not speak to impress. He does not withhold from others what they need to hear. He does not give conflicting messages. He does not compromise His given Word for anyone. When God speaks, Jesus is proclaimed and exalted.

When God speaks through the messenger, powerful things are said and done. When God speaks the message is clear. When God speaks sin and hell are not sugarcoated. When God speaks holiness is demanded. When God speaks, only His Word is proclaimed and it’s proclaimed in all its truths about heaven, hell, sin, and life on earth. When God speaks, eternal decisions are made. When God speaks, everyone is held accountable to God for how they receive what He says.

LOOK AND LIVE

 

LOOK AND LIVE

Num. 21:8-9 Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered! NLT

Whatever God provided for His people, it was never enough. They complained to Moses about what God had given them, as if it was Moses’ problem. God had enough of their ingratitude and had sent a plague amongst them. The people were terrified by God’s discipline and pleaded with Moses for help. When Moses took the matter to the Lord, He gave him the instructions in today’s verses. I am struck at how quickly Moses had to act. People were already being afflicted and were dying. There was no time to do anything but obey God. When God tells us to do something, the time to act is now not later. We don’t know what will happen if we delay. We don’t know whose life will be affected by our messing around. It is sin for us to put off until tomorrow what the Lord tells us to do today.

The Lord sent a plague of poisonous snakes to roam among the Israelites. They had sinned in their hearts against God and now they were paying the price. They were powerless to stop the discipline of the Lord. There was a price to pay for their sin and the day of accountability had come. Be careful so that sin does not bite you! There always is a day of accountability for sin.

The Lord is merciful to those whom He loves. When the Israelites humbled themselves before God, He heard their cries for help. He told Moses how to stop the plague from killing them. They still had to obey the Lord. They still had to act by faith and not by sight. If they looked at the bronze snake God had provided through Moses, they would live. If they looked elsewhere for help, they would die. They had to choose between God’s way or some other way. We too must choose.

We can choose to obey God and live, or we can choose some other way to live and die. There is no one to blame but ourselves when we choose to continue to live in sin and suffer the consequences.

ANGER CONTROL

 

ANGER CONTROL

Num. 20:9-11 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from the rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So all the people and their livestock drank their fill. NLT

Moses acted out of anger and not a holy heart. He let his emotions determine his actions instead of the holiness of God. It is so easy to get angry. Most of us struggle with self-control in this area. For many of us, patience is hard. We tend to react and not think and wait before we act. We struggle with patience and the older we get, the harder it gets. Nerves weaken over time and we can’t handle things like we used to. It takes a lot more effort on our part to keep anger in check.

Moses was no exception. He was over 80 years old at this time. His close relationship with God did not make him immune to anger. He put up with the Israelites moaning and groaning for as long as he could. He finally let his nerves get the best of him and he lost his self-control. He did not do what God told him to do in the way God told him to do it. He reacted to the situation instead of deliberately acting. As a result, Moses lost out on the opportunity to lead his people into the Promised Land.

There are consequences to our losing our cool. We must always strive to not let anger rule us. No one is perfect and we all can and do get angry. But, we must maintain a close relationship with God and ask Him to help us maintain self-control as best as we can so we don’t act foolishly and perhaps hurt ourselves or others. The Lord does help those who are willing to let Him help them. Self-control comes from the Spirit of Christ working in us to transform us into a holy people, a people after God’s own heart.

If you have an anger problem, ask the Lord right now to help you protect your soul from anger as you face another day. Ask Him to help you think and consider your options before you react and lose control of what you may face as you go through your day. Ask Him to keep you from harming yourself or others because of your lack of self-control. If you ask from your heart, He will help you.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

 

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Num. 16: 20-22 …..and the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground, “O God, the God and source of all life,” they pleaded. “Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?” NLT

I am always moved by Moses’ intercessions for the Israelites. We read of several times in which God had taken all He could take of their rebellious spirit and had planned on destroying them as a people and raising up another nation from Moses. Moses understood what people would say about God and how it would affect His reputation. Moses also had a heart for the people, in spite of their stubbornness and disobedient spirit.

God made it clear what He wanted to do to the Israelites because of Korah and his followers’ rebellious hearts. Moses and Aaron did the only thing that they could do, they fell on their knees with their faces to the ground and pleaded for mercy on behalf of the Israelites. They pleaded with God to not wipe out all the people because of Korah’s sin. And, God relented and only punished Korah and his followers.

I wonder what would happen if we were to fall on our faces before God and plead for mercy for our nation, our churches, or lost loved ones. I wonder, “When was the last time that you interceded on the behalf of another?” When was the last time you cared enough about their souls to pray? Should we not be broken before God over the lost? Is there any hope except that which is found on our knees?

Nothing will change unless we pray. God moves in response to the prayers of the broken, burdened souls of the saints. Will you pray for someone today?

