Bible in a Year Blog

Numbers 33:40-35:34 + Luke 5:12-28 + Psalm 65:1-13 + Proverbs 11:23
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Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 33 we read about the other nations in Canaan.  In chapter 34 we read about the boundaries of the Promised Land.  Below is a map of how the tribes will divide Canaan – which we will read about later in the Bible in more detail:

In chapter 35 verses 10-12 we read about the Cities of Refuge – “`When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, designate cities of refuge for people to flee to if they have killed someone accidentally. These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be killed before being tried by the community.”  Reading about the Cities of Refuge reminds me of our current day laws of “innocent until proven guilty.”  It seems like the Cities of Refuge idea still lives on in our justice system today in some regards.

New Testament – In Luke chapter 5 we read one of my favorite healings’ of Jesus – where he heals the paralyzed man on the mat – in very large part because of the paralyzed man’s friends who carry him to Jesus!  I love that his friends did this.  I pray if I was paralyzed I would have friends like these!  Check out verses 18 through 20 – “Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him. So they went up to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””   I am fascinated by this – “seeing their faith” – I don’t know if this is a quirk of the New Living Translation or if indeed Jesus literally saw the faith of the paralyzed man’s friends.  My hunch is that he did.  And this makes me realize that sometimes when our faith is at a low point, maybe our friends can help carry us along and bring us closer to Jesus.  And maybe we should act like these friends for someone in our life who is “paralyzed” by something….  Is there someone in your life that you can help “carry the mat for” and in doing so bring them closer to Jesus?  Wow.  I pray I have friends like this – and I pray I can be a friend like this to others…

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Luke chapter 5 titled “Stretcher Carriers and Sermon Critics” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 65 has some amazing verses about nature!  I love verse 8 – “Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.” When is the last time you have been inspired to shout for joy to God for the beautiful sunset he created?

Verse 7 of the Psalm says this – “You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.”  When is the last time you have stood in complete silence before God because of his beautiful Creation?

Proverbs – Today’s Proverb 11:23 teaches us: “The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.” This is a great teaching that leading a godly life will lead to happiness.  And leading a wicked life….  brings wrath.  This is sobering to really ponder.  It’s a choice each one of us must make.  What type of life will we lead?  And where will that life choice ultimately lead us.  I pray each of us are on the Path of Life toward and with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  It’s the only path that leads to eternal happiness.

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Luke remind me of the Britt Nicole song, “The Lost Get Found.” Here’s a great live version of this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXi709LCKWk

Are you Lost? Click here and be Found!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Luke 5:20 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you have a true saving faith in Jesus. Pray that through Jesus your sins are forgiven today and forevermore. Pray that you will follow Jesus in obedience the rest of your life.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our readings in Luke today, have you ever had someone “carry you on a mat” when you were in a time of need?  Have you ever had friends that demonstrated great faith in you?  Conversely, have you ever carried friends on their mat when they were in need?  Do you think we are called to carry each others burdens?  Why or why not?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 33:40-35:34
51 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: `When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 52 you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines. …55 But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. 56 And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.’ ”
God wants us to be in the world but not of the world, we are to be salt and light in a dead and dying world yet I find being in the world but not of the world a difficult task to navigate. I know that you can be amongst people yet be detached from them and you can be separated from people yet be attached to them. What is the ‘key’ in walking this walk like Jesus? When Jesus was around sinners they were converted to seeing life from God’s point of view. He definitely wasn’t converted to their lifestyle. And that is the dilemma I find myself in how to be amongst the world yet not take on the lifestyle of the world.
Luke 5:12-28
17 … And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.
Jesus was in a room full of people and the text says that there were some religious teachers and some Pharisees (Far-to-sees) sitting near by who came from every conceivable town and village in Galilee and Judea. What ever their personal reason for coming to hear Jesus, no one in that room was sick except the guy whose friends put him through the roof or where they? Now the paralyzed men’s friends I see them from two different perspectives neither may be right. They either loved their friend so much that they wanted him to be healed so that he can live a productive life. Or they may have wanted him to be healed because they had to carry him around. Hmmm.
I can’t believe that everyone in that room, except for the man who made an entrance through a hole in the roof, was walking in Divine Health. Everywhere that Jesus went people were calling out, falling out and shouting out to be healed, he even touched and healed a man with leprosy. So what’s up with this group? One thing for sure these guys had so much pride that they wouldn’t dare submit their sick bodies to the healing touch of Jesus. Today, even today, many fail to submit sick bodies; sick souls to Jesus even after seating in a room watching others get healed. Pride will kill ya!
Psalm 65:1-13
1 What mighty praise, O God,
belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you,
…3 Though our hearts are filled with sins,
you forgive them all.
How often do we feel inadequate, ashamed, undeserving to come to Jesus, yet the Sweet Psalmist of Israel gives us an encouragement to praise God through our inadequacies because He has the power to cleanse us from all unrighteousness after He has forgiven us of all our sins.
Proverbs 11:23
This Proverb is another way of saying, “We Reap what we Sow.”
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Roslyn:

Thanks for the beautiful pictures on nature, Mike, the sunset especially. I’ve always loved the sunset. There’s nothing like a prayerful walk on the beach with the sunset on the background. It stills the soul and lifts you up the ground!!!
I’ve taken pictures of sunset in my travels—-they may look slightly different but the beauty and grandeur is all the same.Like God whose presence never fades…
I also like the symbolic aspect of the sunset. While it signals the end of the day, it is a reminder that there is another tomorrow when the sun rises again to signal another day. The sunset and the sunrise, the Resurrection!
That’s what I meant the last time I said not to be so much to be focused on the sunrise and sunset, but on the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
Roslyn

========== Ramona:

Roslyn,
>>The sunset and the sunrise, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection>>
Thank you for this thought, it is powerful, WOW!!
The Bible states that the Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world, meaning that the plan of redemption was set before anything was ever created and the sunset and sunrise, or the “sonrise” and “sonset” hearled the plan of redemption on the “first day” of “In the beginning …” WOW!!!
God loved us, cared for us, planed for us before we were ever in existence. Hallelujah!!
I will leave for work, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, clicking my heels without the ruby slippers.
Again, grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Emily:

Glory and Might of God is revealed through all creation. Today, lyrics of a song struck me that mentioned that even Caesar of mighty Roman Empire could not own or contain the vast blue sky.
How silly human beings can be that they think owning a luxury car or gadget can add to their worth.
Our real worth is in Christ and as the children of God. God is the creator of Universe and of infinite things in it.
Emily

======= George:

Absolutely — I’m incredibly fortunate because I work with very good friends who know Jesus. Many times, when I’ve descended the spiral staircase of despair, self-flagellation, and pity, they’ve brought me to Jesus. My beautiful wife has also carried me as I’ve sprawled on the mat of regrets. This passage and your comments have nudged me to do the same for a struggling family member. Thank you — awesome pix, too!
George

======= Laverne:

Wow those pictures representing different nature scence are fantastic. I just brought a fireplace DVD and looking at these pictures I wish they made a DVD of nature. It helps me to appreciate all of Gods wonders and allows me to spend time with Him.
Last night 2 of my friends & myself could not make prayer service because of the threat of rain. We decided to have a prayer service over the phone. We incoporated my church style of prayer service. The first prayer we prayed for ourselves, the second prayer was for others and last for the leaders in our life. While we prayed we talked about how Gods grace truly is amazing the 3 of us had long term relationships which ended recently. We could not figure out why? or What was going on? But now we get it we are carrying one another, holding up and undergirding each other when the other is down ..We can carry each others mat and it doesn’t matter that my marriage was a 10 yrs one, another friends was 12 yrs and the other 5. We ALL carried that mat for each one of us during this time in our life. And when we can’t pray for ourselves we know our sisters are in the gap for us. I pray God continue to use me for His purpose.
Proverbs 65 (scatter rose petals down your paths,
All through the wild meadows, rose petals. )
Stood out to me today because there are times that I believe my path is going to be filled with rocks but instead I feel the velvety touch under my feet and it is then I know my Lord has spread rose petals along my wild path.
And I thank Him…and absolutely love Him.
Laverne

======= Erin:

Actually just today I stood in complete silence before God because of his beautiful creation. This morning I happened to be doing such a mundane thing as making the bed, when I happened to look up at the window and see a beautiful rainbow. I was immediately struck by it’s beauty, so I ran to go get the camera and took a picture from our balcony, which I would share here but HTML comments are not allowed. Maybe I’ll try to post it or something. But anyway, right after the chaos of making sure I got the picture before it went away, I was able to stand in complete stillness for a few moments to admire it, and was really reminded of God and the Noahic covenant. I could tell that God was really speaking to my heart, and was so moved by that moment, as silly as it sounds 
Another funny thing that happened today was that I was driving to a friends house and missed the freeway exit, and was forced to drive another 5 miles or so without another exit. I got angry at first, but looked at the mountains and scenery around me and realized that this was a perfect opportunity to be alone with God for a few minutes and pray, so that’s what I did. It actually turned out to be a nice blessing in disguise. 
So lots of God-created beauty in my day today, it was a very nice reminder of all the incredible creation that God has granted us that most of us don’t even have the time to notice…
Erin

======= Jenny:

I too love this account in Luke. The Bible doesnt say the man on the mat had faith or not, but his friends did. How awesome! What a good example of not going at it alone in the Christian walk. We need to surround ourselves with people of faith. I have found myself faithless at times, but the faith of my loved ones has boosted me, encouraged me.
Also note Jesus said, man, you’re sins are forgiven you. Jesus said this before healing him because this was a greater need. I heard some teachings on some of these biblical healings and why did Jesus say your sin is forgiven, then heal them…could it be a sin on their part contributed to their condition? LIke the man by the stirred waters, he said, ‘go and sin no more’.
I had to pull out the big guns on this one, the Vernon McGee study Bible (aka, a Thru the BIble in 10 years Bible with commentary.. so vast, it takes 10 yrs! , i’ll post a portion of it:
“There are many people who are not going to receive the message of salvation unless you lift a corner of their stretcher and carry them to a place where they can hear the Word of God. They are paralyzed–immobilized by sin and many other things the world holds for them. Some are paralyzed by prejudice and others by indifference. They are never going to hear Jesus say to them, “You’re sins are forgiven” unless you take the corner of their stretcher and bring them to Him. All these incidences reveal the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to spread the gospel of Jesus to others.”
—wow, thats convicting. I dont think this means drag people against their will, but tell them of Jesus, pray for them, encourage them, invite them to church, give them a Bible, whatever we can do to share with others.
The link at bible.org above was really good in explaining it further, haha. fred…didnt get that at first.
Jenny

=======Katie:

Good Morning!
what a reading, I am moved. I am in the process this morning of praying for someone in particular, and so this reading in Luke really spoke to me. I even interupted my husband in his reading and read the commentary to him :).
Thank You Lord for Your perfect timing and telling me what I need to do.
Isn’t God wonderful?
Katie

======= Micah Girl:

I love the power of the leper’s request to Jesus–“Lord, if you are willing…” and then Jesus’ overwhelming response, “I am willing.” Simple but powerful stuff that has inspired my prayers this morning. Blessings to all.
Micah Girl

======= Ramona:

Numbers 33:40-35:34
A quick observation: God is about “boundaries.” From the “…In the Beginning …” up until now, God has placed boundaries on everything He has created.
“ … So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it … “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear … The land produced vegetation plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. God saw that it was good. There was evening, and there was morning, a third day. God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years … God placed the lights in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth, to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. “(Genesis 1:4-18 NET.)
In everything God does, He assigns purpose and actions and when we fail to operate within those boundaries He has set because of who He is, The Master Craftsman, we are out of order, just as that vending machine is Out of Order when it fails to dispense our choice after having put our money in. Just as the bathroom, or car, or whatever has been designed for a specific purpose is Out of Order when it fails to operate within its purpose. Just as we are Our of Order when we don’t use a perfectly working tool/person/created thing in the manner it was designed to work—we have wandered into the realm of abuse.
If the purpose of a thing is not understood, abuse is inevitable—Myles Monroe.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

========= Margaret:

The verses that stand out for me in today’s readings are the OT-Num33:55-56. The Israelites did not follow God’s command and drive out the people fom the Promised Land. “Those wo remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live.” Thousands of years later, Israel is still being harassed in the land that God gave to them.
Margaret

======= Jim:

