Best of Everything...

Here’s a major truth in the Bible: God wants our best. That means “best” of everything. What you do, say, make, exert, give, or think. Everything!!! This is the reason we have everyday to get out of bed and get through the day. Giving a God your best is what we are created for. It gets the focus off of “me”, sets goals for us to achieve, and rewards us intrinsically more so than anything else we can do. It fulfills Jesus’ commands to live God and love our neighbor. When we give God our best, it reveals where our heart really is; what it treasures. Everyone benefits.

29 Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you. Numbers 18:29

A Blossoming Reminder....

After Korah’s rebellion cost almost 15,000 lives, God told Moses to get each leader of the 12 tribes to come to the Tabernacle, each bringing a staff engraved with their tribes name on it. Moses was to place the staffs in front of the ark of the covenant. God would then choose which tribe He has chosen to lead by having the staff blossom. The fact that a dead piece of wood would blossom is a miracle in and of itself. The next day Moses entered to find that Aaron’s staff is the one that blossomed. Not only did it produce blossoms, it also produced fruit, ripe almonds. The people clearly saw that God had chosen the Levites as priests (leaders), Aaron and Moses’ clan. Aaron’s staff was to be placed in front of the ark of the covenant as a reminder or warning to those who want to rebel against God. It’s purpose was to put an end to the complaining which would prevent further deaths. This is just another display of God’s Grace being lavished on His people. So the next time Aaron’s staff is brought up, in a quiz game or just in conversation, you’ll be able to answer the questions, and better yet, you’ll be able to tell the reason why it happened: God’s Grace on display. Another true story you can share, pointing others to Him. We all need reminders that God is in control. It’s our obligation to never forget this. We have to trust Him.

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader’s name on his staff. 3 Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you. 5 Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.”6 So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff. 7 Moses placed the staffs in the Lord’s presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant. 8 When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!9 When Moses brought all the staffs out from the Lord’s presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff. 10 And the Lord said to Moses: “Place Aaron’s staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths.” 11 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him.12 Then the people of Israel said to Moses, “Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined! 13 Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the Lord dies. Are we all doomed to die?” Numbers 17

The Dichotomy of Our Emotional Structure...

The dichotomy of our emotional structure and our social structure is brought to light here in Proverbs. When we allow our emotions to take over, we find ourselves on the precipice of destruction. We tend to go with a feeling rather than go with what our conscience tell us what to do. Feelings are legitimate, but too often, they are overrated. “Knowing” and “doing” are two different things. Feelings often mislead us due to the fact that feelings, 99% of the time, tend to focus our attention on ourselves. Our conscience, on the other hand, often protects us by focusing on doing right regardless of what our feelings tell us. When you are kind to others, regardless of “how you feel”, there will always be a reward.

17 Your kindness will reward you,but your cruelty will destroy you. Proverbs 11:17

Interacting with God...

This has to be the heart and soul of the Bible, summed up in one chapter. How humans are to interact with God. I know it doesn’t mention Jesus, but God reveals Himself to us when we get to the end of ourselves, confessing our sin (thus Jesus is made known to us). When we are REAL and HONEST with ourselves, living our life in light of the truth, we can know God and be honest with Him. Then the peace and contentment that we all long for, envelopes us, giving us the resolve to move on. We are to live a life according to God’s design. When we do it frees us up to do many beneficial things, and brings the reward of satisfaction from knowing we are fulfilling our God-given purpose. We must trust God.

321 Oh, what joy for thosewhose disobedience is forgiven,whose sin is put out of sight!2 Yes, what joy for thosewhose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,whose lives are lived in complete honesty!3 When I refused to confess my sin,my body wasted away,and I groaned all day long.4 Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me.My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.Interlude 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to Youand stopped trying to hide my guilt.I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.Interlude 6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time,that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.7 For You are my hiding place;You protect me from trouble.You surround me with songs of victory.Interlude 8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.I will advise you and watch over you.9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mulethat needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him!Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! Psalms 32

Naturally Rebellious...

