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……”

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

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.

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 we are 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

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.

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?

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!”

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 comes to those who are on the move, serving the Lord.

HUMILITY AT ITS FINEST

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

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? Trustworthy? Proud? Unfaithful? Greedy? Dishonest? Spiteful? Hypocrite? 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 whom we were.  Future generations will be honored to have some of us in their genealogical record, and for some of us we will 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

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!”

Nearly all of us have wished that we were like someone else.  Many 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.

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…..”

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 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

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.

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’s 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

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.

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

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

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 that 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

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……

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 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 sin 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 discipling them.

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.”

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.

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.”

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. 19:2  “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.”

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 on 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

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.”

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

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.

Abraham had four sons who served alongside of 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 an 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

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.

It is a good thing for us to be constantly reminded of God’s covenant to 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, 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 which 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

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

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

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.

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.  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.

CHEERFUL GIVING

Ex. 35:20-21  So all the people left Moses and went to their tents to prepare their gifts.  If their hearts were stirred and they desired to do so, they brought to the LORD their offerings of materials for the Tabernacle and its furnishings and for the holy garments.

What strikes me about these verses is that the Lord doesn’t ask for what we don’t have and He doesn’t force anyone to give.  The Lord does not want his children to give with anything but a cheerful heart.  A gift given without love is not an acceptable gift to the Lord.  Regardless of the gift, don’t bother if it’s given begrudgingly.

Also, notice that the people went home and prepared their gifts that they were going to give.  I wonder how much thought and preparation we do when we give our gifts to the Lord.  Do we think about the Lord at all before we give of ourselves and our resources to Him?  Do we pause long enough to realize just how good the Lord is to us all the time?  Do we realize that if it were not for the Lord and His faithful love for us, we would be dead in our sins without hope or life?  Each gift we bring to the Lord ought to be a gift of love and gratitude.

The people gave with a purpose.  They saw the bigger picture of what the Lord was doing and bought into it.  We too, need to look at the bigger picture.  We give in response to God’s purposes and not for ourselves.   Whether we are sharing financially, our talents, our time or our hearts, we do it as unto the Lord.  We make ourselves available to the Lord in love and gratitude.

The people gave with an attitude.  Those who gave had a real desire to give.  They gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop giving!  Oh, but that we would have such a desire to give!

The Lord invites us to give.  It is our choice as to whether or not we will accept His invitation.  He blesses those who give with a cheerful heart.  When God’s people give as they should, there is never a lack of resources to get done what the Lord wants to do in the church and world.

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP GOD?

Ex. 34:8 Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped.

How do you worship God? Do you stand, sit, or bow down before Him? Most of us sit most of the time, whether it is in church or at home. We like it that way. It is most comfortable for us. Sometimes it is too comfortable and we find ourselves dozing off. We are easily distracted in our comfort. We even complain sometimes because we aren’t comfortable enough. It’s too hot, too cold, the seats aren’t soft enough, or they are too soft. The music is too loud or not loud enough. It’s too modern or not modern enough. The pastor speaks too loud and long or not loud enough or long enough. We like our comfort and have grown to expect it. But, is comfort conducive to worship?

Moses was so overpowered by being in the presence of God that he immediately fell to the ground and worshiped him. When was the last time you were so struck by being in the presence of God that you were driven to your knees? Does it strike you like it does me that rarely do we fall on our knees anymore before God? I remember with fondness those times in worship when you couldn’t do anything else but fall on your knees because God was in the house. What has happened? Has God changed to the point where we no longer need to be awestruck and humbled before Him, or have we changed?

How many churches today even have an altar in which we can come and bow before God? When was the last time a call was given for people to gather together in humility before God? Can we honestly say that we have worshipped if we have not been humbled before God? Isn’t it about time that we return to our knees before God? What will it take for us to be overcome by the knowledge we are in the presence of a holy God? Will we ever see the days again in which we see ourselves as the sinners we are and fall before God in repentance?

When we return to our knees, we will then see a mighty revival sweep over our churches and our land. Revival is not a relic of the past; it is the greatest need of the church today.

THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS

Ex. 34:5-7  Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, “the LORD” as Moses stood there in his presence.  He passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God.  I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.  I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion….”

Hear what the Lord has to say about himself.  He is merciful and gracious.  He is slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.  He forgives every kind of sin and rebellion.  Here are just a couple of thoughts to ponder. 

It takes a lot to get the Lord angry with us.  Oh, He does get angry, but it takes a lot.  He doesn’t treat us with an iron hand, but with mercy and grace.  God is love and He never fails to love us.  Everything that He does He does because of His love for us.  We may not understand how what comes our way is an act of love, but it is. God knows what lies before us and allows us to go through situations today that prepare us for our tomorrows.  He knows us better than we do and is always striving to help us to get to where we need to be.  Also, there is no sin that is greater than God’s ability or desire to forgive.  We may spurn His love and prevent Him from forgiving us, but if we turn to Him for repentance, He can and will forgive us.