It is important to remember that Greek and Hebrew were crude languages (without even any punctuation) and that words like “their” often had to be added. That Jesus saw the faith in the man’s friends in today’s reading comes from only two words, “eido pistis” which simply means to perceive moral conviction.
Cloud and Townsend (we just talked about their series of books on Boundaries), however, showed in “How People Grow” that the four commonly used Christian counseling models of the Sin Model (Good is good, you’re bad… stop it), the Truth Model (just think it and do it), the Experimental Model (dig up pain for praying as in the popular but dangerous Theophostic therapy), and the Charismatic Healing Model never help as much as one might expect (generally only helping people be happy with where they’re at rather than thirst for being more) and that only a Relational Model (with both checks and support) can get one past growth ceilings.
It therefore is only through a community of faith and moral convictions that there are any real opportunities for personal growth (also the conclusion of the psychiatry industry and the basis for the modern emotional intelligence theory). Even top management consultants like Senge come to the same conclusion.
But, a true environment of morals will not be peaceful – Jesus Himself wasn’t the sort we would normally like to invite to a barbecue (Buddha had much nicer things to say, but then Buddha didn’t get crucified). And, Social Constructionism shows, in fact, that diversity (in opposition to a third of companies today giving unscientific personality tests in foolish attempts to only hire people that “fit in”) and the free flow of information (based on the right rather than the need to know) creating actual tornadoes of energetic discussion rather than static “happiness” are required for true stability in any community.
Sadly, a major theme in most self-help books is only the new age concept of “positive visualization” (that Covey even has written is supposed to be able to reprogram us into being Gods – LOL) that again provides happiness without any real growth by wholly misunderstanding that the often quoted Proverbs 23:7 (“As a man thinks in his heart so he is”) has more to do with the source of our motivations and joy than just feelings of happiness.
In a similar fashion, we can distrust anyone suggesting an action is Godly because it simply feels good and makes them happy. All of the ten example conversions in Acts, for instance, involved audible instructions from God or a holy agent. Never did things “just happen” for good – good came from direct obedience. Too often today, we can’t wait on a clear voice (which is speaking, but we’re ignoring) and we simply don’t fear the wrong answer (our own) enough to wait until we are still enough to listen. Amy Carmichael once said, “If you have never been hurt by a word from God, it is probably that you have never heard God speak.” And Jesus said, “And, he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:34-38
Also, a quick comment about how much the Jews have been harassed over the millennia… throughout the times of the Bible, there were over ten million Jews and no Muslims – today, there are still only about 14 million Jews (almost half in Israel and almost half in the U.S. – being driven out of most other countries including Europe) while there are over a billion Muslims (many who want the last 12 million Jews gone). Moreover, every single one of my Jewish friends (dozens) were at some time in their youth sadly beaten up or taunted by Christian kids for being Christ killers (which, of course, we all did with our sins). God has insured His Chosen (the Jews) to survive even though most of the peoples mentioned in the Bible are now gone.
Jim

======= Elizabeth:

I’m a gardener, so I love these images from Psalm 65…
“You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.” -Psalm 65:9-11
Man can plant and water, but it is God grows it all for His glory…people and plants! : )
Elizabeth

======= Steven:

Hi, I enjoy reading your blogs daily. My name is Steven. I’m paralyzed from the chest down. Unlike the friends in Luke, in todays society usually your friends abandon you. I know my friends didn’t stick around when I had my accident.
Steven

======= Barb:

Aw, Steven, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been let down by your friends, but it’s encouraging to hear you read Mike’s blogs daily. Hopefully you’re on track with the OYB readings too, because Scripture is where you’ll find the best Friend. : )  
When I finish this post, I will pray for you, that God will bring some Godly friends into your life.
I have been to Key West a couple of times, and every evening they have a whooping party to celebrate the sunset. I know how I feel closer to God when I take in the beauty of it…
Barb

======= Ella:

Steven, People are imperfect and people will let you down. But God will never let you down.
Father, I thank you for Steven. I thank you that you have touched his life. I know that you have plans to prosper Steven and not harm him. Plans to give him a hope and a future. Lord, I pray that you would send friends into his life. Your soldiers, people who will help him to carry his burdens. People who will encourage him and “lower him through the roof before Jesus.” Lord you are SO GOOD! I love you and praise you! In Jesus’ name! Amen
Ella

======= Richard:

Mike:
I just wanted to say thanks! Every morning I read the 1 Year Bible study (on line) and then turn to the blog. Your cometary reviews what I have just read and enriches it. Often I follow one of your links to the Bible Org.
Just wanted to say thanks for your time and efforts to bless so many others, including my self.
Richard

======= Frederick:

Luke 5: 12-13
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Jesus, our LORD, are compassionate and forgiving. He answered the man that he was willing to make him clean. Reflecting on our own lives, are we willing to forgive other’s ‘offences’? Jesus is willing. We, who model after our LORD, should be willing.
Psalm 65 is also comforting. So is today’s Proverbs 11:23.
Just a brief note: it is important to arm ourselves with God’s words to fight the fight. Do come back everyday to read God’s Words and share God’s enlightenments.
Frederick

======= Steve:

Numbers 33:40-35:34
Today’s reading in the book of Numbers speaks about taking possession of our inheritance as we see the Promise Land divided among the Israelites. This serves as a reminder for us to take possession of our inheritance by leaving behind that territory we once occupied before knowing Jesus and occupy the Promise Land where we’re new creatures in Christ. I thought it interesting that each tribe had its own separate territory except the Levites, they were wonderfully scattered within each and every territory providing spiritual leadership for each tribe.
The cities of refuge also stood out for me in today’s readings. Numbers 35:6-8 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”
Although the city’s of refuge is a place of safe haven for those that unintentionally killed someone, it also metaphorically speaks of Christ as our safe haven. We were all guilty before our High Priest Jesus declared us not guilty. Just as the offender is safe as long as he abides within the city of refuge, the same goes for us as long as we abide in Christ. In the city of refuge the offender is set free only when the High Priest in the city of refuge dies. We were set free by the death and resurrection of our High Priest Christ Jesus.
The book of Numbers is wonderfully rich in metaphors reminding us to take possession of our inheritance and walk in faith taking God at His word.
Steve

======= Billy:

I was thinking of the OT reading today about how the criminal who sought refuge in the sanctuary city had to wait till the High Priest died before being set free. I thought of how Jesus (The Highest Priest) died for our sins and set us all free.
Billy

======= Antonietta:

I suffered from a chronic illness years ago. I was very surprised when I was told years later that my friends picked a certain day of the week to pray and fast for my healing and they did this for months . They never told me they were doing that for me. They carried my mat for me and I am very grateful.I am no longer sick thank God.
Antonietta

======== Jill:

I think it’s important to let others in on our pain so they can help ” carry the mat”. It takes a special person to admit defeat and discouragement . But being a apart of a fellowship group or Bible study or support group is vital for a Christian! I had a very good friend who when I was at a low gave me a prayer shawl her daughter had knitted prayers into with every stitch. She gave this to me. This was a way of carrying the mat and carrying my pain. You know don’t shut people out. Ask God to put people in your life to help you through hard situations.
Want to share this: let people see Jesus in us! http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uOg-1JjAdGk
Jill

======= Susan:

“When I lay my Isaac down” is an excellent book about faith. It made the healing of the paraplegic speak volumes. My eyes were opened concerning the friends lowering the mat to Jesus. It is an excellent example of how we as brothers and sisters in Christ are to lift each other up when we find another’s faith suffering due to circumstances beyond their control. The author re tells her walk through such a time. I recommend this book to others hurting due to circumstances beyond their control. We have a God who cares and is with us always.
Susan

======= Dee:

I found it interesting about the degree they went to in expelling murder(ers). In Numbers 32-34, And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest. This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder. You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel. Have we ever thought about the murderers in the country and how they affect the world in which we live in. We live in a very flourished and rich country and are blessed in a number of ways, however, when disaster hits in the most flourishing areas of our world, it makes you think..alot of people cry out and wander where God is in these situations..then it makes you want to look back at these verses above. Where murder and sin is abundant, and people are becoming as those of Sodom and Gomorrah, how can God look upon and save a group of people or nation who don’t want to be saved and are polluting the area with crime, mayhem, and sin! It’s one of those hmmm..thoughts to ponder on..
Luke 5, it is funny how other people will be talking in parrelel with what you are reading for the day, because I just got through listening to Taffi Dollar speaking of the same message on the man who was afflicted with palsy getting lowered through the roof of someone’s house and Jesus “saw” the faith of his friends.. and healed him. She was using the words from Mark 2 on it however it coorelates todays message, I do think that is awesome when friendship is so strong and at the times when we are the weakest we have a friend and their faith to help us endure to the finish line. I have a good friend like that who went with me to all my appointments following my surgery for my eyes and she was a great encouragement when I was weak..we do need friends like that in our life when times get too hard to bare..and we just need that “little Jesus boost” from them and their surge of energy to get our faith back where it should
Psalm is very pretty today..It speaks of how God answers our prayers, You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds..Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders..it makes me think of that song..God of Wonders, reveal your majesty, you are Holy!!Holy!!!
anyway,,I am with Ramona on the proverb 11:23, it does tie into you reap what you sow..theres only two choices in life..serve the God of Heaven and Earth, the Lord of our Creation, or by default you are serving the devil..its that easy!!
Be Blessed
Dee

Numbers 32:1-33:39 + Luke 4:31-5:11 + Psalm 64:1-10 + Proverbs 11:22
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 32 verse 23 we read this strong warning from Moses to the Reubenites & Gadites about their promise to fight with Israel and their desire to settle in the land east of the Jordan river: “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”  I think this is powerful for us to keep in mind in our lives today as well!  It’s important for us to keep our word!  If we’re not sure we can keep our word, we shouldn’t give it.  But if we do give our word, and we fail to keep it, we have sinned.  And I do believe the sin will still find us out today.  How are you at keeping your word these days?  Is there an area of your life where you gave your word and you now are wavering?  Can you keep your word in that area?  Will you pray to God to give you strength to do so?  Let us not be people who fail to keep our word or who stretch the truth!

Chapter 33 is a great re-cap of Israel’s journey!

New Testament – In Luke chapter 5 verses 10 & 11 we read – “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”  Can you imagine being called by Jesus like this?  If you were called by Jesus to stop your “work” that you are doing now and instead work to bring people closer to God, would you do so?  Can you imagine yourself today being like these disciples and leaving everything and following Jesus?

Bible.org’s commentary on Luke chapter 4’s readings today titled “Deity Confronts the Demons” is at this link and commentary on chapter 5’s readings today entitled “How to Hook a Fisherman” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 64 verse 10 is beautiful – “The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him.”  Do you consider God a shelter for your life?  When storms come into your life, do you find shelter in God?  How about the Bible?  Is the Bible a sort of shelter in your life?  Do you find refuge in the Bible?

Proverbs – Proverbs 11:22 today teaches us – “A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.”  Well, I looked at the TNIV to see if “woman” might be changed to “person”, but it wasn’t.  I think this Proverb can apply to men too.  I think we are all beautiful, as sons & daughters of God!  We are made in the image of God.  And when we lack discretion in our God-given lives, then we indeed are like this image below!  🙂

Worship God: Luke chapter 5 reminds me of Steven Curtis Chapman’s great song “For the Sake of the Call:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sb4RrF9VxI

Will you abandon it all for the sake of the call? Click here for the Call!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:10-11 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will follow Jesus. Pray that you will leave everything else in this life that does not line up with Jesus call for your life and for God’s glory.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our readings in Luke today, do you believe that Jesus still calls his followers to be fishers of people today?  Are you a fisher of people?  How are you fishing for people for the Lord in your life today?  What are some ways that Jesus might be calling you to fish for people today?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 32:1-33:39
This makes me sad, 1 …So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds, 2 they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the people. They said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—4 the LORD has conquered this whole area for the people of Israel. It is ideally suited for all our flocks and herds. 5 If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River.”
God, who knows everything, gives the children of Israel land that is best suited for them, yet two and one-half tribes think that they can appraise the land better than God. Hmmm, have I negotiated down and taken what God has permitted me to take instead of waiting for God’s perfect Will for my life? Were the people from the tribe of Gad the ancestors of those living in the Gadarenes, that place where Jesus cast the legend of demons out of a man and sent them into a heard of pigs? I’m not sure if they are but if there were they wound up taking care of unclean animals. That was not a job for nice Jewish boys.
How could they say that the land was ideally suited for them without fully exploring the land of Promise? What does this say when we want things done in our timing and not God’s timing?
Mike reading your comments about keeping our words reminds me of how important it is to be faithful to the words that flow from our mouths. One of the consequences of not keeping our word is that we don’t think anyone else will be true to their word either, even God so we don’t trust Him. If you can’t believe your own words, you will never believe anyone else’s. That is the real destruction of having a lying tongue, we destroy ourselves first.
Luke 4:31-5:11
I think it’s funny pathetic that demon spirits knew who Jesus was, yet those who were his own didn’t recognize, or maybe I should say wouldn’t recognize that He fulfilled all the Prophecies uttered in the Old Testament, the Book. Something is very wrong with that picture.
Jesus’ power to heal, his power to tell fish where to go to be caught could only happened because He was “ In the beginning …All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being (John 1:1; 3). The only way that anyone can have legitimate power over anything is to be the one who created it. Jesus could get rid of fevers because he created man.
As His creation at His Word every cell must perform they way it was made to perform “In the Beginning …(Genesis 1:1)
Psalm 64:1-10
Do not let my enemies’ threats overwhelm me.
This is the first time that I’ve read this and picked up its meaning. Don’t let my enemies’ threats overwhelm me. This is saying that there is no way that I can withstand the onslaught of all the negative, destructive things of life that come my way unless God holds back them back. How often do I think I need to take a stand, build myself up and play the part of the Lone Ranger riding on my trusty steed? Surly pride will be my downfall and the only safety is being sheltered under the might wings of God.
Proverbs 11:22
Mike I liked the picture of the pig’s snout although it took me awhile to figure out what I was looking at. What I see here in the Proverb is that this gold ring that has been placed in the snout doesn’t loose its value. What happens to it is that it gets stuck in the mud, stuck in the troth and encrusted with food and dirt. Unless one captures the pig and gives him a bath, the beauty of the ring will be obscured. Yet even when bathed, perfumed and dressed in a tux, the pig being a pig will go back to his ole stomping grounds, the mud.
Although you looked to see if this wasn’t gender specific, don’t try to make it gender neutral, accept what the Word of God is saying. Remember the church is called the bride of Christ. So that means all you Christian men need to go out and find a nice bridal veil.
You might even extrapolate this out and say this could be a warning for the church, Christ’s Bride! Stay out of the mud and don’t be attaching yourselves to pigs.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Karen:

Ramona, I loved your comments on todays proverbs. You always seem to find so much insight to the scriptures that I don’t always see. Keep posting. I always read what you write. Love in Christ to all.
Karen

======= Cathy:

Romana,
Thank you for taking the time to provide more explanation that help me had a better grasp of the scripture of Proverbs.
Thank you all.
God bless.
Cathy

======= Oliver:

I alwayssss look forward to your comments Ramona. Thank you.
Thank you Mike, for pointing out the part of not keeping to one’s word is wrong, and a sin. Also very true is that fact that, if you consciously do not keep to your word, you distrust others’, even God’s.
Oliver

======= Sammy:

Mike,
Just a word of thanks for the time, effort and energy you give each day to help us understand and appreciate God’s Word!!! You’ll never know how much it means…
Sammy

======= Laverne:

My book club group meet monthly the last Saturday of every month. We go over the next months discussion, meeting place and time at the previous months meeting. However we still have folks who say they are coming and don’t and then those who agree to the time and come late. This has been going on for 5 months and each month I am more and more disappointed even the group founder is late EVERY month. So this month I invited an author to chat with us and I asked if everyone could be on time. No one responded to my email. I have prayed on this for quite some time and I realize I cannot handle people who do not stand by their word. If you don’t have your word what’s left? I pray daily that God places an angel at the gateway of my mouth because I have a horrible habit of stretching the truth especially if I think it will make someone feel better. I want to be like the disciples when Jesus called them to go – they went and their bounty was increased. I pray my faith is one that never finds me wavering. The only way I have been able to do this thing called life is because He is my rock and my shelter. I know He knows the plans for my life. My prayer is that He continues to keep His hands on my life. My initial fishing tactic is to allow people to see the great love of Christ in me so that it might bring them to Him. I always talk about my Lord and continually invite my girlfriends who are not in relationship with Jesus to begin one.
Laverne

======= Laura:

Lavern: I was pondering your comments about the fustrations that you face with people. One of those fustrations has to do with people being late. I have a friend who will always fall into that category. What I have come to realize is that we can never truely depend on people. People will always in some way defy our trust and fustrate us. We can only depend on God. He is always consistent. I have decided that Jesus is the only one who I feel is worth waiting for. His timing is always perfect and always makes sense. Sometimes I want things to happen quicker, but when I am patient and wait upon the Lord my waiting has always caused an increase in blessings that I have recieved.
Don’t put all your faith and hope in what man can do for you, but rely more on the Lord. I am disappointed with people it seems daily because they never seem to care or to meet my expectations. Everyone seems so self centered especially those who do not know the Lord. One of my favorit verses is Isaiah 41:30-31 NIV “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I was looking through the bible concordance and it said that selfishness is concern for self at the expense of others. Proverbs 18:10 is listed: The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Perhaps God is teaching me patience or giving me a good reason to remain friends with someone who is habitially late. Maybe I can be a good example of some good habits and hope that I am percieved as a good witness. Perhaps I am learning about the lessons of grace and forgiveness. God does know what is best, I still trust He is in control even when I am fustrated.
Be Blessed today, I hope I have offered you some encouragement to you.
Laura

======= Laverne:

Laura – Oh gracious heavens I don’t put ALL my faith & hope in what people can do for me, sorry if that is the impression you received from my words. However I do take people at their word?
You most certainly have encouraged me in saying it is possible God is working with me and this particular group of friends and here’s why I say this. Because of the rain last night we decided to have prayer service on the phone and to be honest it was good to see one of my friends who initiated the call which was suppose to begin at at 9:14pm ring me at 9:11 pm. I said look who is early and she said I told you I am starting this year out trying to be on time. All I could do was praise God… So yes I am encouraged that God is using me to help them. You also said something else Laura that resonated with me about people not meeting your expectation. I never thought about it like that b4 but that is me. So thank Q so much I am going to begin praying that Whatever is wrong in me Lord take it out of me, so that I can be right before Him. Thanks
Laverne

======= Debbie:

When I read our Proverb for today, what struck me was how beautiful women who dress immodestly (like so many we see in our culture on a daily basis!) are to God like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. Now that would be some mascot for the Victoria’s Secret commercials!
Debbie

======= Katie:

Psalm 64:9 All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
I always like the word “ponder”…. and here it really stands out to me: to ponder what He has done. The Lord is so awesome, has done amazing things in my life alone…. let alone what I know/hear He’s done for others… plus what He’s done for all creation, provided us life and salvation. When I ponder these things, I am in awe! Hallelujah!
Lord, I pray that I am not like the proverbs above, I will do my utmost to show more discretion in my decisions and actions. You know, I work out, I fix my hair, I buy and put on makeup,… I do a lot to be more beautiful. But I don’t always use good discretion. Lord, please forgive me and please teach me. Amen!
Katie

======= Jenny:

IN Luke, notice how the demons knew who Jesus was, the Christ. v 41″You are the Christ the Son of God!” They believed in him…many ppl today claim to believe in Jesus, that Jesus is the Christ, and they are correct, but if they have not received Him, repenting, surrendering to Him, born again through Him, these ppl are lost! We dont just need to believe in God and that Jesus is the Messiah, but we must receive, act on it, have a new heart, a new mind. Its pretty easy to talk with someone and see if they truely know the Lord. ppl can talk all they want about God, but it doesnt really mean much. WE cant see anyone’s heart, but we sure can be given a good indication about them. This is discernment and its a gift from God.
You know, reading about Peter’s mother-in-law kinda surprised…I have read about her before, but it just dawned on me, Peter was married! for some reason i just assumed the disciples were all unmarried. I’m guessing he left his wife to follow Jesus.
My dad was informing me the other day there are 2 gospels. I was like, huh? The kingdom of God is the gospel Jesus preached and now we preach the gospel of Jesus to nonbelievers. That threw me for a loop at first…I guess i didnt think of it in those terms.
I like in Luke how when Peter recognized who Jesus was, he fell on his face and saw he was a sinful man. This is the appropriate response, when we see ourselves in the light of Jesus, we see our sin and its too great to bear.
I see how Jesus told him to cast his net on the other side, and Peter was like, but Jesus, we have been toiling all night, but ok, since u say so. This is my response sometimes, He will tell me to do something and I say, Jesus, but Ive been doing this, toiling. What i didnt have before was God’s power though, I tried on my own strength and if Jesus tells me to do something, I can be assured God will provide.
Thanks for trying to get us girls off the hook, haha. the commentary says:
“Beauty is abused by those who have not discretion or modesty with it. This is true of all bodily endowments.”
As Christian women, we need to be careful. For sum reason men like women’s bodies, i dont know why, haha. but we need to consider that it is a sin to attempt to lure men, or stumble them. I know fashions and weather conditions sometimes dictate our clothing, like i live in Southern Cali where its not often cold, so we dont need a lot of clothing. some of the fashions like tight clothes, its just the norm. I know sum ppl think people here dont dress decent.
One gauge is…how do i feel if my dad sees me in that? I dont own anything i’d be embarrassed to wear around my dad….who is an old-fashioned man and would definitely say something if i had on something inappropriate…i know, i’ve see him say something to my sisters, very embarrassing!!
Jenny

======= Ramona:

Number 32-33:39
Do I do this? While God is leading me toward my Promise, do I stop, look around and judge the situation or place I’m currently in as better than what God has promised? Have I settled for second, third or forth best? Ruben and Gad, based on their five senses (For we walk by faith, not by sight -2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV) determined by their sight, senses and circumstances, that the other side of their Promise was better than their Promise. Then the half tribe of Manasseh follows suite but does not even ask Moses for permission. Their goal only seems to be to build cities and towns to honor their own name, not God’s.
They, I believe committed the “sin” of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. They entered God’s Permissive Will and not His Perfect Will.
Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.” Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered (before the LORD obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain and pitched his tents next to Sodom. (Genesis 13:8-12 NET.)
Lot wound up in Sodom then finally in a cave committing incest with his two daughters, producing children that would become Israel’s enemies. (Gen. 19:30-37)
Let us all wait on the Lord, wait on His timing for His best.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Dwayne:

Numbers 32:
I’m trying to figure out why it was OK for the tribes of Reuben and Gad to choose the land that they would inherit. If I remember correctly from earlier in the book, God told Moses that the amount of land was to be allocated by the size of the tribe, but the location of the land was to be decided by random lot. Reuben and Gad wanted to choose the specific regions that they would get, because it was good for their cows. Moses thought it was a ploy to avoid fighting, but was OK with it as long as they pledged to fight along side the rest of Israel. It just doesn’t make sense to me that God would mete out severe punishment for earlier sins which seemed more a matter of interpretation, while ignoring what appears to me to be a blatant disregard for explicit instructions.
Luke 5:
The thing that struck me about this passage was the actions of Peter, James and John. They were so amazed by Jesus apparent ability to call the fish into the nets that they were immediately convinced of his divinity. Obviously fish were a hugely significant feature in their lives. That’s why I think it’s so amazing that, in verse 11, “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.” It’s sort of like Jesus handing one of us a winning lottery ticket. I don’t know that my response would be to leave it behind to follow him. I’d like to think it would, but I’m not so sure.
Dwayne

======= John:

Dwayne,
I have been thinking about your comment on Numbers 32, and had been drawing a blank.
After seeing Ramona’s post, something struck me. In Deut 2 and 3 God does tell the Israelites to possess this land (east of the jordan river). However, I am not sure that this is part of the land of numbers 26. In numbers 26 “land” appears to be a very generic term. Perhaps it is the land of canaan (west of the jordan) that was prescribed for the “lot” system.
In the Bible, I do not think we are privy to every conversation or thought process that went on at the time – only what is revealed.
The Reubinites and Gaddites were always camped together south of the tabernacle. They seemed to come to a joint decision about this – probably talked about over campfires. Maybe Moses talked about this with God, maybe not. Maybe none of the other tribes wanted this land as they were not as “herd” intensive, wanted to be in the land of “milk and honey”, or thought the area too vulnerable for foreign attacks. In addition their land portions on the west side of Jordan would now be bigger with only nine and one half tribes to split up the “land”.
If so, then it becomes plausible that the real question was not whether to give them the land nor how to split it up (Tribes had apparently decided that on their own), but one of military resources. Once army manpower issues resolved, then permission was given to inhabit the land.
As it turned out, Ramona is correct in her Lot reference. These tribes, separated from the others, disintegrated into pagan worship, and God raised up Assyria to come in and destroy everything and carry off the tribes.
Perhaps the lesson is because of a bad choice that seemed attractive at first, the tribes put themselves in a position to turn away from God. Which ultimately led to their judgment by God.
Numbers 26:52-55
“The LORD said to Moses, “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.
John

======= Emily:

Thanks for that reflection John.
Coming to the topic of keeping one’s word. Yes, that advice is so realistic and wise. Also, I think somewhere in the gospel of Mathew it says that do not make promises just let your yes be yes or no be no. How wise!!! If we could follow that this world will be a very happy place. Because this advice is applicable in the fields of business, friendship, politics, love relationships and marriage. Unfortunately,this world makes too many false promises…
BUT INTERESTINGLY! This world also wants to hear false promises. Personally, I’m the one who rarely makes a promise. I just do my best to carry oot my duty. I never make a casual promise. But people love people who make plenty of promises, albeit false promises. How ironical. We need more of Bible’s precious wisdom in this world today to make life easier and less of pretensions, frustrations, disappointments.
Emily

======= Ron:

Dwayne,
I’m not so sure that it was O.K. for them to do what they did. God will allow us to operate in our own will and that is called His Permissive Will instead of His Perfect Will. In my opinion, I think what the two tribes did was a slap in the face of God because they ignored His Promise for them and settled on what they thought was best. I think it was the same “sin” that Abraham’s nephew participated in. He chose the well watered plans near Sodom because it was a little like Egypt and a little like the Garden of Eden and found himself living in Sodom (Gen 13:7-11), then moved to a cave (Gen 19:30-38) having two children born out of incest.
I think when we read the Bible we have to read it like a case study and move from how someone’s life ended, both spiritually and physically, then trace back to see where they made the wrong turn. In Lot’s case I don’t believe Abraham should have taken him into Canaan.
The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.
Ron

======= Elizabeth:

Hello All,
I surprisingly enjoyed the recap today of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. From a broad-picture perspective, there is a lot to appreciate here–good life lessons.
Matthew Henry is adept at drawing “life lessons” out of scripture, so I especially enjoyed his comments this morning:
*******************
“When they began this tedious march, God ordered him to keep a journal or diary, and to insert in it all the remarkable occurrences of their way, that it might be a satisfaction to himself in the review and an instruction to others when it should be published. It may be of good use to private Christians, but especially to those in public stations, to preserve in writing an account of the providences of God concerning them, the constant series of mercies they have experienced, especially those turns and changes which have made some days of their lives more remarkable. Our memories are deceitful and need this help, that we may remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us in this wilderness, Deu_8:2.” -Matthew Henry
Good lesson here- interesting that Moses documented and tracked all of their wanderings. I imagine it helped him–to be able to track the wandering even if he was helpless to control the trip itself.
I also like what MHenry says about memory being deceitful–so true. The past is continually reshaped by our emotions and perceptions. It’s not as “static” as we’d like to think.
******************
“Observe (1). They were continually upon the remove. When they had pitched a little while in one place they departed from that to another. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city.” -M Henry
Love that last part….”we have no continuing city”…it’s painful but true. Like it or not, even on our best days, we all remain pilgrims until we get HOME.
*******************
“They were led to and fro, forward and backward, as in a maze or labyrinth, and yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. He led them about (Deu_32:10), and yet led them the right way, Psa_107:7. The way which God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way.” -M Henry
As our family enters a season of wandering (which I frankly dread….I like efficiency and roots), this is great verse for me to cling to. His way is indeed the very best, though not always the “nearest”
Following His cloud and wandering with you,
Elizabeth

======= Beth:

The video today made me think of missionaries that our church supports, Nate and Rachelle Dell with HCJB. Their heart is for the Waoroni people (formerly known as the Auca’s as portrayed in the SCChapman video). However, they have been state-side for a number of years now due to health reasons. Would you please pray for them as they seek to be healed and return to Ecuador??? Thanks!
Beth

======= Frederick:

Luke 4:39
39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
I was touched to learn that Jesus did not only heal Simon’s mother-in-law by commanding her to get up. Instead, Jesus bent over. Jesus was compassionate. The response of Simon’s mother-in-law was commendable. She did not just get up and say thank you and then walk away. She waited on Jesus and his followers. What a beautiful picture!
Psalm 64:7-10
7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
8 He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 All people will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
10 The righteous will rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will glory in him!
What a promise! What a judgment! Our LORD will punish the wicked and reward the righteous!
Frederick

======= Steve:

Numbers 32
The men of the tribe of Reuben and Gad were cattlemen and when they saw that the land in Gadera was good for raising cattle, they asked Moses if they could have Gadera instead of their inheritance in the Promise Land. Here they are about to cross the Jordan and enter the Promise Land, the land of milk and honey, the land that they had spent the last forty years wandering in the desert looking for and they suddenly chose to trade their portion of the Promise Land for this cattle range.
After working a deal with Moses by promising to assist the Israelites on their journey to the Promise Land, the men of Rueben and Gad strike a deal with a reluctant Moses and get what they wanted. Everything seems OK and everyone seems satisfied or so it would appear.
God has given us free will to choose for ourselves and we can accept or reject God promises. Even when we go against God’s will, the Lord forgives us and accepts us where we’re at but there are always consequences for our choices. The people of Rueben and Gad traded down by choosing another land, they missed out on the full amenities the Lord intended them to have by settling for the land of Gadera instead of their promised inheritance.
Rueben and Gad chose to grab that which was right in front of them rather than wait on the blessing of the Lord. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush they thought and that is probably good advice except when the bush is the Burning Bush, the Lord.
Remember when Jesus healed the demon-possessed man and the demons wanted to enter the pigs? This took place at Gadarenes (Gad), if we fast forward from the Old Testament into the New Testament, we see that the cattle land the tribe of Rueben and Gad had coveted so much turned into a pig farm. It is also interesting to note that the pig farmers asked Jesus to leave. Something to think about the next time we’re tempted to choose comfort over commitment.
Steve

======= Janice:

i know that the lord calls to me to help those that are in need of someone to help them with the struggles of addictions..i am pulled to help..i feel it is god working through me to share the word and to help with giving a light in their lives again…i hope and pray that one day soon i will be able to work with those that need the light shown to them again
Janice

======== Jill:

A couple things stood out in numbers 32:11. “Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly..” I like that word wholeheartedly. How much commitment to do we make for Christ in our life? Wholeheartedly or whenever we feel the need. We never can get too close to God. I believe God has obstacles in my life just to keep me close to him!
But let him bless me so I can bless others with my Joy!
Verse 23.. “Be sure your sin will find you out!” So that’s where that verse is that my mom quoted to me as a child! Wow. We all know hidden sin does not go unnoticed.
I’m finding so much treasure in reading this Bible through. Right now the Bible is my shelter in the storm.
Gods word breaks through every chain and every storm!
Jill

======= Dee:

In Numbers today..I wanted to ask the Reubonites and Gadites..what for?? Why are they resisting and wanting land east of the promised land that they were destined to have. I do commend them for deciding to go head first in the land when others go to attack and sieze it, just thought they would be assured of the land God promised them, the land flowing with milk and honey.. and all of the camping in todays studies, they camped here, went there, camped here went there..I wanted to say Attack already!! This originally was an 11 day journey and turned into 40 long strenuous doubtful years, that didn’t have to be if they would have just trusted God.
I liked going from Luke chapters 3 and venturing into 4 and 5 today. I liked the feed that the audio bible spoke about in that, Jesus had to be tempted in the wilderness (in the dark) before He could be tempted in the light-before His ministry took off. He had to win the battle in His head, thoughts, emotions. That is a lesson for all of us..we have to be armed ready and prepared before we go to battle against the enemy and be a teacher of the Word..we have to be physically, mentally, emotionally capable and ready to be a doer of the Word and not just a Hearer only, deceiving ourselves..
Psalms was good today talking about Davids enemies and him not being afraid of the enemies but afraid of the fear that he felt, because the acronoym F.E.A.R. is false evidence appearing real..cant exist if you have faith and vice versa..Faith is calliing those things that be not as though they are..the enemy’s greatest tool is getting us to walk out fear and be afraid of things that are in our head instead of things that are real..Make sure to look unto the Lord and be not afraid..God said over 365 times in the Bible “do not fear” one for every day and a few extra..keep that in mind..
Proverbs 11:22 today teaches us – “A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.” That makes me think of all these scandals with all these so called beauties of this world coming out about these affairs with these married men..kind of paints a picture of this pig snout..our appearance is fleeting with each passing day, but real beauty comes from within..it is far better than rubies..
~~Be Blessed 
Dee

Numbers 30:1-31:54 + Luke 4:1-30 + Psalm 63:1-11 + Proverbs 11:20-21
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Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 30 we read about the various complexities of vows, particularly related to women making vows. (and how their fathers or husbands can void them on day 1, etc.)  Apparently the Jewish system and tradition of vows and what counts and didn’t count got even more complex over the years between this chapter in Numbers and when Jesus was born.  I love that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus simplifies the whole complex system of vows!  Check out Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 through 37 where Jesus says: ““You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”  Let’s let our yes simply mean yes and our no’s simply mean no’s!

Below is an image for Numbers chapter 31 verses 11 & 12: “After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals, they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.” 

New Testament – Today we read about the temptation of Jesus.  This is a powerful narrative for each of us to consider.  We all obviously face temptations in our life.  Jesus faced temptations as well.  The difference of course is that Jesus did not give into the temptations.  He did not sin.  I love the fact that Jesus combated the devil’s temptations with the Word of God, the Bible.  We each would do well to pay attention to how powerful the Word is in thwarting the devil’s temptations of us today.  Here’s a very amazing image I found below, with a look at Jesus being tempted by the devil.  Check out the cloud of temptation above him… the devil.  Ever feel this cloud of temptation hovering above you?  I know I have…  And I know that faith in Jesus, calling upon Jesus’ name, and bringing to mind the Word of God in times of darkness & temptation can send this cloud away from us!

Bob Deffinbaugh at Bible.org has 4 great commentaries on the temptation of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke at this link, and at this link, and at this link, and at this link.  And his look at verses 14 through 30 in Luke chapter 4 titled “On Prophets and Popularity” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 63 is beautiful!  So many amazing verses…  The imagery in verse 1 is fantastic – “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”  Do you earnestly search for God in your life?  Each and every day?  Does your soul literally thirst for God?  Does your whole body long for God in this dry and weary land…

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verse 20 today teaches us: “The LORD hates people with twisted hearts, but he delights in those who have integrity.”  I find it interesting that this Proverb talks about twisted hearts.  I pray that our hearts are not twisted!  If they are twisted at all, I pray we allow God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit, the great surgeons, to untwist us.  Only They truly can!

 

Worship Video: Today’s readings about temptation reminded me of the song “Lord I Need You” by Matt Maher. Here’s a great live version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG5O5TSIaE4

Do you need God? Click here and be with Him forevermore!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that your soul is thirsting for God today. Pray that your body is longing for God today. Pray for ultimate and eternal satisfaction in God alone.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day: When faced with temptation in your life, have you ever brought to mind the Word of God?  Did this change things?  Do you believe that the Word of God can help us combat temptation in our life?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 30:1-31:54
Upon reading this portion of scripture I began thinking of the following verses:
Proverbs 20:25 (AMP)
25 It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].
Ecclesiastes 5 (AMP)
4 When you vow a vow or make a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God has no pleasure in fools (those who witlessly mock Him). Pay what you vow.
5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your body to sin, and do not say before the messenger [the priest] that it was an error or mistake. Why should God be [made] angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
How easy it is for me to open my mouth and utter some rash vow without thinking, This is so easy to do when you are amongst other “saints” in the church and they are standing around talking about what “work” they are either going to do for the church or God. Now wanting to feel left out the mouth opens and the foot goes in. Or I feel pressured to respond because I don’t want to look like a “bad” or “lazy” Christian.
The reading today plus the verse I copied in show us that God takes our vows seriously and no matter the amount of pressure we experience or excitement in the moment should cause us to utter a vow to God. This is a much needed reality check for me. If I’m to do something for the church or God it should be done with a joyous heart and not out of a feeling of pressured obligation.
Chapter 31 of Numbers is fascinating because God actually directed them to fight against the Midianites and because they obeyed not one life was lost. However, they didn’t fully listen to what they were told to do they spared some things that should not have been spared. However, again Moses came to the rescue. Even though Moses was told that after this battle, He would go the way of his ancestors, Moses’ heart always yearned for the best for his people. This shows me that our outlook on life must go beyond the current generation; we must have a heart for the generations to come. To have this attitude one must get out of selfishness and understand that this life on earth is about investing in the next generation and not consuming all the resources on self.
Numbers 31:
14 Moses was angry with the leaders of the army, the heads of thousands and the heads of hundreds, who had fought in the war.
15 He said to them, ” Have you allowed all the women to live?
This interpreting of God’s Word to confirm to lustful desires will bring much harm to leadership and the nation from the time of this battle until now. God tells us to completely destroy something in that will impact our lives in the future but because we don’t understand the danger, we preempt God’s all knowing knowledge and replace it with our reasoning. Joshua and King Saul will feel the sting on not adhering precisely to instructions from the Lord. I think this modifying of God’s Word began when Moses and Aaron struck the Rock twice; instead of speaking to the Rock back in Numbers 20:8.
Luke 4:1-30
Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to be tested. We forget that the Holy Spirit may lead us into a time of testing. This testing is not to break us but to show us where the cracks are, if any. God knows what we will and will not do, it is we ourselves who have a distorted picture of what we are capable of doing. Just ask the Apostle Peter.
The three areas of testing that Jesus faced or the same three areas where we will be tested: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
Take note that the second temptation, or testing, the Devil makes a statement that Jesus doesn’t rebuke. Is his, the Devil’s, statement truth or half-a-truth (half the truth is a whole lie)?
5 The devil took Jesus up on a high mountain. He had Jesus look at all the nations of the world at one time.
6 The devil said to Jesus, ‘I will give You all this power and greatness. It has been given to me. I can give it to anyone I want to.
Hmmm, Satan is saying that all the power and greatness is his, or at least it use to be his before Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection took it away from him. Jesus didn’t tell him that he didn’t own it. Is that way the Apostle Paul called Satan, the God of this world? (2 Corinthians 4:4)
When Jesus withstood the temptations the text states that he went back to Galilee under the power of the Holy Spirit. What happens to me when I withstand temptations and testings? Since Jesus is my brother, the first born from the dead, it stands to reason that the same power available to Him should be available to me when I withstand pressure from the enemy. That is something I need to focus on when I am being tested.
We hear this over and over again, even secular folks quote this, but do we really understand the implications?
24 He said, ‘A man who speaks for God is not respected in his own country. (NLT)
Or in King James language, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Psalm 63:1-11
While reading this Psalm it occurred to me that this first verse is the attitude I should have when I am, “Asking … Seeking … Knocking …”
1 O God, You are my God. I will look for You with all my heart and strength. My soul is thirsty for You. My flesh is weak wanting You in a dry and tired land where there is no water.
So often I look for answers for understanding scripture in all the wrong places. The answer is in this Word!
Proverbs 11:20-21
I did some studying on this particular passage especially since there is this view that God “loves” everyone and thus He is incapable of “judging” anyone as being bad or wicked, they are just misunderstood. But clearly the twentieth verse doesn’t say that. So either God is lying or man has distorted the Words of God.
When in doubt go to back to the Hebrew. The word translated “twisted hearts” in the NLT, is almost word-for-word in the Hebrew. Twisted in the NLT, or “forward” in King James, actually means, twisted, distorted, crooked, perverse, perverted. However the word translated “hate” in several translations yet in the King James the word abomination is used (is an abomination) in the Hebrew [a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable;
in ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages); in ethical sense (of wickedness etc)]
Since we have just gone through the Book of Leviticus, dealing with clean and unclean, we have a clearer understanding of what this actually means. Since God is a Holy God, uncleanness cannot stand before Him. So I believe who we use the word hate and what the Hebrew states may be slightly off; however, we get the picture of how much God “hates” the crooked and perverse way: just something to think about.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Bella:

I love that awesome picture of Christ with the dark cloud in the background. How lonely he must have felt as he awaited the outcome. We find ourselves in those same circumstance, lonely and vulnerable, as we wait patiently for the holy spirit to show us the way.
The parched land depicts how broken our lives can be and it is not important what people think of us but that the holy spirit lifts and guides our daily walk as believers.
Bella

======= Sandy:

Hi; I copied Mike’s picture of the parched ground to show my kids when I share my quiet time from Ps. 63 with them tonight. Ps. 63:6-8 were the first verses, by the way, that I ever memorized as a new Christian in 1975: “…my soul clings to You…” He has been faithful.
In response to Emberglow’s question about the Martin Luther quote: someone once said, “Love God and do what you want.” I wonder if this is what Martin Luther meant. As I grow in love and intimacy with the Father, I know His mind and want His will. Ps. 37:4 states that as I delight in God, He “will give me the desires of my heart.” What He desires, I will have as my desires.
Of course if you love God you must hate sin. But not for performance’s sake: only because it keeps me from that oneness and intimacy that allow me to know Him and His will, by hearing His voice clearly. Blessings.
Sandy

======= Richard:

I welcome temptation in my life just as Jesus did when he walked out into the desert for 40 days. (He knew what was waiting for him out there!) I think of it as one of God’s greatest “gifts”. This lent season has had a profound affect on me in that I am discovering new ways to love my Teacher. I treat temptation as a means to draw closer to God. When I reject it, I can feel the warmth of my Lord’s grace upon me. I can’t think of anything (not even prayer) that provides as much satisfaction and oneness with God. Of course when I say “not even prayer…” I show my ignorance. Often rejecting temptation takes prayer… and alot of it!!
Richard

======= Chayla:

These passages speak alot about temptation, sin, and the blotting out of sin. But what spoke to me the most was how the plunder of the solideiers did not all belong to just them. There was a mandate from God to give them their due as conqueors but that they were in service to a greater populace. That a portion went to God and the temple caretakers as well as to the people.
It speaks to the idea that our victories are not our own but are God’s to uplift many and to show his glory.
Did you notice that after they gave God his due and a portion to the people- that they gave another offering of thanksgiving above what was required.
Give him thanks in all your victories!!! (Or should I say HIS victories!!)
Chayla

======= Pat:

Psalms 63:1-11 = In the study of this Psalm I greatly prefer the KJV over the NIV version because I feel NIV changes the whole meaning of this psalm. In the KJV verse 1 states, “O God, You are my God; ‘Early’ I will seek you.” In NIV verse 1 states, “O God, you are my God, ‘earnestly’ I seek you.” When you get down to verse 6 KJV says, “ When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches” and the NIV says, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.”
When you read Psalms 63 in the KJV you get the clear message that we should seek God’s help early each morning and thank Him last thing each night for the help we received from Him that day. In the NIV you get the message that we should earnestly pray to God, especially at night. By changing the word ‘early’ to ‘earnestly’ the NIV deletes the need for morning prayer. I cling to the KJV psalm because I think it is extremely important for each of us to go to God first thing each morning to seek His help to meet the trials and temptations we shall face each day and then return to God each night to thank Him for His help and all the blessings He bestows on each of us during that day!
God Bless,
Pat

======= Pam:

One of my favorite Psalms is in today’s reading.
Psalm 63: 1-4
1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
The first time I was away from home for an extended time was in college in Germany. I was learning the language and had no place to worship. The cathedrals were museums and the only church in the small town I was in had less than ten people in worship service. It was a terrifying feeling to be in such a dry land. Please pray for the lost in every country.
Pam

======= Dean:

The Psalm today really urges us to have a burning passion for seeking after God’s face. How many of us today have such a passion? We have so many distractions that we really have become dilletantes, dabbling here and there in so many frivolous things. I fight it every day and it seems I can be drawn to TV, the blogs, my IPOD, guitar, piano, my Harley. I love all of these things but that is all they are – objects. Have they become my idols.
Oh, Father, give me strength and presence of mind to focus my concentration on you alone. I cry out to you for more and more faith – put a passion deep in my heart for You and Your Kingdom.
We love you Lord,
Amen
Dean

======= Gina:

Dean – you really hit it regarding distractions! It is so true that the things around us cause us to lose our focus on what this life is really about. I too have to admit that TV, the computer (blogs, myspace for hours at a time, email) iPod, etc have taken over and have become idols for me also.
And to add to your beautiful prayer above …
Father, I confess that I have allowed “things” to get in the way of our relationship.
Please have mercy on me and forgive me.
Restore me back to You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Whenever I am going through a really difficult time with temptation, I always go back to the first bible verse I ever memorized…1 Cor 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man, and God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” My pastor gave me this verse on a little card about a month after I was saved and told me how important it was to use scripture to get past temptations….God has never let me down! I love this verse!
Psalm 63 is just amazing and as Dean said, it’s a reminder that we need more of God in our lives!
Proverbs….Father God, I pray that you will untwist our hearts. Reveal to us those areas that need more of you and come in and change us. We love you and give you praise, Amen.
Gina

======= Mae:

Hi everybody,
I’m not sure when I’m back … our kitchen was on fire.
I’m not at home right now.
Please pray for us.
God bless,
Mae

======= Mary:

I have copied this passage in today’s lesson: “I read an interesting commentary today that said the giving of the instructions of the offerings for the festivals in today’s readings was done as part of the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua that was coming up soon.”
Through how many more generations did such power pass? In other words, Joshua would have passed power to whom??? And so on and so forth till the last recording of it?
Mary

======= John:

Mary,
That is interesting thought. I always thought the feasts were for specific reasons, a means fo gathering the people together in a central place, and to provide clues for the “plan of Salvation”.
After Joshua’s death there was no handoff of power. From time to time God raised up “Judges” to bring Israel back to the correct path. There were time gaps between most of the judges????
Later when the people wanted a “king” like other countries – God allowed it, starting with Saul. The (hand-off) ceremony there revolved around an “anointing”.
John

======= Sikee:

Think that we need to maintain integrity as one of our first steps in our walk of life. Especially at work.
We maybe seen by some as demanding, kind, unfeeling, proud, fierce, etc. But if we are not consistent in our walk, we have no friends here on earth. No one will trust us nor approach us. Because without integrity, there is no proven track record on the things we say or do.
Just sharing on my thots.
Can someone, who’s been around long enough, tell me here if this is true?
Sikee

======= Ramona:

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:30 NET.)
Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.
(Proverbs 20:11 AMP)
Why would God tell Moses to “kill” children and woman, innocent people, or are they really inocent? One of God’s attributes is his Omniscient’s; He knows everything and is not constrained by time. In fact, God dwells in Eternity, so for Him everything is in the realm of “Now.”
There may be things that seem harmful and cruel to us, like the ordering of the killing of children and woman, but God sees the end from the beginning and either we follow our own intellect, which is flawed, or we follow God’s. In this case, Moses has proven by his actions and God’s confirmation that He hears and heard from God. The Midianites practiced a form of child sacrifice, they allowed/sent their daughters to sleep with Israel to steer them away from the “conditional” Promises of God, “If you keep …I will …” They used sex as an entry or type of worship to their idol god. Besides, God had already ordered this action back in the 25th chapter, Moses was now told to carry it out before he was to die.
Interestingly enough, at least for me, Mike’s question about temptation, based on the Gospel reading, is a practical real word carrying out of how to get rid of it, temptation that is. We are to reign judiciously over our temple, our bodies.
Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, (1 Corinthians 6:19 AMP)
Yesterday, I received an answer to something I have been asking God about since November ‘05. I am a Type 2 Diabetic diagnosed since 2000. I have seen this as not some kind of dastardly disease but as a call for a life style change and have successfully managed my blood sugar levels to that of a non-diabetic through exercise and diet. However, for the last year, my numbers, blood pressure and glucose levels have been creeping upward until in November of 2005 they went past the benchmark and headed toward numbers hirer than what was acceptable. My primary care sent me to see an Endocrinologist and I was left scratching my head trying to figure out what was wrong.
I still exercised and my diet had not changed. I went completely whole grain, as opposed to whole wheat (yes, there is a difference) and began checking product labels more closely looking for the words “corn syrup,” the enemy, in the ingredients.
Yesterday morning @ 4:30 am, after knocking, seeking and asking, I got a revelation of what was wrong, while I was exercising with a video. What had happened was a change, although subtle, that took me down the wrong path. Sin is sin, and what is “sinful” for one, may not be sinful for someone else. Note: I am using “sinful” here as something in my lifestyle or food choice that would cause my body harm.
Several years ago, I had an insect bite on my left ankle that landed me in the hospital for several days. I had received a serious infection that I had originally thought was an ankle sprain from this bite. After a week and a half of compression and elevation, I went to the doctor and found I had a serious infection from this bite that I thought was a sprain that needed to be treated with intravenous antibiotics. The infection was in my muscle, very painful, and they were fearful it might have traveled to my anklebone. I was sent home after four days with a walker and a cane because I had lost the ability to move latterly, and I could not put any weight on my foot.
After about another two weeks I went back to work with the help of my neighbor who drove a NYC bus and whose bus route went right by my job, that was a blessing. That “blessing” continued for three years until August of 2005, when my neighbor moved to Upstate New York. The question I heard from God as I worked out to the video was this, “When is a ride, not a ride?”
Now that I have increased my exercise, which is basically walking (I know walk two to three miles during my lunchtime as well as walking a mile and ½ after work to a distant subway stop. I purchased a pedometer to keep track of how many miles I’m doing per day. I was shocked to realize that the number of steps I take to get to work, walking to the subway, changing trains, walking to work after getting off of the subway, calculated out to two miles. While riding in my neighbor’s nice car to her bus depot, riding on her big bus and being let out exactly at the door of my job I had completely eliminated those miles. Subtly, over the period of three plus years, the effects of my walking pre-ride days, had worn off and sent my numbers over the top.
Temptation given into, temptation that does not seem like temptation, is subtle. Something that may seem to be needful, in fact it may be needful at the time, we think, can come in and shipwreck your life. When my neighbor first offered to drive me in, a friend gave me a warning that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to go. “Maybe you should stay home until you’re fully healed,” she said. And, after all I had accumulated six months worth of sick time and staying home, besides driving my crazy feeling immobilized and “lazy,” would be most helpful for my mental state and keep me active, or did it really?
So when is a ride not really a ride? Or, could that ride have taken me on a journey to a place where I didn’t want to be?
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Emily:

Yes, temptations are strong. But interestingly, temptation is not something dramatic or big. For example there can be numerous temptations we face every single day. Ramona mentioned his own bunch of temptations that had physical implications. Similarly, there are temptations to lie, cheat in small ways, look at women lustfully (and vice versa for women!) , money, material possessions, POWER AND INFLUENCE for their own sake.
I must mention one temptation that I have to grapple with every now and then. This is the temptation of intellectual philosophies that threaten to undermine my Christian faith. They tempt me to the Other Side or Sides… For example consider some quotes from Voltaire (Famed French writer and philosopher) ,
1.) ”If we do not find anything pleasant, at least we shall find something new.”
2.) Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them.
3.) ”If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.”
Voltaire,like many other intellectuals may sound hauntingly convincing. Not long ago I also read Da Vinci Code. It is not great literature. But it can create storms of doubt in the human mind. It can leave faith jaded.
I also get riven apart by other concepts like deism (God made the world and left it to its own devices) , Inclusiveness:…How much inclusion of other religions and cultures can be tolerated within Christianity? (Remember that in the past too Christianity has already morphed from Hebrew Culture, to Roman culture to European and currently to overwhelmingly American Evangelical/ Baptist flavour.
Some of the inclusion and morphing is inevitable anywayz… For Example Bible has been translated into hundreds of languages since this world is so super diverse. It is interesting to note that in Arabic Bible God, the Father is referred to as ”Allah” (since this is Arabic word for God) And similarly in other languages, Biblical God has other local names. And when I contrast this huge picture with KJV only folks I can’t help laughing out loud.
Should we conclude people who are reading Bible in China, Arab world, Africa, Russia, Japan, Korea are reading Satan’s gospel? Would God be so limited that He would intend salvation only for those living in the English speaking world with reasonably good literacy skills?
As for the doubts of today’s believers. It would be interesting to refer to Bible before we condemn anyone for doubting. It is noteworthy and remarkable that Peter denied Christ three times at a very critical time, John, the baptist wondered out loud if Jesus was the real Christ or should they wait for another one, Thomas wanted to poke his fingers into the wounds of Christ in order to believe his resurrection. And these were the most faithful people who had the privillege to live with Jesus!!!
No wonder, we too need to see tangible proofs sometimes. We wonder if God is really listening to our grievances and prayers? I would say my biggest temptation or sin is that every now and then I doubt and gravitate towards Atheism or Agnosticism.
This is my honest reflection. And I,m not scared to mention it. Because in the end God will judge us according to sincerity of our hearts rather than how blindly we believed every word in the Bible that we came across.
So, God help the doubters! Amen.
PS- By the way, I came across this weird quote by Martin Luther which is interesting to reflect on: ”Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.” ??? What you make of it?
Emily