Human nature is naturally rebellious toward God. It part of the “Free Will” equation we’ve been given. Here God gives a task that will remind the Israelites to follow His commands. God has always wanted us to put Him first in our lives. He should be the center of our existence. Everything should rotate around Him: your thoughts, actions, and responsibilities. Our nature wants to place “Self” at the center of our existence instead. When we choose to serve “Self” instead of God, the outcome is always regrettable. Save yourself some pain and listen to God’s word. It’s what we were created for.

39 When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. 40 The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt that I might be your God. I am the Lord your God!” Numbers 15:39-41

Opposite of What We Think...

We must be different. To be Holy is to be set apart. Here, Jesus tells us that in order to be what we want, a leader, or first in importance, we must do the opposite of what we think. God’s hierarchy of things differs greatly from those with worldly views. We must be different. And being different shows the world a little glimpse of what God desires from us and some of His character as well.

41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:41-45

God Protects...

Truth: God protects those who are loyal to Him. I can honestly say, He has done this for me.

23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones!For the Lord protects those who are loyal to Him,but He harshly punishes the arrogant. Psalms 31:23

Treating God with Contempt....

When you deny God by treating Him with contempt, you won’t get to experience the Promised Land (Heaven). When you don’t trust Him after everything He’s done (especially Jesus dying in the cross), you won’t receive His blessing. When you go against God’s clear commands, He will abandon you to your own demise. God honors those that honor Him, but gives those that don’t honor Him over to their own evil, rebellious desires.

20 Then the Lord said, “I will pardon them as you have requested. 21 But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, 22 not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice. 23 They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land. 25 Now turn around, and don’t go on toward the land where the Amalekites and Canaanites live. Tomorrow you must set out for the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.” Numbers 14:20-25

41 But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. 42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. 43 When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.” Numbers 14:41-43

Perception vs Faith...

Perception vs Faith. Belief vs Conviction. The differences are huge. When the Israeli scouts surveyed the “Promised” land from God, their description was accurate. There were giants: giant grapes, giant fertile grounds, and giant people. Ten of the twelve scouts perceived the land from a worldly view. The other two had God’s promise backing their faith. They all saw the same thing. The difference was one view included God in their assessment and the other did not. I’ve said it before, “faith is only as good as the object in which you place it”. Here the 10 scouts were placing their faith in their lack of ability and experience in battle (war). Caleb and Joshua, on the other hand, knew God promises this land to them, so their assessment of the trip included God in it. They placed their faith in God, not in their abilities or lack of abilities to fight. The difference between belief and conviction is belief is some you hold, and conviction is something that holds you. When you trust God to do what He says He’ll do, God grants you conviction to see it through, and that conviction overcomes the fear, the hesitation, anxiety, and lack of faith you might be experiencing. When you face “Giants” in your life, remember God plus one equals the majority. And God is bigger than all the giants in the world.

25 After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned 26 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. 27 This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country–a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. 28 But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”30 But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”31 But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” 32 So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” Numbers 13:25-33

Priorities Determine Our Actions...

The rich man went away sad not because of his wealth, rather because his wealth was more important than God. Priorities determine our actions. They start in the heart. He loved his wealth more than he loved God. His wealth was his god. And his god couldn’t save him. 17 As Jesus was starting out on His way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to Him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” He told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Mark 10:17-27

Divorce....

God hates divorce. He said it in Malachi 2:16. The reason He hates it is because of the separation of what He joined together. This doesn’t even mention all of the effects it has on the family and society. And I am not condemning anyone here for getting a divorce. I’m just making the point that marriage should be taken seriously. Those contemplating marriage need to view it as s life long commitment. The problem here in America is that the “no fault” divorce law, makes it easy to get out of a marriage when things aren’t going your way. So those going into marriage have the notion of it being a test drive; “if I don’t like it, I’ll leave it behind and try another”. Jesus Himself said the reason Moses (ultimately God) allowed divorce was “out of concession to your hard hearts” (selfishness). Marriage resembles our relationship with God. Divorce resembles our separation from Him. God wants a relationship with us. It’s no wonder why He hates divorce so much. Those who are married, be it first or second or more; make the best of it. Give your best. Be committed for life. And those who are not yet married, make sure you are fully committed, before you say, “I do”.