JEALOUSY OF OTHERS

 

JEALOUSY OF OTHERS

Num. 16: 10-11 “……He has given this special ministry only to you and your fellow Levites, but now you are demanding the priesthood as well! The one you are revolting against is the LORD! And who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” NLT

Korah was a Levite and got the notion that Moses and Aaron did not have the right to lead the Israelites any longer. Korah conspired with Dathan and Abiram to stir up the Israelites against Moses. They had decided that they wanted what Moses had, the role of leading the Israelites to the Promised Land and being a prophet of God. They were not satisfied with their role in the Kingdom of God, they wanted more.

God places people in the role He has designed and created them for. He knows where we fit the best and where we will be the most effective in our service and witness for Him. He knows what we are not capable of doing and withholds that from us. Anyone who tries to be and do what they are not designed to do will mess up a lot, fail, or do more harm than good.

We need to be grateful for the role that we have been given to play in the Kingdom. We need to do the very best that we can do in our role for the honor and glory of Christ. We need to let the Lord use us as we are and step out in faith if He were to lead us to do something else. You can do whatever the Lord asks you to do. He places us only where we are capable of serving.

Instead of envying those who have different roles to play, we ought to thank the Lord for what they are doing for Him. We ought to support them with our prayers and encouragement. We ought to praise the Lord for the good they are doing.

If you are struggling with jealousy of others who are serving the Lord, take it to the Lord and ask Him to take it away from you and replace it with a grateful heart.

HOLINESS AND GRACE

 

HOLINESS AND GRACE

Num. 15:30-31 But those who brazenly violate the LORD’s will, whether native Israelites or foreigners, blaspheme the LORD, and they must be cut off from the community. Since they have treated the LORD’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his commands, they must be completely cut off and suffer the consequences of their guilt. NLT

Does grace nullify the law? Can we say that it is okay to do some things that God forbade the Israelites to do simply because we live under grace and not the law? While there are things God commanded His people to do in the Old Testament that we do not have to do under grace, we must be wise and discerning in determining what they are. There are some things that are universally applicable for all God’s children for all time. I believe violating God’s will for us to be a holy people and blaspheming the Lord are two of them.

It is not acceptable to God for His children to ignore His command to be a holy people. We are to always strive for greater integrity of faith. We are to strive to live free from sinfulness. We are to be conscious of sin and strive to overcome it in our lives with God’s help. The consequences for our not caring and brazenly living contrary to God’s will leads to certain alienation from God and His people. We cannot ignore God’s Word and expect God to condone it. We are made holy in Christ, most of us don’t act like we are. We seemingly do not consider it to be something we need to be too concerned about. Yet, God has always put a lot of emphasis on the holiness of his people, and I believe we need to do likewise.

It is not acceptable for God’s children to blaspheme the Lord. We blaspheme Him when we fail to show proper respect for Him in how we live and talk. It is blasphemy to use His name as if it were a common name. It is blasphemy to treat the Lord as if He were like one of us, common and ordinary. It is blasphemy to have divided loyalties before Him. It is blasphemy to not obey or take seriously our need for God to have all of our heart, mind, and soul. Why do we call Him Lord and live like He isn’t Lord of our lives?

Living in grace is not a license to take God off His throne and act as if He were not God.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

 

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Num. 14:20-22a Then the LORD said, “I will pardon them as you have requested. But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the LORD’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land……” NLT

Forgiveness does not eliminate consequences. The Lord forgives us, but we often have to live with the consequences of our sins. Sometimes it is short-lived, and sometimes it is for life. We can’t undo what has been already done. I believe that it is a blessing from God that we can’t. We need to remember the destructive nature of sin so that we don’t repeat it. We must never forget the harm done by sin to ourselves and to others. We must never forget what it was like to be alienated from God. We must know that we sin against God at our own peril.

I am so thankful that the Lord does forgive. He is able to forget what we have done when He does forgive us, but we aren’t. It is for our good that we can’t forget. He who ignores the pain and harm of sin committed does so at his own peril. It is often our best protection from repeating the sin.

It is also important for us to note that God forgave His people because Moses prayed on their behalf. We cannot take the leap and assume that the Lord will forgive everyone we pray for just because we pray for them. But, when we pray for others. it opens the door for God to act on their behalf. We have an important role to play in the salvation of souls. The effectual fervent prayers of God’s children on the behalf of lost souls move God to make himself known to them. The Lord is merciful and gracious, not willing that anyone would die in their sins. Let us be like Moses and pray fervently for the lost souls who are a part of our lives.

BE AN INTERCESSOR

 

BE AN INTERCESSOR

Num. 14:19 Please pardon the sins of this people because of your magnificent, unfailing love, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt. NLT

God had plans to destroy the Israelites because of their rebellious, sinful hearts, until Moses prayed for them. Because Moses prayed, God relented and did not destroy them. A couple of things jump out at me.