======= Vance:

Emily makes some very valid and good points. In particular, I liked this comment:
“It would be interesting to refer to Bible before we condemn anyone for doubting.”
The Bible is a book of history (though some would doubt that). Because it is a historical book, there are historical checks to verify if what the Lord spoke through the Bible is true.
I also like this comment by Emberglow:
“Voltaire,like many other intellectuals may sound hauntingly convincing. Not long ago I also read Da Vinci Code. It is not great literature. But it can create storms of doubt in the human mind. It can leave faith jaded.”
~~~
People who have questions about the Bible, or who are opposed to the Lord Jesus and the Bible have real questions that we can begin to answer — as we build relationships with them IN LOVE.
YES… it takes time to study.
We are called to “be ready to give an account for the certain, guaranteed hope that is in us” (I Peter 3:15).
Also, we are called to joyful study by our Lord:
2 Timothy 2:15 (Amplified)
15
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
GOD BLESS YOU.
Vance

======== Kevin:

I forget this all the time. When tempted our hearts should focus on scripture….Like in James, the Word is our sword! We dont wage spiritual war with human weapons. I hope you all have a great day..
Kevin

======= Jill:

Sometimes no matter how hard l try or how l ask Him to change and renew my mind and energy. Nothing works. l know l have a lot to reap because of all the bad l have sown. But when do l know? How do l know? Our lives are shamble. Thanks for listening.
Jill

======= Elizabeth:

Oh, Jill….
I have “been” where you are at now….feeling distant and unworthy. I think we all experience painful times differently–some people feel especially close to God when they are in distress, but honestly, it’s typically the opposite way for me. I feel most removed from God when I am troubled, like there is a barrier between me and Him and I just can’t GET to Him. I can know the truths of God in my mind, but sadly they don’t seem to connect into my heart at those times : (
I think some of this is that we are emotional creatures and our emotions can lead us all over the place. I thank God that He never changes. He is unmoved, even when our emotions are up and down like a rollercoaster. To be truthful lately, I feel like my emotions are on the OUTSIDE of me instead of on the inside. It’s painful, but I cling to the knowledge that He is close to the broken-hearted and that He calls them blessed.
I just prayed for you and will continue to…so sorry for whatever is happening in your lives.
A few things I would encourage you with:
You said “I know I have a lot to reap because of all the bad I have sown” and it’s easy to feel that way, but also hold fast to the truth that our God is a God of GREAT forgiveness. He gave His life to free us from sin and we are a new creation in Him. Chapter 8 is one of my touchstones for this marvelous truth:
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” -Romans 8:1-2
He is not following us around heaping all of our past sins upon us–He died on the cross to free us from that junk! Praise God for that, because I would otherwise crumble under the weight of my past sins.
Here is a passage I hold close to my heart when the Lord feels distant to me:
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15-16
May you draw near to Him with great confidence that He hears You and knows your needs. May you feel deep in your spirit that He is not predominantly a God of wrath, but of great mercy and grace. He WILL help You in your time of need, but it will be in His timing and His way. Often His timing and way takes longer than I’d personally like!
You also asked “When do I know? How do I know?” These are great and important questions! I think the “knowing” comes in many different ways for different people at different times. In my spirit, I have learned over time to “sort” what is Him. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to do this and I am still learning! ; ) But I find He most often speaks to me through His word, so it is good that you are seeking Him in that. You will know because your spirit will be quiet in that truth, even if the truth is difficult or painful.
Also, although He certainly corrects us at times, His correction is not “heavy” in a way that beats you up emotionally over and over about things in your past which you have repented of….that kind of spirit comes from elsewhere. Instead, His love casts OUT fear:
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” 1 John 4:18
Stay grounded in His word and keep approaching His throne in boldness and confidence. He loves to hear us pour it all out to Him–the good, the bad, the ugly. He can take it all and He knows it all anyway : )
When Paul was down, he clung to this:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
I would rather glorify Him in my strengths, but I am SO grateful that even (and perhaps especially) in my weakness, He is glorified anyway.
Praying for you sister ; )
Elizabeth

======= Briggs:

Jill,
Just now read your comment and want to offer a few words of encouragement.
Stop trying to change your mind and energy.
My experience has been that my feeble attempts at trying to change my mind and energy have only lead to frustration and have been utterly futile. You are not alone in this. I don’t know of anyone that has ever been able to change themselves. Only the Lord can change you. Your attempts at trying to change yourself will always be futile and destined for failure. You simply have not been empowered to change yourself. This is not the Lord’s will.
His will, rather, is that you pursue Him. In all you do, focus on Jesus. Desire Him over all things. Know that He loves you and is pursuing you, His bride. He, through His Spirit, will change you as you earnestly pursue Him. And you have no accomplishment in this; only His grace, His love, His power, His holiness, His desire, His plan for you.
Know also that we all will continue to struggle with our flesh until our bodies are redeemed in Heaven with Him. But you are no longer identified with the body. The moment that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, henceforth your spirit has been redeemed and you are identified with the Spirit. You are a new creation! You are now a child of God! And though you continue to struggle with the old body, it is not yourself that you struggle with but rather you, a new creation, struggle against the old person who was dead in sin. Praise God that the old person is now dead to you and you are now identified with the new creation. The old self is not you. You are a child of God, no longer of Adam.
As you mature in your relationship with the Lord, He is faithful to change you. He wants nothing less than to change you. But you cannot change yourself. The Bible refers to this as ‘sanctification’. It’s a work of the Lord, not of ourselves.
Give it up to Jesus.
Briggs

======= Luch:

I am enjoying my one year bible blog even while i vacation in beautiful venice,florida.
Especially liked the reflections on ‘vows’ today. Jesus gave us clarity when He said, Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’. Never was a better statement made about how to relate to people,and even a hint of how to set boundaries.
Luch

======= Elizabeth:

Luch, so good to “see” you–it’s been awhile : )
So you are in Venice, Florida; what a lovely vacation spot. I have a friend who lives down there. Isn’t technology marvelous!
I thought very much the same thing about Mike’s reflections on vows today. What freedom and simplicity is available when we choose to walk in “yes” and “no”s. Interesting also that Christ says that anything beyond this is from the evil one….lots to think about with regard to that. The enemy loves the gray areas of our lives and seems to flourish in that kind of “climate”
Elizabeth

======= Steve:

Ramona’s comment “
“This shows me that our outlook on life must go beyond the current generation; we must have a heart for the generations to come. To have this attitude one must get out of selfishness and understand that this life on earth is about investing in the next generation and not consuming all the resources on self.”
I must admit that I haven’t given future generations to come much thought. That is …..Until now and the more I think about it, the more important it becomes.
Steve

======= Simone:

I always try to bring in mind the Word of God when face with temptation!
It reminds me of the Bible verse James 1:13: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man”, so it will always be the devil or some other creature.
Simone

======= Frederick:

Numbers 31
In Numbers 31, it was known that the Israelites fought the Midianites and won. God allowed the Israelites to plunder the enemies (the gold, silver, cattles, donkeys, sheep etc.) This makes me think: God asked the Israelites to fight and also awarded them material things after the battles. God rewarded the Israelites for obeying Him in both spiritual and material aspects.
Frederick

======= Joyce:

Mike and everyone,
This verse really stands out to me, as I read it from the Amplified Bible:
“And when the devil had ended every [the complete cycle of] temptation, he [temporarily] left Him [that is, stood off from Him] until another more opportune and favorable time.” (Luke 4:13)
This is such a needed warning and reminder for me:
Jesus successfully combated Satan’s temptations using God’s Word, then Satan [temporarily] left Him, until another more opportune and favorable time.
As believers, may we arm ourselves with His Word daily, and may we be vigilant, for our Enemy is always waiting for another more opportune and favorable time to tempt us.
Found this link on Jesus’ temptations
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paperbacktheology/2013/02/the-wisdom-of-henri-nouwen-how-vulnerability-comes-to-life-during-lent.html
Sincerely,
Joyce

======= Jill:

Only Jesus coukd have withstood the devils temptation in that 40 days! As humans we would have folded! Temptations are around us daily!! They hang like a cloud over me daily! So I’m forever calling ion the Lord to help me resist the temptation and to be strong in the Lord! Love. Knowing my savior is there for me!!
Jill

======= Dee:

I think that the greatest times when we are in struggles with the enemy and struggling within, we callout to God to save us, and its wonderful that when we are sleeping in His presence and resting in His care, His Words meditate on our hearts and minds. I love to wake up and God brings to my remembrance scripture that I had thought I didn’t know or had heard, but that is how it is, I believe when you lean on the Holy Spirit and are convicted by His presence that He leads and you merely follow..
The vows in todays readings in Numbers, which ( I am loving the audio readings lately, while my eyes rest) made me think of the vows we take with our spouse and God on our wedding day. I don’t know, it just brought that into thought..wouldn’t it be something if all divorce went away because of “fear” of Gods wrath by which we took the “vow” on that day and held responsible for it..I don’t think there would be as many impulsive divorces or marriages at that thought..just a thought…hmmm
I think we could very much learn from Jesus as he ‘is being led” in the wilderness..and learn to trust and meditate on the Word of God and not to let it depart from our mouth..lest we be tempted and enter into the snare of sin and of the devil..beware…
The wilderness comparison of David in his own “wilderness” and in comparison to Lukes with Jesus “son of David” again , I love when the readings co-intwine so beautiful!! Oh how my soul longs for you like a dry and weary land!! ps 63
Proverbs: 11:20 The LORD hates people with twisted hearts, but he delights in those who have integrity. Lets not be like wicker(twisted) or as a pretzel from the illustration above, but be ye not twisted but let the Master Physician have His way in our Hearts, Souls, Minds and make us whole again!!
Be Blessed!! 
Dee

Numbers 28:16-29:40 + Luke 3:23-38 + Psalm 62:1-12 + Proverbs 11:18-19
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – I read an interesting commentary today that said the giving of the instructions of the offerings for the festivals in today’s readings was done as part of the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua that was coming up soon.  As we saw in yesterday’s readings with the census, there are 600,000 men about to enter the Promised Land – potentially 2 million or so total including women & children – who these instructions for the offerings for the festivals were given by Moses from God, as we see in chapter 29 verse 40 today: “So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him.“  Below is a nice image of the Jewish calendar and major festivals that I’ve posted up before, but I think serves well for today’s readings to review again:

An image is below for Numbers chapter 29 verse 1: “The Festival of Trumpets will be celebrated on the appointed day in early autumn each year. You must call a solemn assembly of all the people on that day, and no regular work may be done.”

New Testament – You’ll notice that Luke’s genealogy in chapter 3 today is different from the genealogy in Matthew chapter 1 in a couple of ways: 1.  Matthew starts with Abraham and goes to Jesus & Luke starts with Jesus and goes all the way back to Adam.  This was done by Luke to show Jesus’ relationship to the entire human race.  Matthew focused more on Jesus’ relationship with the Jews by going back to Abraham.  2. Matthew traces Jesus legal genealogy through his father Joseph back to Solomon son of David, while Luke traces Jesus bloodline through his mother Mary back to Nathan son of David.  This is an interesting slight distinction.  Line up Luke & Matthew’s genealogies and you’ll see the differences in the names between David & Jesus.  Below is an image of Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, from the Book of Kells transcribed by Celtic monks circa 800:

Bible.org’s commentary on the genealogy of Jesus is at this link.

Psalms – Today we read in Psalm 62 verse 11 – “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” This is a powerful verse – no pun intended. . .  🙂  Really, think about it. Where does power come from? Who gives power? Who takes it away? I think it is such a blessing when we truly understand this verse and then live it out. When we realize that we really have no power of our own. Any power – any thing – we have comes from God and God alone. And thank God for that. It’s when we start believing we create or own or control power that we begin to get prideful or we’ll misuse the power given to us. I think a great teaching on where power truly comes from comes from Jesus when he is before Pilate in John chapter 19 verses 10 & 11 – ““Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”” Where do you think your power to do anything at all comes from? Do you believe it was given to you from above? If so, how might truly realizing this change how you live your life? How might it change how you utilize the power given to you?

Proverbs – Today Proverbs chapter 11 verse 18 teaches us: “Those who sow righteousness reap a sure reward.”

Worship Video: Today’s Proverb reminds me of Casting Crowns song “If We are the Body.”  Here’s a great live version of that song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYbGMQ5Y3Uo

Are you the Body? Click here to meet the Head of the Body!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” Psalm 62:11 NLT

Prayer Point: Pray that you would not rely on your own power, but will rely only on God’s power in you. Pray that you will always humbly know that power belongs to God alone.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Proverb today, are you sowing righteousness in your life?  How are you sowing righteousness in your life?  Do you love others at the same level you love yourself?  Are you working diligently for your employer?  Are you serving the poor? Do you believe that the farming analogy of sowing and reaping in this Proverb is true?  And like any good farming analogy, will you patiently sow and patiently await the time of reaping of your sure reward?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 28:16-29:40