1 Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around Him, and as usual He was teaching them.2 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap Him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”3 Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”5 But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. 6 But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation.7 ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,8 and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, 9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.”10 Later, when He was alone with His disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. 11 He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.” Mark 10:1-12

A Lost Art....

Social media is more of a detriment to society than a benefit. It’s purpose is to express oneself, but we’ve taken the restraint and respect out of the process. Anyone who will disrespect our President without even batting an eye is proof that we have lost this ability. Hopefully, everyone has at least one person they can trust. If you don’t, maybe it’s because you’re contributing to the problem. Keeping confidence by keeping your mouth shut is a lost art in America today.

12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;a sensible person keeps quiet. 13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Proverbs 11:12-13

I’m in Control....

Until the Believer can honestly say this, our walk will only progress in tiny steps, or not at all. Why? Because it’s not until we fully let go of the attitude of “I’m in control”, that we make room for the Spirit to work in us. It’s impossible to fill up a full cup, isn’t it? When we see our future in a His hands, it frees us to fully experience life without fear, without guilt or shame, and without worry of the future. God is trustworthy. He is in control of everything. We just need to acknowledge that in our own lives.

14 But I am trusting You, O Lord,saying, “You are my God!”15 My future is in Your hands.Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.16 Let Your favor shine on Your servant.In Your unfailing love, rescue me. Psalms 31:14-16

Humility Isn’t Self-Generated...

God values humility, but where do we get it? Humility isn’t something we can buy in a store. It’s not something that we can decide to be and do it. Humility isn’t even something that’s exciting. Anytime someone is humbled, it’s usually from a humiliating experience (hence the word humble). The only way a person becomes humble is through experience. And that experience only comes through spending time with God. The reason the Bible tells us Moses was very humble, more so than any one on earth, is because Moses spent more time with God than anyone else on earth. Do you see the connection? The more time we spend with God, the more humble we will become. I think it has to do with our submitting to His ultimate authority, and trusting Him with our life. It’s His ability to deliver on His Word that gives us peace and security in our surrender. Humility is knowing our place and trusting God to be in charge of our life. Sounds like something the world needs more of.

3 (Now Moses was very humble–more humble than any other person on earth.) Numbers 12:3

Questioning God...

Questioning God? Is this ever okay? There were many instances in the Bible that it was okay. Sometimes it says for us to test God (when it comes to giving is one example). However, there are other times where God gets angry because we question His abilities. How do we know when and what is acceptable to Him? It’s acceptable to ask questions about the unknown. When God tells us to do something, we are welcome to ask about the details. But I think the line of acceptability is drawn when the questioning shifts from details to doubt, especially the longer we walk with Him. When we question God about if He can really do what He says He’s going to do, that’s when it’s offensive to Him, and it becomes unacceptable. Here Moses does just that. God says He will feed the Israelite camp with Quail for an entire month, and Moses responds with doubt. When we question God’s ability to do what He says He’ll do, it’s unacceptable, especially when we’ve experienced His display of power personally before. God can be trusted, if we believe Him or not.

18 “And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. 19 And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. 20 You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’ ”21 But Moses responded to the Lord, “There are 600 ,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!’ 22 Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?”23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!” Numbers 11:18-23

Being Honest with God....

Have you ever been this honest with God? What was the result? Did you grow from this experience? Did God reveal more of Himself to you as a result?

10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” Numbers 11:10-15

One More Reason to Trust God....