God is the Lord, the ruler over all that is.  He is ruler over heaven and earth.  He is ruler over all the heavens and everything therein.  No one or anything can take away His lordship from Him.  He forever has been and always will be Lord.  He is the giver and sustainer of all life.  Every knee that has ever graced this world shall bow before Him.  Every knee in heaven bows before Him.  He is the one and only exalted one.  The Lord is His name, merciful, patient, forgiving and gracious, both now and forever.

Are you doing anything that might stir up God’s anger against you?   Do your actions and thoughts betray your profession of faith in Him?  Do you have unconfessed sin that is eating away at your righteousness?  Do you speak hurtful words to others that demean, damage or destroy them?  Let us examine our hearts today and see if there is anything there that might be stirring up God’s anger against us.  He is rich in unfailing love and is faithful to us, but we can make Him angry with us.  Only the pure in heart shall see God.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH DAY

Ex. 31:12-13  The LORD then gave these further instructions to Moses:  “Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever.  It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.”

We have come a long ways since the Lord gave these instructions to Moses.  And….I don’t think we have helped ourselves at all.  It is no longer widely accepted that there is a need to set aside a day of the week to restore our bodies and souls.  Sunday is treated like any other day of the week.  Somehow we have gotten the idea that as long as we crowd the Lord somewhere into our busy schedules we are alright.  We don’t regard the Lord’s Day as a sign of the covenant between us and God.

God made a covenant with man, that if we acknowledge Him and embrace Him as our God that He would be with us and make us holy.  He would make known to us our sin, convict us of it, forgive us for them when we repent of them, forget they existed, and take up residence in our hearts.  His promise to us is that if we repent of our sins and let Him be our Savior and Lord He would never leave us or forsake us.  God promises us that if we submit to His authority over us that He would take care of us and get us safely home to heaven.

When we observe the Lord’s Day, we are acknowledging these things.  We are declaring that God is our God and we love and respect Him enough to set aside a day in our week when we will focus on Him and all He has done, is doing, and shall do in our lives.  It is a day of soul refreshment.  It is a day of worship first and foremost.

The Lord gives us a day of rest and restoration so that we do not lose sight of Him and our need for Him to have control of our lives.  He desires to make us holy, but before He can do it we have to get away from the rush of life and let Him.  We reap what we sow and our lack of concern to obey God in setting aside a day for Him makes us shallow and an unholy people.  The Lord takes our need to be holy before Him seriously, and so should we.  Observing the Lord’s Day is one way in which we show the Lord that we do.  We can only be at our best when we rest in Him.

DON'T JUST SAY IT; DO IT.

Ex. 24:3  When Moses had announced to the people all the teachings and regulations the LORD had given him, they answered in unison, “We will do everything the LORD has told us to do.”

What really strikes me about the Israelites statement is how shallow it really was.  Moses had just given to the people all the things God had told him.  God had given the people clear direction on how to live lives that were pleasing to Him.  He assured them that if they lived life His way they would be blessed by Him and taken care of.

The Israelites had just witnessed God’s display of power and heard His voice at Mt. Sinai.  They knew beyond any doubt that God was near and how they should respond to Him.  They vowed as one that they would obey God and do everything that He had told them to do.  Yet, we read on and within days they went back on their word to Him and worshiped at the feet of the golden calf Aaron had made for them while Moses us up on the mountain to get further instruction from the Lord.

It is not good enough to pledge our allegiance to God; we must do what we say we will do.  Mouthing words don’t mean a thing if they don’t result in actions.  When we tell the Lord we will stop doing a particular sin and keep on doing it, we go deeper into sin and things only get worse between us and the Lord.  When we vow to do something for the Lord and don’t follow up on it, we are worse off than we were before. 

Take seriously what you vow to do before the Lord.  He hears your vows and holds you accountable for them.  When you do not keep your vows, it is sin and draws you away from God.  Remember, God knows your thoughts and hears your words.  He demands that you be a person of integrity and keeps your vows to Him.  God doesn’t just ignore what you say to Him and pretend like it doesn’t matter.  Do what you say you will do and God will bless you for it. 

GO WHERE GOD IS

Ex. 20:21  As the people stood in the distance, Moses entered into the deep darkness where God was.

How long has it been since you went deep where God is?  Most of us seldom put forth the effort or take the time to really go where God is.  We are more than likely to deal with God on the surface, being content with minimal contact and fellowship with Him.  Yet, should we be?

Think about it.  God invites us to come into His presence and linger there.  He is not out of reach for us; we just simply do not want to take the time out of our busy lives to draw near and liger there.  We don’t want to set aside everything else and be alone with God.  We don’t want to humble ourselves and allow Him to purify us so that we can draw close.  Yet, there is no better place to be; there is no better usage of time, than to be in God’s presence.

God wants to take us into a much deeper level of soul rest and renewal than we are accustomed to.  He wants to spend quality and quantity time with us.  He wants us to know Him on a much deeper level than we do.  No matter how mature you may be in faith, there is so much more of the Lord you can know and experience. 

We have an open invitation to come and be renewed and rejuvenated in His presence.  He is waiting for you to accept His invitation.  He wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.  He wants more of your time than you are accustomed to giving Him.  He is waiting for you with open arms.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you and minister to you in ways that you never thought possible.