First, Moses cared enough for the people of Israel to pray for them. It’s hard to appreciate why Moses felt like he did for the people. They often made life miserable for him. They were complainers. They often held Moses responsible for their problems. They didn’t always follow his leadership. They kept falling back into sinful practices. They really were a difficult people to be around, let alone lead. In spite of the kind of people they were, Moses couldn’t just sit back while God destroyed them. He cared for their souls enough to plead with God on their behalf. I wonder, “How prone are we to pray for those who make our lives miserable?” Do we care that they are like sheep without a shepherd? When was the last time you prayed for God to help and save someone who was a thorn in your flesh?

Another thing that strikes me is the concern that Moses had for God’s reputation amongst the nations. Moses knew that if God were to destroy the Israelites, it would give the rest of the world an excuse to reject Him and call into question His ability to save His people. Moses cared about God and pleaded for his mercy so that God would be seen in a positive light and not a negative one. I wonder, how much do we care about how God is perceived amongst men? Do we love Him enough to strive to protect His image by the ways in which we represent Him daily in our lives? What kind of a God do people see in you? Do they see a God of magnificent and unfailing love? Do they see a God who really cares and instills His love for them in you? Do they see enough of who God really is in you to be attracted to Him?

The greatest witness we have for a lost people is our genuine love for them. We cannot be a witness to the whole world, but we can be a witness in our own little worlds. We are God’s love agents to those whom we rub shoulders with. We are the ones to pray for them and show them the way to Christ.

BEWARE OF DISCOURAGERS

 

BEWARE OF DISCOURAGERS

Num. 13: 31-32 But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites. NLT

Beware of the discouragers, those who try to tell you that you can’t do what you are trying to do. Discouragers are people who do not believe in you. They are people who are not doing what you are doing and don’t want you to succeed. They are people who don’t have the faith that you have that you can be successful. They are all around us and if you listen to them and take what they say to heart, you will not succeed.

When God moves you to do a task, trust Him, and don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t believe those who say it can’t be done or that you are not the person to do it. Listen to God, obey Him, and don’t look back. God never moves us to do anything without giving us the ability to do it with His help. There is nothing you cannot do with the Lord as your guide and helper.

Stand on the promises of God and you will be successful, regardless of the outcome of your endeavor. The results may not be what you expect, but if you do it in faith, you will not fail in God’s eyes. The only time you will fail is when you fail to step out in faith and try. God rewards the faith of His children. Even if God does not specifically give you a task to do, move forward in faith and keep doing. Do all you do for the glory and honor of God and you will be a huge success in life.

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?

 

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?

Num. 13:28 “…..But the people living there are powerful, and their cities and towns are fortified and very large. We also saw the descendants of Anak who are living there!” NLT

Moses had sent out 12 spies to check out the Promised Land. The Israelites were just outside of the Promised Land and were waiting on the spies’ report before they went in to conquer it. God had led them out of Egypt and brought them to their Promised Land. The spies came back with mixed reviews. They discovered that the land was indeed a land of milk and honey, a good place to settle and live in. They had brought back with them a cluster of grapes that they carried on poles because it was so large. Joshua and Caleb tried to convince the Israelites to march in and take possession of the land. They knew that with God’s help, it would be a pretty easy task.

The other 10 spies were negative in their response. They were overwhelmed by the size of the people and the cities they lived in. They had no confidence at all in their ability to conquer the land; they did not believe God would help them and give it to them. The Israelites had a choice to make. Would they listen to Joshua and Caleb and trust God to give them victory, or would they listen to the negative spies and stay home?

We, too, have to choose whom we will believe. Will we believe what God says He will do and follow Him, or do we doubt His ability to help us and live in fear of failure? Do we obey God and press forward, or do we stand around and do nothing?

God’s promises do come true to those who stand on them and by faith move forward with their eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation. God helps those who are on the move, pressing onward until their faith gives way to sight. God will do His part, but we must do ours as well. Blessings and victory come to those who are on the move, serving the Lord.

HUMILITY AT ITS FINEST

 

HUMILITY AT ITS FINEST

Num. 12:3 Now Moses was more humble than any other person on earth. NLT

What would you like for history to record about you? People are remembered for a lot of things. Some are remembered for their role in changing the course of history: some invent things that make life easier for those who follow, some are wiser than most and their thoughts are recorded, some gain great power and are remembered for how they handled it, and then there are some who live out their lives without being recognized by any but their families and closest friends.

What do you want to be remembered for? If you could determine how your life would be summarized in one word, what would it be? Moses was recognized as being the most humble person on earth. And, it was God who said it! Wow! How do you think God thinks about you? What one word would He use to define your life? Humble? Faithful? Honest? Loving? Sincere? Giving? Kind? Trustworthy? Proud? Unfaithful? Greedy? Dishonest? Spiteful? Hypocritical? Selfish Unreliable?

Each of us will leave a legacy behind us that others will remember us by. As time goes on, our legacy will fade in relevancy; it will become mere words spoken to describe who we were. Future generations will be honored to have some of us in their genealogical record, and for some of us, we will be looked upon with shame and be a black mark on their family history. How we live life does make a difference.

What one word would you use to describe your life? Would God agree? Remember, it is to Him that you will one day give an account. For God, your memory never fades. Only you will determine how others remember you. How God remembers you will determine how you spend eternity.