There are many reasons why we should trust God. The first and foremost reason to trust Him is because He’s God (needs no explanation). Secondly, is because of what He’s done for us (Forgiving us through Jesus’ death and resurrection). There are many more reasons, but here’s one reason why we should trust Him, and it’s one that most have never thought of or at least never acknowledged: He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our decision-making process, our limits, our vulnerabilities, and the outcomes of our choices. If I could know all those things I wouldn’t need to trust anyone. But since I don’t, why wouldn’t I trust the One Who does. Peter is a great example of this principle (not trusting). He acknowledges Jesus being the Messiah, and a few verses later gets told by Jesus to Get Behind Him. Then he tells Jesus that He won’t die at the hands of the religious leaders, only to be told that he will deny Jesus three times before day break. Yes, we are human, which means we will mess up, but when we are lead by the Lord to do something and we fail because we look at ourselves and think, “we aren’t good enough”, or maybe “too good” to do it, God knows that. If He wants us to do it, we’d better listen, because He knows us better than we know ourselves. And we can trust Him with this. If we don’t, we may end up like Peter, going away and weeping bitterly. Save yourself some grief by trusting the One Who knows you best.

29 Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” Mark 8:29

32 As He talked about this openly with His disciples, Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him for saying such things.33 Jesus turned around and looked at His disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from Me, Satan!” He said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Mark 8:32-33

29 Peter said to Him, “Even if everyone else deserts You, I never will.”30 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter–this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know Me.”31 “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!” And all the others vowed the same. Mark 14:29-31

72 And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know Me.” And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:72

Salt and Light...

Salt and light. Light is truth. We are to shine the truth into others’ lives. Salt is a preservative. It preserves things. We are to preserve the truth in our society. We need to live a life that projects truth, and preserves truth in a decaying world.

“For everyone will be tested with fire.50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” Mark 9:49-50

Overlooking God’s Affection for Us...

It’s real easy to forget or overlook God’s affection for us. We can get so caught up in a situation where we lose our focus and think, “no one cares”. Here in Psalm 31, we are reminded that God cares about the anguish of our souls. Never forget this, it’s transforming.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love,for You have seen my troubles,and You care about the anguish of my soul. Psalms 31:7

One of the Ugliest Words in the Bible...

Unbelief, one of the ugliest words in the Bible. To Jesus it was like a curse word. Here in Mark chapter 9 we read of a man who brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples to be healed. They couldn’t do it. When Jesus came on to the scene the man asked Jesus to help, “if He could”. Jesus seemed perturbed that the man used the word “if”. The man sensed His irritation and asked Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief. Any time we doubt God, we don’t need to continue to follow our feelings, for they will lead us down the wrong path. Instead, we need to humble ourselves and cry out to God, asking Him to help us overcome our own unbelief. Whenever we doubt God can do something, it’s like slapping Him in the face and calling Him a liar. We need to stop, refocus, and as Paul says in Romans 12:2, “be transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Unbelief can and will take you down a long and painful winding road if you let it.

14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet Him.16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so You could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if You can.”23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, He rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” He said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with His disciples, they asked Him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.” Jesus Again Predicts His Death 30 Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know He was there, 31 for He wanted to spend more time with His disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies. He will be killed, but three days later He will rise from the dead.” 32 They didn’t understand what He was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask Him what He meant. Mark 9:14-32

The Most Deceitful of All....

Of all the things people pursue in this world, I think riches are the most deceitful of them all. Why? Because the security we think it brings is false security. Have you ever heard of money curing a disease? Has money ever brought someone back to life? Have you ever heard of money saving anyone from Hell? Me neither. Money is attractive, yet its deceptive as well, distracting us from the reality of life. Is money bad? Of course not. Is it necessary? Certainly. The question we all need to be asking is, what is the source of our existence? If it’s the pursuit of riches, be prepared for the shock of your life when it comes time to meet God face to face. If it’s pursuing God, expect Him to provide for all your needs. In the end, money won’t help us on the day of judgement. There’s only so many things money can buy. When it comes to the spiritual world, money is practically worthless, it’s how we use it that determines our true welfare.