I’m not sure if this has any specific significance but has anyone noticed that the Festivals/Holy Assemblies God gave Israel through Moses totals up to seven? Also the requirements for the burnt offerings on those days, as well as on the New Moons included seven lambs. Two of the festivals Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Festival of Booths are seven-day festivals. In the 28th and 29th chapter of Numbers six of these festivals are listed, in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus all seven are mentioned. What has been left out here is the Festival of Firstfruits, which comes right after Passover/Unleavened Bread.
Seven, I’m told, is very significant biblically because it represents completion. But I’m sure that a lot of times seven is just seven. However, Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the word (John 1:29). Hmmm, this may be a very interesting topic to explore.
Note: The Seven Festivals in calendar order: 1) Passover; 2) Unleavened Bread; 3) Fristfruits; 4) Festival of Weeks, AKA Pentecost or Harvest; 5) Festival of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah); 6) Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); and 7) Tabernacles (Booths or Ingathering and in Hebrew, Sukkoth.
Luke 3:23-38
Some of my observations and thoughts as I read through the names in this genealogy:
1) 23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.
The son of God waited until the fullness of time to begin His ministry. More precisely He began His ministry when His Father told Him it was time. Maybe many of us are ineffective in our call because we are,
a. Out of our call
b. Ahead of our time.
c. We have not followed the voice of our Father, God in beginning our ministry (John 5:19)
2) 27 …Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel: was the leader and governor of Jerusalem after the return from exile in Babylon and was given the command by the prophet, Haggai, to begin rebuilding the temple. (Ezra; Nehemiah; Haggai)
3) 32 …Boaz was the son of Salmon: Boaz married Ruth, the Moabitess, David’s great grandfather. God goes outside of Israel to place in Jesus’ lineage a woman who comes from a people who are enemies of Israel although they are related through Abraham’s nephew Lot. And in keeping with this outside “influence” is Boaz’s father, Salmon. Looking at the genealogy in Matthew you will see that Salmon is the offspring of his father Nahshon and Rahab the prostitute, or should I say former prostitute, a Canaanite. Rahab was the only woman in Jericho, before the walls came down, who believed in Israel’s God and protected the spies that Moses’ former assistant, Joshua, sent to successfully spy out the land. This was before Israel entered into the Promise Land after their forty-year journey to complete a two-week trek.
Psalm 62:1-12
1 I wait quietly before God,
for my salvation comes from him.
The first verse should say it all; however, I find myself waiting but alas it is not in a quiet mode. O, to get to the place where David was when He wrote this Psalm. In fact waiting quietly is mentioned again in verse five.
Proverbs 11:18-19
19 Godly people find life; evil people find death
We have the wrong understanding of true wealth and riches. The world tells us it is money and the holding of property that makes us rich. However God is the creator of all that so to have Him truly makes us rich because He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and the hills under the cattle.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Thomas:

In Luke 3:23, I was surprised to read ‘as was supposed.’ I looked up other translations online, The Message saying ‘in public perception’ and the NLT leaving it out.
It made me wonder… in spite of what happened in v.22, had people somehow forgotten? Had they failed to realise who Jesus was really the son of?
Thomas

======= Emily:

Phew… I do appreciate Mike’s time and effort for this blog. It must be so hard putting up material and readings every single day. But I am just wondering how feasible this style of Bible reading is?
Must we not also take break from Bible readings? What I mean is we also need time to reflect on Bible verses and try to live them out. We can’t mechanically keep on reading Bible. I do read some bits of Bible everyday though. Preachers like Charles Stanley say we MUST read Bible everyday. I would add we ought to and try to. God is no dictator but a loving and caring God.
I hope I dont sound like a pagan but how about watching a sunset and watching the stars at night and reflect on God’s mighty show, for a change?
God has intensively used nature in Bible to show that nature proves his existense… for example in the book of Job. Also, in Genesis God even mentioned that whenever man needed to remember the covenant all he gotta do is to look at the pretty rainbow
Emily

======= Luch:

Emily,
i don’t think you are ‘a pagan’ at all. Psalm 19 asserts that ‘the heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak…” Later on in the passage he also asserts that ‘the law of the Lord is perfect.’ I think we need both–reflecting on what God has created and what it reveals about Him without ‘worshiping creation’, and we also need to saturate our lives with God’s Word so that as Spurgeon said, we will have ‘bibline blood’.
I also like Romans 1 where it says, “Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature has been clearly perceived in the things he has made.” (1:20)
One last thought. A couple of years ago I read Gary Thomas’ book ‘Sacred Pathways’. This book outlines several different pathways to God’s heart–intellectual pathway, activistic pathway, relational pathway, creation pathway, and several others. he also provides a ‘test’ to help one determine their ‘primary pathway.’ This was so freeing to me and several others in our community who were stuck on ‘the one size fits all’ for everybody approach to seeking God.
It’s interesting that very rarely if ever do we have ‘prescription’ for what a ‘quiet time’ should look like. Jesus went to a solitary place and most of the time it says ‘he prayed’. Other places it says he would ask “have you not read’ which implies he did he read the scriptures but we’re never told ‘how he did it.’ Same is true of the other apostles. We need to be careful to not do as the Pharisees loved to do “lay religious practices on people that burden people but don’t serve people in getting to know the Lord.
I love the OYB that Mike has crafted for many reasons but especially his artwork that he provides. That has blessed me so much. I have even used some of the pictures in messages I have delivered.
Thanks Mike for taking time out of your own very active life to serve us this way.
Luch

====== Andrew:

Re Emily’s thoughts on reading the Bible and subsequent comments:
I think you are correct that we need to seek balance in our lives and the way we spend our time. God did not make us automatons. And he did not impose rules about times and systems for reading the Bible. Of course it is good the read His Word (otherwise none of us would be spending time around this blog). And it is helpful to have some system to aid our self discipline. For me this year OYB is providing that, and opening up stuff I did not read or understand before.
But I commented before about the fast pace of OYB, when we had an intense discussion about the death penalty and the following day we were into the Year of Jubilee.
Most of my days are such that I do not have a lot of time for meditating on the passages, or digging deep and far into commentaries. So some of my OYB reading is a bit superficial. But it is giving me a view of the big picture that I had not seen before. I am seeing the OT as the context for the coming of Jesus and the need for the New Covenant.
So, thanks again Mike from me too. Your efforts continue to bear fruit. Just one operational remark – is the later timing of the OYB posting due to the automated posting while you are away? For the last week or more the OYB page is not visible in the early morning here in Europe. I miss it. ;-( Poor me!
Blessing,
Andrew

======= Ramona:

Emily states,
>>Must we not also take break from Bible readings? What I mean is we also need time to reflect on Bible verses and try to live them out. We can’t mechanically keep on reading Bible. I do read some bits of Bible everyday though. Preachers like Charles Stanley say we MUST read Bible everyday. I would add we ought to and try to. God is no dictator but a loving and caring God.>>
Since this reading only takes about 15/20 minutes out of a 24 hour day (1,440 minutes/1.38%) of the total day, why can’t you do both? God’s Word, at least for me, magnifies what I see in nature, in lines up my mind to better understand what He has created. For me, God and His Word are one (See John 1:1) so I cannot understand God outside of His Word. I may sense Him when I see the works of His Hand; I may marvel at the moon, the stars and the sun, I may gasp at the ways of the whales in open water, but to know Him intimately I must know Him through His Word.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Jan:

My life is always so much better when I am feeding on His Word daily. I have let a couple of years slip by & not been consistent in reading His Word daily & there is definitely a difference than just reading something daily about him or a devotional or even just some scripture entailed in some writing or devotion. I can’t really put my finger on it…but there is definitley a difference.
As we need our daily physcial food to survive…we can not eat as much & lose weight & that also can happen on feeding on the Word of God…to lose weight spiritually is not a good thing. Of course, there should be balance in all things…if we should become anorexic & not feed on God’s Word at all, we shall surely suffer the consequences just as in the physical…acutally the spiritual will always affect the physical realm also…imagine that?!?!?!
The more I partake of Him & His Word, the more I crave & delight in Him & His Word…I get addicted to Him & His Word & can’t go without Him or His Word. Somedays I look so forward to spending time in His Word & other days I let it go by & spend a day catching up on 2 or 3 days that I didn’t partake of His Word…it is not a legalistic feeding, but one of natural/spiritual love for Him & His Word…knowing that I will get there when I purpose in my heart to love & cherish Him & His Word. It does take an effort on our part, but the cost is well worth the effort…I am full to satisfication in Him & His Word. He said, “He is the Bread of Life & that no one will hunger if fed by Him.”
Jan

======= Dave:

Guys-
Your honesty is so refreshing regarding reading through the Bible…as refreshing as the guys who I met with asking “So, Dave, tell me what to do with all the skin disease stuff in Leviticus?” As a follower of Christ for over 30 years, I still don’t have an answer. But I ask, if this is the Word of God, what does this strange OT stuff say about His character? A sunset, or a flower, or a trout (my favorite!) also speak to the character of God and I pursue them happily. He longs for us to know Him, and gives us a number of pathways to Him. Blend these pathways as God has created you, but don’t forgo reading His Word as you will miss key aspects of our Creator that are not available anywhere else. Despite my 30 years as a well meaning follower of Christ, I have not read His Word and believe I am poorer for it. I have always gotten stuck in the Leviticus swamp or the Numbers desert and have given up. Let’s encourage each other to keep on “keeping on” as souls who want to know all aspects of our creator’s character!!As one of the smarter guys say “I don’t like reading traffic law, but I better know it if I hope to get a license”. I am reading it because it has stood the test of time and I try to pursue those things which transcend us. Feast on His sunsets and flowers, but don’t forget to eat your Leviticus vegetables! : )  I also appreciate your desire to stop and meditate. I have been meditating on a few passages for years! But let’s keep moving to get the “big picture” to help make the little pictures even more meaningful. God bless you!
Dave

======= Mary:

I have a question. What is the history of the sacrifices? When did they stop. What do they sacrifice now? I know very little about the Jewish faith, but it seems like a true believer in the Jewish faith would continue the sacrifices set forth in Numbers.
Mary

======= Ramona:

Mary,
>> What is the history of the sacrifices? When did they stop. What do they sacrifice now? I know very little about the Jewish faith, but it seems like a true believer in the Jewish faith would continue the sacrifices set forth in Numbers. >>
The sacrifice was supposed to be offered only in a designated place, as per God’s instructions (This was covered in Leviticus and in our current reading in Numbers.) Once the Temple was built and rebuilt in Jerusalem, beginning with David’s son Solomon, the sacrifices were offered their. In 70 AD, or around that time, the Temple was destroyed by Rome, thus there is not place yet to offer the sacrifices. The Jews are waiting for the Temple to be rebuilt and then they will resume the sacrificial system. At least that is what the Orthodox Jew is waiting for.
Ramona

======= Jan:

One thing that I have learned new in reading this year in regard to the sacrifices is this…they are God’s food!!! Now, I had never realized or had that been revealed to me except this year. I had never even thought of it in that way, but there have been several scriptures present/say it that way. I never thought of God being hungry (maybe hungry for our fellowship that He created us for, but not for food!).
Numbers 28: 1-2 – 1The LORD said to Moses, 2″Give these instructions to the people of Israel: “The offerings you present to me by fire on the altar are my food,” and they are very pleasing to me. See to it that they are brought at the appointed times and offered according to my instructions.
I don’t know if it is this translation or that God is revealing Himself in a more personal physical way to me this year. I just find it very intersting that God needs or is hungry for food. Perhaps it is symbolic in some way. I do remember that after Jesus was resurrected that he came back & ate with the disciples a few times…indicating His realness & hunger also. I still think there is more revelation to this than I’m getting at this very moment, but I’m sure He will continue to teach/reveal to me what it is that He wants me to know/realize in this hunger/food thing/issue. All praise & glory to Him, my/the lover of my/our soul(s).
Jan

======= Luch:

I guess it’s wise to not prescribe ‘systems’ or spiritual disciplines but to share ‘what works for me’ is certainly okay. I used to teach MY WAY of reading the Bible as the ‘prescribed way’, that God really did favour morning people (of which I am). I used to look with suspicion on people who ‘couldn’t get up to meet with God’. In fact, I used to say, “No Bible, no breakfast.” Isn’t that sick!! But I did that to people. Lord, have mercy on me⁄ !
I grew up in the Lord around the Navigators. If anyone knows the Navs they are kind of like the spiritual ‘navy seals’ of the body of Christ. I love the navigators, I work for them today. I was taught that the best time of day to seek the Lord was in the morning, because Jesus did that. And of course there are several examples of Jesus ‘arising a great while before day’ (Mark 1:35) to meet His Father. But as I began to read through the One year bible before there was ever such a thing as ‘blogs’ I discovered verses such as following:
Psalm 55:16 “But I will call on the Lord, and the Lord will rescue me. MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT I plead aloud in my distress.’
Psalm 119:62 “At midnight I rise to thank you for your just laws.”
Psalm 119:55 “I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord…”
Psalm 119:97 “Oh how I love your law! I think about it all day long.”
Psalm 119:147 “I rise early before the sun is up; I cry for help and put my hope in your words.”
Psalm 119:148 ” I stay awake through the night thinking about your promise.”
Matthew 14:23 Afterward he went up into the hills by hmself to pray. Night fell and he was there alone.