JEALOUS?

 

JEALOUS?

Num. 11:29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!” NLT

Nearly all of us have wished that we were like someone else. We compare ourselves to others and wish that we could accomplish what they accomplish, do what they do, be who they are.

On the other hand, some of us become proud of who we have become. Some like being the center of attention and are threatened by those who grab more spotlight than they do.

Moses was not like that at all. He did not think of himself as being better than anyone else just because God had chosen Him to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. In fact, Moses was more interested in seeing others succeed than he was for his role to be flaunted. His concern was that people would be who God wanted them to be. It didn’t bother him at all that others were becoming like him, a prophet of God.

We need to be more like Moses. We should rejoice over those who rise up to shine brighter than we do. We should rejoice when God gives people gifts to serve with that we don’t have. We should rejoice when God blesses others with greater ministries than we have. And if we can’t, we need to fall on bended knee before God until we can. Jealousy has no place in the Kingdom of God.

GOD'S POWER

 

GOD’S POWER

Num. 11:23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Is there any limit to my power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true.” NLT

What do you think, is there any limit to the Lord’s power? Think about it. We say the Lord has power to save us. Does He have power to save everyone? Is there anyone you know who needs to be saved? Do you believe the Lord can do it? Are you asking Him to do it? Are you trusting Him to do it? Do you really believe He is going to do it? Is your faith strong enough to wait for Him to do it? Either He has the power to do it or He doesn’t. The Lord will not exercise His power unless it is bathed in prayer. The Lord wants to use you to reach your unsaved family and friends. It begins on your knees.

Does the Lord have the power to mend the broken body? Is there anything broken beyond His power to mend? Are you believing and trusting Him to do it? You will never know whether or not God will heal you unless you ask. Do you first consult your doctors or do you first consult the Lord? The Lord may know that it is best for you not to be healed, but you will never know that if you don’t turn to Him. There is no physical, mental or emotional need beyond the power of God to heal you.

Does the Lord have the power to help you in the situation you are in? Do you really believe that the Lord is greater than your problems? Are you letting Him deal with them? How much are you praying in faith over them? Are you standing firm on the promises of God? Are you willing to follow His way out of your difficulties? Are you willing to accept His solutions? Either He has the power to help you or He doesn’t. Which is it?

Does the Lord have the power to revive the Church and His people? We all know that there is a tremendous battle going on in the Church today. The Church is plagued by complacency and political correctness. We have compromised the authoritative voice of the Scriptures. We have lost our zeal for holy living. Can the tide of the Church be changed? Are we praying and believing that it will change? Do we really believe the Lord has the power to change us? Are we praying with repentant hearts?

The display of His power can be seen everywhere. Look at what He has created. Look at the changes in lives He makes. Look at the miracles He performs amongst His people.

There may be no limit to God’s power, but we often limit it by our unbelief or reluctance to tap into it. The Lord is able. All we have to do is believe and let Him release His power in and through us.

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO

 

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO

Num. 11:4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt, and the people of Israel also began to complain, “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed…..” NLT

Most of us have a hard time being satisfied with what we have. We want the better model of what we have. We want better steaks than we have. We want better houses than what we live in. We want what our neighbors and friends have. We want the job or ministry someone else has. We want simpler lives. We want to go back to “the good old days”, not knowing really if they were so good or not. We want, and there seems to be no end to it.

Like the Israelites, we begin to listen to those who are not satisfied. We feel like we are entitled to bigger and better than what we have. We complain and when nothing changes, we tend to try and take matters into our own hands, which rarely works out too well for us.

When will we ever learn? Instead of listening to the whiners and complainers, listen to those who have grateful hearts. Listen to those who have learned to be content with what the Lord has provided. Listen to those who appreciate God’s blessings. It is much easier to live happily with what we have when we have grateful hearts.

COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN

 

COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN

Num. 11:1 The people soon began to complain to the LORD about their hardships; and when the LORD heard them, his anger blazed against them. NLT

We do it, don’t we? We often complain when things don’t go our way. We may complain to our family, friends, or even to God. We like things to go smoothly and easily. We don’t like it when we have to struggle or go through demanding times. We get frustrated and let our voices be heard.

When we don’t get what we think we deserve, we complain. When we get what we don’t think we deserve, we complain. When we get less than what someone else gets, we complain. When things take too long, we complain. When things happen too quickly, we complain.

The trip to the Promised Land was not an easy one. The Israelites had to travel by foot through many, many miles of wilderness and desert. The journey took 40 years to complete. When they were hungry, they complained; then they complained because they didn’t get the food they wanted. When they were thirsty, they complained. When they were discouraged, they complained. After a while, God had enough of their complaining. He disciplined them with fire, plagues, letting their enemies get the upper hand against them, etc.