4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,but right living can save you from death. Proverbs 11:4

Entrusting Your Spirit....

As the psalmist did, do you entrust your spirit into God’s hands? It’s the safest place you could ever be.

1 O Lord, I have come to You for protection;don’t let me be disgraced.Save me, for You do what is right.2 Turn Your ear to listen to me;rescue me quickly.Be my rock of protection,a fortress where I will be safe.3 You are my rock and my fortress.For the honor of Your name, lead me out of this danger.4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,for I find protection in You alone.5 I entrust my spirit into Your hand.Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God. Psalms 31:1-5

From the Human Perspective...

How often do we look at things from a human point of view? How often do we fail to see God in the mist of our lives? How often do we get in the way of His divine plan? The only solution to this is to turn from our selfish ways, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. That’s it. It’s not easy, but the instructions are crystal clear. As long as we serve ourselves, we will continue to see things from a human point of view.

33 Jesus turned around and looked at His disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from Me, Satan!” He said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”34 Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?37 Is anything worth more than your soul?38 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:33-38

The Most important Question...

The one question every single person living on this earth will have to answer will be this one. The answer will determine everything. Are you prepared to answer it? Do you have an answer? Are you secure in your answer?

29 Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” Mark 8:29

A Bizarre Way To Protect...

This is a bizarre way to protect marital faithfulness, but who ever said, “God’s ways are always clear and concise”. Just imagine if this were instituted today? Do you think women would be quick to have an affair? Or righteous men would expose women to such a test? Another great deterrent God established among His people to show the sacredness of marriage. To bad people don’t hold themselves to His standards today. If they did, we wouldn’t live in such a messy society, were adultery is celebrated.

11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.“Suppose a man’s wife goes astray, and she is unfaithful to her husband 13 and has sex with another man, but neither her husband nor anyone else knows about it. She has defiled herself, even though there was no witness and she was not caught in the act. 14 If her husband becomes jealous and is suspicious of his wife and needs to know whether or not she has defiled herself, 15 the husband must bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring an offering of two quarts of barley flour to be presented on her behalf. Do not mix it with olive oil or frankincense, for it is a jealousy offering–an offering to prove whether or not she is guilty.16 “The priest will then present her to stand trial before the Lord. 17 He must take some holy water in a clay jar and pour into it dust he has taken from the Tabernacle floor. 18 When the priest has presented the woman before the Lord, he must unbind her hair and place in her hands the offering of proof–the jealousy offering to determine whether her husband’s suspicions are justified. The priest will stand before her, holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse to those who are guilty. 19 The priest will then put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has had sex with you, and you have not gone astray and defiled yourself while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune from the effects of this bitter water that brings on the curse. 20 But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man–’21 “At this point the priest must put the woman under oath by saying, ‘May the people know that the Lord’s curse is upon you when he makes you infertile, causing your womb to shrivel and your abdomen to swell. 22 Now may this water that brings the curse enter your body and cause your abdomen to swell and your womb to shrivel.’ And the woman will be required to say, ‘Yes, let it be so.’ 23 And the priest will write these curses on a piece of leather and wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings on the curse. When the water enters her body, it will cause bitter suffering if she is guilty.25 “The priest will take the jealousy offering from the woman’s hand, lift it up before the Lord, and carry it to the altar. 26 He will take a handful of the flour as a token portion and burn it on the altar, and he will require the woman to drink the water. 27 If she has defiled herself by being unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings on the curse will cause bitter suffering. Her abdomen will swell and her womb will shrink, and her name will become a curse among her people. 28 But if she has not defiled herself and is pure, then she will be unharmed and will still be able to have children.29 “This is the ritual law for dealing with suspicion. If a woman goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority, 30 or if a man becomes jealous and is suspicious that his wife has been unfaithful, the husband must present his wife before the Lord, and the priest will apply this entire ritual law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any guilt in this matter, but his wife will be held accountable for her sin.” Numbers 5:11-31

Imagine If God Was Revered....