Life isn’t easy, but we would find it much more enjoyable if we were to complain less and express our gratitude to God more. Don’t whine because of what you are facing, be thankful for the life lessons you are learning through your struggles. Don’t pine for what you don’t have; be thankful for what you do have and thank God for His favor on your life. Learn to appreciate God’s blessings whether you have much or little and you will find life will be much better for you.

FOLLOWING THE LORD

 

FOLLOWING THE LORD

Num. 9:17 When the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel followed it. And whenever the cloud settled, the people of Israel camped. NLT

How often do we not do it? How often do we wait on the Lord and plunge ahead only when we know He is leading the way? If we are honest with ourselves, probably very few of us can say that we move only when the Lord clearly tells us to move.

God had hovered over the Israelites by appearing in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. As long as the cloud hovered over the Tent of Meeting, the Israelites stayed put. When the cloud lifted and moved, the Israelites broke camp and followed. They did not strike out on their own without the Lord going before them to show them the way.

I suspect that many of the struggles we encounter in life could be easily avoided if we were to do as the Israelites did. We are prone to go where we want to go and do what we want to do and expect God to bless it. It usually does not work out too well for us. Jesus is the way, so it only makes sense to let Him lead us instead of us trying to lead Him.

As the old church hymn put it, “The Lord knows the way through the wilderness; all I have to do is follow.” Another favorite hymn of mine is, Where He Leads Me I Will Follow. How do we know where and when He leads us? We must spend plenty of time alone with Him in His Word and in our prayer closet with an open heart. We must be fully surrendered to Him and willing to go where He wants us to go to do what He wants us to do. When we live like that, we will be sensitive to His voice calling us to follow Him. When He is Lord of our hearts, He will make sure we are where we need to be to do what we need to do to honor Him before man.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

 

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Num. 8:1-2 The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to place them so their light shines forward.” NLT

What strikes me here is that God gave specific instructions to Aaron about the position of the lamps. They were to be placed so that their lights would shine forward. As we walk with the Lord, we should always be in a position whereby our light is shining forward. Several things come to mind.

When our light is shining forward we can see where we are going. We don’t benefit much by always looking behind us. What matters is what is before us. Looking forward keeps us from stumbling over those things we might stumble over if we were in the dark. Looking forward gives us a clear sense of confidence in where we are going.

Looking forward enables us to not miss opportunities that are ahead of us. It also helps us to understand the danger of straying from the path we are on. It keeps us from letting what is behind us or around us from captivating us and hindering our progress. Looking forward enables us to move much faster than we would if we were to always be looking behind us. Looking forward enables us to be more aware of those before us who need light to be shown on their paths as well. We can’t help those behind us, but we may be able to help those ahead or around us.

Looking forward is also where Jesus is at. As the Apostle Paul put it, “….Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven” (Phil. 3:14). We can clearly see Jesus when we are looking ahead of us.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation. Let Him lighten your pathway. Let Him keep you moving forward with purpose and zeal. Let Him keep you from stumbling and falling. Let Him help you make it safely home to heaven.

BETRAYING GOD

 

BETRAYING GOD

Num. 5:5-6 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Give these instructions to the people of Israel: if any of my people—men or women—betray the LORD by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty. They must confess their sin…… NLT

God gave the Israelites clear instructions on how they ought to relate to Him and to one another. He made it clear that if they did not live life His way, there were consequences to pay; they would be guilty of sin.

Have you ever been wronged by another person? Have you ever wronged another person? If so, God declares that it is sin. It always has been God’s desire that His children get along with one another. In Romans 12:18 Paul emphasizes the point very clearly saying that as far as it is possible within us to do, we ought to get along with others. It is not conducive to unity in the Church when we let our differences divide us. Yet, we do it all the time. Is it any wonder that the world has a hard time taking the Church too seriously? If we can’t resolve our differences in a Christ-honoring way amongst ourselves, why would those outside the Church think that the Church can help them?

It is sinful and shameful the way the Church has treated one another. We need to admit our sins before God and confess them to Him. There will be no genuine peace in the Church unless we do. Sure, we will have our differences, but we should never let our differences keep us from loving one another and serving together to bring Christ the honor and glory He so richly deserves. We need to simply agree to disagree agreeably and get on with the Master’s business, reaching souls for Him and disciplining them.

HOLINESS BEFORE GOD

 

HOLINESS BEFORE GOD

Num. 5:1-3 The LORD gave these instructions to Moses. “Command the people of Israel to remove anyone from the camp who has a contagious skin disease or a discharge, or who has been defiled by touching a dead person. This applies to men and women alike. Remove them so they will not defile the camp where I live among you.” NLT

The Lord had revealed himself to the Israelites as holy. He made it clear to them that in order to be able to approach Him, they had to obey Him and be made holy through the required sacrifices and obedience to Him. Time after time God punished those who would defy Him and not respect Him in His holiness.

The Lord had a special relationship with the Israelites and chose to be in their midst at the Tabernacle. In order for Him to stay with them, they had to remove from their midst unholy people, whether it be physical or spiritual uncleanness.