Imagine if God was revered as He was in the desert of Sinai? It says here in numbers chapter 5, that anyone who betrays God by doing wrong to another person is guilty and must make full restitution, plus 20%. If the person they wronged is dead then they are to pay the priest. If this type of mentality was still in acted, do you think we’d be having all of this selfish behavior going on in today’s society. The fear of God is the greatest deterrent to sin there is. We have a responsibility to God first. It just shows us God’s way is far superior to man’s way.

5 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people–men or women–betray the Lord by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty. 7 They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding an additional 20  percent and returning it to the person who was wronged. 8 But if the person who was wronged is dead, and there are no near relatives to whom restitution can be made, the payment belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest. Those who are guilty must also bring a ram as a sacrifice, and they will be purified and made right with the Lord. 9 All the sacred offerings that the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Each priest may keep all the sacred donations that he receives.” Numbers 5:5-10

A “God Rescues Me” Book...

Human beings are so fickle. We all suffer from short-term memory loss. How often has God provided for us, to only have another lack-of-provision episode pop up and we panic, acting like it was the first time we’ve ever experienced it before. When will we get it? I don’t have an answer, but I do have a suggestion that might help. Every time God comes to our rescue, write it down. That way, when these situations arise, we can open our “God rescues me” book and draw security from the fact that God is consistent in taking care of us. Try it. It’ll make a world of difference.

16 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 17 Jesus knew what they were saying, so He said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 18 ‘You have eyes–can’t you see? You have ears–can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all?19 When I fed the 5 ,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”“Twelve,” they said.20 “And when I fed the 4 ,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”“Seven,” they said.21 “Don’t you understand yet?” He asked them. Mark 8:16-21

Time Will Tell...

I’ve always loved Jesus’ words, “you will know a tree by the fruit it bears”. This means time will reveal a person’s true intent. If they are godly, their words will edify. If they are evil, their words will be perverse. Only time will tell. It will separate the sheep from the goats. And expose the wolves in sheep’s clothing. We just have to ask God to give us the discernment to know the difference.

The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice,but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. 32 The lips of the godly speak helpful words,but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. Proverbs 10:31-32

A Pattern to Remember...

Here’s a pattern that we can always remember. Morning always follows evening. Life always follows death. And God’s goodness always follows repentance. One reason why the latter statement is worth it. Doing the “right” thing honors God, Who then honors you.

5 For His anger lasts only a moment,but His favor lasts a lifetime!Weeping may last through the night,but joy comes with the morning. Psalms 30:5

Substitutes....

This substitution method here in Numbers isn’t an new concept. It isn’t an old one either. God’s plan to redeem mankind has been instituted from the beginning. This was only a type or shadow of the culmination of this substitutionary process. Not only were the animals substituted for our temporary forgiveness, but the Levites were substituted for the first born sons for all of Israel. This was a painted picture of what Jesus would do for all of those that believe God. It’s the zenith of the Christian faith. God has been showing generation after generation how He would rescue us from the justified penalty of our sin. Jesus is the ultimate Substitute necessary to redeem our souls. “Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear the continuous love You have for us. Let it it permeate our being and empower us to tell and show the world Your great plan of salvation through Jesus.”

11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me, Numbers 3:11-12

The Real Issue is a Heart Issue...

You hear people cry out to the government for help when tragedy happens. One school shooting after another. Every single time the people want gun control legislation. They want guns banned, thinking it’s the guns that kill people. What they fail to realize is that it takes a human being to point the gun at another human being and pull the trigger. The problem isn’t guns. It’s the evilness in their hearts. It’s the sinful human nature in all of us. It’s not until each person comes to the realization that the only way to conquer this evil is to have a heart transplant, the violence will end. God is the only one that can replace a stony heart with a heart of flesh. It’s only then, can a man love another, that will end the hatred and evilness in his own heart. And it’s only God Who can perform the procedure.

20 And then He added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” Mark 7:20-23

25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put My Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey My regulations. Ezekiel 36:25-27