The Israelites struggled much with holiness, and so do we. It seems like very few people regard holiness as necessary for the Christian life. So much emphasis is put on love and grace and very little emphasis on holiness and hell. Many people have accepted the idea that hell is no big deal and we should not be concerned about it. As a result, so many professing believers are very lax regarding sin and its consequences. Because God is love, they believe that He would not allow them to go to hell.

Yet, as I read the Word, hell comes up over and over again. From beginning to end, God warns us about hell and the likelihood of our going there if we don’t live holy lives. We dare not take lightly what God takes seriously. Without holiness, no one will see God (Heb. 12:14). He commands it (I Pet. 1:13-16); therefore, we must live it.

NO ORDINARY DAY

 

NO ORDINARY DAY

Lev. 23:3 You may work for six days each week, but on the seventh day, all work must come to a complete stop. It is the Lord’s Day of complete rest, a holy day to assemble for worship. It must be observed wherever you live. NLT

Has God changed his mind? He declared it from the beginning of time that a day was to be set aside for rest and worship. He commanded the Israelites to keep the day of rest holy unto the Lord. On the Sabbath, no work was to be done. None. It was a day of complete rest set apart as holy by God for worship. My point is not that we must be legalistic about the Lord’s Day. What you do on the Lord’s Day is between you and Him. What concerns me is that we so often treat it like any other day of the week. We think nothing of doing on His day what we don’t get done the rest of the week. We often consider it a day to finish up tasks. It is rarely deemed to be a “do nothing” day. If the demands of a job and living are such that you can’t devote the day to the Lord in rest and worship, are you setting aside another day of the week to do it?

The discussion as to which day of the week is the day we ought to set aside unto the Lord is for you to decide before Him. Most of the Church today sets aside Sunday because it is the day in which Jesus rose from the dead. It is looked upon as a day of celebration, admiration, and dedication to the Lord. There are some who continue to set aside Saturday as the day of worship because that was the day set aside by the Lord in the Old Testament. The day of the week is not the issue. What matters to me is what are you doing about setting aside a day to rest and worship.

The world does not care if you do it or not. It will not stop its mad rush in the pursuit of things that don’t really matter at all instead of what God commands us to do. Only you can make the decision to obey the Lord in this. I believe it’s still true that in our country you still cannot be forced to work on the Lord’s Day if you make it clear that it is because of your spiritual convictions. If your life backs it up, your motives won’t be questioned, even if it is not liked.

If you disobey God and do not honor Him with a day of rest and worship, you will not only hinder, but you will also damage, your relationship with Him. It is willful disobedience to ignore God’s command to rest and worship; it is sin.

NO ORDINARY NAME

 

NO ORDINARY NAME

Lev. 22:31-32 “You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the LORD. Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel.” NLT

How might one treat the Lord’s name as common and ordinary? Aside from the obvious way we use His name in daily conversation, let me suggest to you today another way. When we fail to live holy lives and still call ourselves by His name, we are bringing dishonor to Him.

God is holy and His children are to be holy, too. Like Father, like son. We treat those whom we love with respect by honoring them by the way we live in their presence. Anytime we act in an unholy way we are bringing dishonor to His name. If you truly love the Lord, you will strive to faithfully obey Him in all you do.

Notice the Word says we are to faithfully keep ALL of God’s commandments. We can’t pick and choose which ones we want to keep. We can’t dismiss any of His commandments because we think they are no longer relevant. We must always strive to see how His Word applies to how we live and think. Application varies with time and culture, but the truth remains the same and we must learn how to live in obedience to God’s Word. Jesus summed up all of God’s commandments into just two of them: we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, mind, and souls, and we are to love our neighbors as we do ourselves.

God has given us His Word to guide and instruct us in holy living. He is holy and cannot have fellowship with an unholy people. He has made a way for us to be holy through His written and living Word. We have no excuse for not becoming a holy people.

The Lord our God is not common or ordinary. He is holy and we must treat Him accordingly.

HOLY IS HIS NAME

 

HOLY IS HIS NAME

Lev. 22:31-33 “You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the LORD. Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel. It is I, the LORD, who makes you holy. It was I who rescued you from Egypt, that I might be your very own God. I am the LORD.” NLT

Let’s reword these verses today and see how they might apply to us. “You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the Lord. Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by all my children. It is I, the Lord, who makes you holy. It was I who saved you from your sin, that I might be your very own God. I am the Lord.”

Think about how you treat the Lord’s name. Many of us use His name as if He were no different than anyone else we know. We freely throw His name out there without regard for the fact that He is holy and must be revered as such. His name is not like any other name. It is not common and ordinary. It is not to be used like we do any other name.

We use names to identify people. When we speak someone’s name we know who we are talking about or to. One’s name represents who he is. There are certain things that are known about the person whom we identify by name. The better we get to know the person, more meaning their name has to us. Only those whom we know well have names that mean much to us.

We use names sometimes for personal gain. We use the phrase, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” Because of someone’s reputation or stature in life doors are often opened by using their name.

God’s name is not like any other name. God is the essence of all life. He is absolute goodness, love, truth, and holiness. There is no one like Him. He is the cause and creator of all things and all things exist for His glory. He is the one who makes it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. He is the one who makes us who we are in Christ, a holy people who are well-pleasing in His sight. He is the one before whom we must bow. He is the one who holds the keys to heaven and hell. He is not like us; He is God.

It is not a good thing, nor is it acceptable to God for us to use His name as if it were common and ordinary. We disrespect God when we do. Let us take an honest look at how we use His name and think about how we use it. If you find yourself misusing His name, repent of it and strive to think twice before you use it. He is holy and our Savior. Let us treat Him like it.

 

HONORING PARENTS AND THE LORD’S DAY

Lev. 19:3 “Each of you must show respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest, for I, the LORD, am your God.” NLT

Although we are living in grace and not under the law, I believe there are two very important truths here we need to pay heed to. It is always a good thing to show respect to our parents, and it’s always good to observe the Lord’s Day.

Now, I know that there are many parents who have not left their children much, if anything, to respect them for. This is a general guiding principle that can be applied to those children who have had good parents. How might we respect our parents? We can ask ourselves, “Do we bring shame or favor to the family name? Are we living in such a way that it would make them proud? Do we treat them well? As they get older and no longer are able to take care of themselves, do we stay involved in their lives? Do we visit and pay attention to them, no matter how much or little they may know or appreciate it?” Respecting one’s parents means that we treat them as people worthy of our love and affections.

Observing the Lord’s Day is going to vary in application, but I still believe that we need to set aside a day in our week whereby we can focus our attention and energy on the Lord. I don’t believe that we need to be legalistic about it, but certainly, there has to be more that we can do than what is being done in most Christians’ lives these days. It seems to me like we no longer consider the Lord’s Day sacred. We have gotten the idea that as long as we attend church, we can do whatever we want with the rest of the day, no matter how strenuous it may be on us. The Lord calls His day a day of rest for a reason. It is no wonder why so many of us are so stressed out and have health problems.

Also, I believe that the Lord withholds the blessings He wants to bestow on us when we treat His day as just another ordinary day. How we act on the Lord’s Day is a good indicator of how much we respect the Lord. It is good to do good on the Lord’s Day, but it is not good to do good to the point where our bodies, minds, and souls do not get refreshed and prepared for the new week.

The Lord does not give us His Word just to hear himself talk. It is for our benefit and the honor of His name that He gives us His Word. Wise is he who hears and listens to what the Lord is saying. We must learn how to respect our parents and the Lord’s Day. To do anything less is sin.

BLOOD ATONEMENT

 

BLOOD ATONEMENT

Lev. 17:11 “¦..for the life of any creature is in its blood. I have given you the blood so you can make atonement for your sins. It is the blood, representing life, which brings you atonement.” NLT

This declaration from God is the key to understanding why blood sacrifices had to be made for sin. When God created physical life, He instilled blood as the carrier of life of every living creature. Blood is the one thing that no life can do without. There are ways in which life can happen without other parts of the body, but no life can happen without the blood. Blood represents life.

God gave people before Christ specific instructions regarding how their sins were to be atoned for, and it always required the shedding of blood. In order for life to continue with God, life had to be sacrificed. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no forgiveness. And since the blood shed was the blood of animals, it was not sufficient enough to take care of man’s sin problems. It would cover up man’s sin for a while, but it had to be offered repeatedly. Man’s inherent sin problem did not go away as long as there was a need for animals to be sacrificed. The blood of animals was a temporary fix for an eternal problem.

When Jesus came and offered His life as the sacrifice for sin, it was good enough. He is eternal God. He became man for a season and lived a sinless life. He was qualified to die a sinner’s death. He was able to take all of our sins upon himself and wash them away with His blood. His shed blood was an eternal fix for man’s sin problem. He provided a buffer between God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. He is what God sees when He looks on the heart of His children. God can accept us as His own because He accepts the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins as sufficient. Jesus becomes our righteousness and holiness before God.

God has always provided a way for man to be forgiven, for his sins to be atoned for. What the blood of animal sacrifices could not do, making our hearts righteous and holy before God, Jesus did for us at Calvary.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me, Praise the Lord!

RESPECT GOD FOR HE IS HOLY

 

RESPECT GOD FOR HE IS HOLY

Lev. 10:1-2 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over it. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him a different kind of fire than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD. NLT

Abraham had four sons who served alongside him as priests before the Lord, Eleazar, Ithamar, Nadab and Abihu. We are told in Exodus 24:9-11 that they had gone up the mountain with Moses and had seen God. They were given enough of a glimpse of God to recognize Him. Can you imagine what that moment must have been like for them? As amazing as this experience was for them, Nadab and Abihu didn’t let it change the rest of their lives. Nadab and Abihu took it upon themselves to offer incense before God that was forbidden. They did not treat God as holy, nor did they fear Him.

Scripture records that they put together incense that they offered up to God that was contrary to what God had instructed them to do. God made it very clear what was and what wasn’t acceptable to Him. Nadab and Abihu got the notion that either God didn’t mean what He said or it didn’t matter what God said. They tried to offer incense of their own making and paid the ultimate price for it. They did not treat God as holy. They treated with contempt their sacred office as priests. They became arrogant in the presence of God. The Lord sent a fire from heaven that consumed them on the spot.

We must be careful that we don’t become like Nadab and Abihu. We must always strive to be holy before God. We must never disrespect Him by disobeying His commandments. We must consider it serious business to enter into the presence of the Lord. There is a price to pay for treating the Lord with anything but our highest respect. Don’t profane that which is holy. And most of all, don’t profane He who is holy.

We must not treat lightly what it means to be in the presence of the Lord. We must allow the Lord to change us so we will be and do that which is pleasing in His eyes. It is important for us to seize the opportunities the Lord gives us to be transformed by His Word and Spirit. It is not a trivial thing for us to gather together before God in worship. Only those made holy in Christ are fit to enter into God’s presence.

Letting Jesus make us holy should be every believer’s number one priority in life.

GOD'S COVENANT WITH US

 

GOD’S COVENANT WITH US

Lev. 2:13 Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings. NLT

It is a good thing for us to be constantly reminded of God’s covenant with us. We dare not forget or neglect what God has promised. God’s covenant is a covenant of love. He declared it and carried it out. Before He created anything, He declared His love for us by providing a way for our sins to be forgiven. He knew that we would abuse our freedom of choice and sin against Him. He knew that we would never be able to have a relationship with Him on our own. He knew that the only way that sin could be taken from us would be for Him to come and do it for us. The only way for sin to be forgiven was through the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross. Slowly and steadily throughout history God revealed these truths to us. God made a covenant with us that He would make a way for us to be forgiven that we might have a relationship with Him.

God’s covenant with us is a covenant of love as displayed at Calvary. God has declared His love for us and His desire to forgive us of our sins if we would but turn our lives over to Him. God’s covenant is that He would eternally love us and show it by never leaving or forsaking us. When we are saved, we enter into a similar covenant of love with God.

We dare not ever forget what Jesus has done for us. It is so easy to take our salvation for granted and lose our sense of gratitude for Him and His love for us. It is so easy to get so caught up in this life that we forget about what God has promised is yet to come. It is so easy to neglect this great salvation that God has provided for us.

We must do all that we can to remember God’s covenant with us. We must constantly be reminded of our debt of love to Him. We must never lose our sense of gratitude and admiration. We must seize every opportunity we have in life to think about our great salvation. The more we remember what God has promised and done, the closer we are drawn to Him. We must not be casual observers, but constant observers of these things. Don’t neglect this great salvation we have in Christ Jesus!

OBEYING GOD'S COMMANDS

 

OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDS

Ex. 39:32 And so the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. NLT

I wonder; is there any task that the Lord has given you to do that is not finished because you failed to obey the Lord and do it? The Lord has great plans for each of us. He has tasks that are uniquely ours to do. He depends on us to do our part and if we don’t, either the task is left undone or the end result is not as good as it could be.

God does see to it that His will is done, but He sometimes has to get it done another way because of our disobedience. And, when we fail God, it’s always us that suffer for it. God richly blesses those who follow and obey Him. He withholds His blessings from those who don’t obey Him.

Also, for the best results, we must do things God’s way. His plan is always the best plan and the only plan that will work to achieve the best results. We don’t have the right to choose to do what we want to do if we want God’s will to be done in us and through us. And, this means that we must always keep our souls near to the heart of God so that we don’t mess up. We must wait before Him and let Him direct our path. We must be His hands and feet. He is the potter and we are the clay.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

 

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Ex. 36:6-7 So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Bring no more materials! You have already given more than enough.” So the people stopped bringing their offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project. NLT

When is enough, enough? For some, whatever there is, it’s not enough. Many crave money and are never satisfied with what they have. The love of money (fame, power, etc.) causes some to do anything to get more.

Some churches and ministries fall into this trap. They beg and plead for more than what they are given or need. The thirst for more seems to never be quenched. We must be very careful about this. We must not let our thirst become our passion and purpose in life. We must learn to be content with what the Lord provides. What He provides is always enough to get done what He desires to be done. The plea for more becomes tiresome and drives people away from the Lord. For many it becomes the message; it becomes more important than the message of the Gospel. It gives the Church a bad name in the world.

It’s a hard lesson to learn, but learn it we must. God supplies all of our needs, not all our wants. When we let our wants rule our needs, we fall into sin and bring shame to our Lord. Any ministry or individual who tries to lay a guilt trip on you because you do not give enough for their cause is not speaking from the Lord. The Lord loves a cheerful giver and does not honor giving given reluctantly or because of someone’s emotional appeals.

God blessed the giving of the Israelites because they gave willingly and cheerfully. And what they gave was more than what was needed to get the job done. The Lord never asks you to give more than what you can give. He gives you all that you need and blesses your offerings of love.