Matthew 26:40 Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour?”
I have scoured the New Testament and have not found any verse/chapters presribing when or how to read, but I have read verses that challenge me to pursue the Lord (1 cor 1:3 “he has called us into fellowship with his son Jesus’ or Phil 3:10 “that I may know HIm and the power of the resurrection.”
I suppose we should heed Paul’s words when he says we need to teach people the whole counsel of God, and not just our preference. (Acts 20)
All this says to me is that there is no best time to meet God. God is available to be met with ANYTIME OF THE DAY… Now that’s freeing and challenging!!!!
Luch

====== Ramona:

Numbers 28;16-29:40
God wants His people to “party;” to have festivals to honor Him, as well as a holy convocation to both reflect on Him and to reflect on our sin (Day of Atonement). I find it very interesting that God has ordained two festivals to reflect on the harvest, one at the beginning of the harvest season and one at the end, the festival of Booths, Sukkot. It is God who empowers the earth to bring forth fruit from the seed of “…it’s kind …” (Gen. 1:11 Amp).
Everything we see, everything we have belongs to God. We are owners of NOTING but stewards of everything and in each of these calls to worship, the sacrifice system is a strong reminder of that fact.
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. (Psalms 50:10-12 KJV)
There is something very interesting going on in chapter 29:12-38, the number of bulls required for sacrifice decreases daily by one from thirteen, on the first day, until seven on the seventh day. Seven is the number of perfection or completion/
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= John:

Ramona,
“There is something very interesting going on in chapter 29:12-38, the number of bulls required for sacrifice decreases daily by one from thirteen, on the first day, until seven on the seventh day. Seven is the number of perfection or completion”
It is also the third feast that occurs in the seventh month.
Just speculating: Feast of the tabernacles (also Ingathering) was for the fianl harvest of the year and the bringing in of all the laborers from the field.
Symbolically, the booths represented the time in “wilderness” (Exodus) until they were gathered together in the “Promised Land.
Prophetically, the time until the millenial kingdom is established.
Perhaps the bull reduction is a kind of countdown until the final eighth day when only one bull is sacrificed. When the Harvesting is done and final acounting can be made, when Israel was finally in the Promised Land as one people, and when all that are left are one in Christ during the millenial kingdom.
According to some interpretations of Zecharaih it is the only Jewish feast day observed during the millenial kingdom.
Zech 14:6
“Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.”
John

====== Jan:

I read about 2 years ago a little book by the name of “Our Jealous God/Love that Won’t Let Me Go,” by Bill Gothard. I had a conversation regarding jealousy a week ago & was reminded by the Holy Spirit of this little book & had to order 2 of the little books again (one to give away & one to keep; I had given the first one away also).
I have discovered once again, the secret to answered prayer (which is directly connected to todays blog on reading the Word of God/adiding in the Word of God daily). Just think…this blog of daily reading His Word actually causes our prayers to be answered & not hindered! 
Our Lord’s promise in John 15:7-8: “If you abide in Me, & My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, & it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will by My disciples.”
This is why the Lord so readily answers my prayers…I abide in His Word daily & he honors that in me. Actually, He is fulfilling His promises to us all in this scripture, if we abide in Him & His Word.
Not to long ago on this blog, Mike brought up the subject of whether we read our Bibles in the morning or at night & I discovered this also (I read mostly at night & some in the day on the weekends as I am this morning).
Going to sleep while communing with God through Scripture is a key element to loving Him with all of our heart. The Bible says: “Stand in awe, & sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, & be still” (Psalm 4:4 KJV).
During the long years when David fled from Saul in the wilderness of Judah, he composed these words: “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:6-7).
I am not saying you should only read at night upon your bed, but that these scriptures make a good case of it being appropriate & puts my heart at ease. I’m not much of a morning person & that is okay with God; as it is okay with Him that some are not night-owls…what a boring world it would be if we were all alike. He made each one of us so vastly different in His image no less…consider that in our finite minds.
Jan

========== Jan:

More on the blessings of reading the Word of God daily (if at all possible…no guilt trips here, for there is now therefore no condemnation in Christ).
“Resetting the direction of a man or woman’s life & training in good living.
That’s the effect of God’s Word on our minds. Like an internal compass, it resets our direction & turns us toward God’s desired outcomes in our lives. Jesus said, “If you love Me, Keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
The word “keep” means “to set before our eyes & guard for use.” It is explained by the expression of navigators who say they “keep the stars,” which means they keep their course by the stars in the heavens. God gives us a marvelous promise if we do this. “He who has My commandments & keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, & I will love him & manifest Myself to him” (John 1421).
When we begin to honor & obey the commands of Christ & keep them foremost in our thoughts, we will steer our lives away from the shoals & reefs that could sink us, & toward destinations that will delight us beyond our imagination.”
The above is an excerpt from the book, “Our Jealous God,” by Bill Gothard.
Luch, I studied under the Navigators when I came back to the Lord in 1976; I had several friends that were Navigators & disciplied me through their program. I no longer study under the Navigators, but that is where I started my foundation & a good foundation is has proved to be. My heart goes out to new converts that have no discipling…it seems to be a treacherous road to travel. Although, I have to believe in the Scriptures that teach us that the Holy Spirit is our teacher also, BUT…we can only renew & transform our minds through the reading/washing of the Word of God & there is no way of getting around that. How can we obey His commandments, if we don’t know what they are…His commandments/His Will is His Word.
Jan

====== Pat:

Mike, I have always been taught that Luke traced the geneology of Jesus through Mary but I don’t see where Mary is mentioned. How do we know Luke traced back through Mary instead of through Joseph, who is mentioned?
God Bless!
Pat

======= John:

Pat,
It is interesting that our reading in Numbers provides some help in identifying Mary as being the line of genealogy in Luke.
Num 27:8, “Therefore, tell the Israelites; If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall let his heritage pass on to his daughter.”
Num 36:6-8, “This is what the LORD commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father’s tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers.”
======================================================
Why is this important? It is more than just establishing women’s rights? It allows Mary to carry the inheritance of the lines in Luke – if certain conditions are met.
Scholars say Mary was the daughter of Heli, and there is only mentioned a sister in John19:25. It is thought that the sister of Mary was Salome, the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (Matthew 20:20, Mark 15:40).
If there were no brothers, the daughters would divide the inheritance, and both keep the bloodlines of the father – provided they married within their tribe. Numbers 27:8 is satisfied.
Mary was of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. Joseph was of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. Num 36:6-8 is satisfied.
======================================================
Mary is not mentioned because the genealogies were kept through the male lines –
Keeping accurate records of genealogies was very important to the Jews. The Jewish historian, Josephus, wrote that Public Records* recorded genealogies from the oldest to the youngest, and Private Records went from the youngest back to the oldest, and these genealogies were passed down through the generations. This was done in part in order to prevent unqualified persons from gaining positions through their ancestry. See Ezra 2:61-63, and Neh 7:63-65 where some priests were rejected because they could not prove their Levitical ancestry.
* Flavius Josephus, against Apion, Book 1:7
These records were kept until 70 A.D.?????
======================================================
Joseph is listed because when he married Mary – he became more than a son-in-law – by levitical tradition he was legally now Heli’s son.
This explains why Joseph could be biologically the son of Jacob, and legally the son of Heli, and thus listed in both male genealogies.
Any descendants would be considered part of both blood-lines. Mary had a virgin birth – therefore the bloodline of David came from Mary. The adoption rules of the Jews provided the legal right to the throne through Joseph. As the adopted son of Joseph – Jesus had all the inheritance rights of a biological eldest son.
======================================================
This all blows up if Mary had brothers. However, the commands in Numbers were God’s Word. I cannot imagine him picking Mary to be the mother of Jesus if she had brothers – He is a God of great Detail. If God’s Word said Jesus is the heir to David’s throne – this is the only way it could work out to be true.
John

======= Katie:

Psalm 62: 1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Praise the Lord for being my rock, my salvation. Like you said, Power belongs to God.
When I’ve tried to be strong in myself, to stand strong independently, that I have fallen, been torn up. But when I rest in Him, and know that He is my foundation and I am strong only in Him, He holds me up and keeps me. My salvation is only in Him.
Katie

======= Mae:

Psalm 62:11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” ~ Power defenitly belongs to the Lord. Where would I be without His power! Saturday we were singing and preaching on the streets, a lot of people told us it was so powerful and energetic. Well, thank the Lord for that! It was Him they saw! Without even knowing it … He used us to get the message on the streets, His prescense made us sing loud, clear and powerful. Thanks to His power!
Proverbs … wow … your question “Do you love others at the same level you love yourself?” … makes me wanne cry … You know, I’m really trying to live righteousness, really I do! I really want to love others at the same level I love myself. But sometimes it’s just so hard!!!! When someone sais something nasty to me, the first thing that comes to mind is to bite back. And I’m so thankful for the Holy Spirit, Who’s there to remind me that I need to count to 10 and not to response in the flesh. I try to think about how the foolish people will just say anything that comes to their mind. I don’t want to be like that, I want to pray for them, for wisdom. I have someone hanging around me, that is trying to annoy me and not only me but also my parents. She loves to hear herself talk, she loves to airs her opinion and isn’t willing to listen to others. Whenever I want to talk, she’ll finishes my sentence, and finish it wrong …!!! She lies, she talks about people behind their backs and makes fun of people … but … she joins our church!!!! I want to treat her with righteousness, but it’s just sooooooooooooooooo hard!!! I’m sweet to her, I’m nice to her … but I don’t feel it 100% in my heart. I want to feel sorry for her, I want to feel compassion for her … but I have to admit that’s hard. I’m praying for her and I’m praying for myself, asking God to give us both wisdom. I want to love everybody, and in a way I really do love her … but not at the same level I love myself yet. And I do want to … I really do!
Mae

======= Jenny:

wow, what struck me is that I’m the same age as Jesus was when He began His public ministry! wowzers! just weird to think about. I like Luke’s genealogy, straight back to Adam.
I love Psalms v 5-8:
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us”
“that power belongeth unto God”. How true…i really have nothing, no power no strength left, i’m so dependent on HIm. I feel so frail lately, like i’m about to break in half at any moment. I just trust in the Lord to sustain me, bcos without Him i feel like i’ll turn into a pile of moosh and sink into the dirt. He is holding me up…i have nothing of myself to sustain me. nothing. The last thread i was clinging to broke and i fell, but i fell into His hand and here I sit awaiting Him. i feel so broken, yet whole. I dont even know what to do right now, i’m just waiting for God to help me, i’m expecting an act from Him….I awaiting Him to deliver me….
Jenny

======= Ed:

Ps 62:1-2, 5-7 – We know that God is our rock, our salvation, our fortress but the emphasis seems to be “in God alone” and “He only”. Many people trust God but do not trust in Him alone and would still place their trust in many other things such as their estate (property) or riches which are delusional because these things cannot save. Application: Do we put our trust in God alone or do we trust many other things to save us too? God wants us to trust Him alone and He only has the power to save (v11-12).
Ed

======= Patty:

My thoughts on the genealogy of Christ: Matthew was an educated member of the Jewish religion and he wrote the Book of Matthew to show Jewish Christians how Jesus fulfilled the prophesies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. In the Jewish religion women were considered the same as property and their lineage was not considered important. Therefore, Matthew traced the heritage of Jesus through his early father Joseph, which would be the proper way in the Jewish faith. Luke on the other hand was the only gentile apostle and he wrote the Book of Luke for gentile Christians that did not have a Jewish background. In the gentile world of that day women could hold positions of great power and many of the pagan gods of the gentiles were the personification of women. Luke traced the genealogy of Christ through Mary, the only true human lineage of Jesus, because the gentiles would accept it. The thing that impressed me about reading the genealogy of Matthew and Luke and comparing them is that God removed all doubt in both the Jews and the gentiles that Jesus was the Messiah.
God Bless!
Patty

======= Elizabeth:

Hello,
Well, I am back on track for the most part…..
Wish I could say that Numbers was inspiring today, but I was mired down by the “bulls, rams and lambs” it almost began to feel like a mantra.
I have been “here” before—so immersed in the OT offerings and minutia to the point where I can’t see beyond it. It all feels so heavy and irrelevant to me. I think to myself “Why God did you ever put people under such a burden of such meticulous regulations?” I can see how the Pharisees and Sadducees got lost in the law and became such bitter narrow-minded people.
Then at the end of that section you get this:
“You must present these offerings to the LORD at your annual festivals. These are IN ADDITION to the sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as voluntary offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings, or peace offerings.” So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel as the LORD had commanded him.” -Numbers 29:39-40
What got me was this part….”these are in ADDITION to…[all the other sacrifices]”!!!! It makes me want to throw my hands up in the air and fall on my face in inadequacy and insufficiency to understand and reconcile the Lord’s heart and mind in all of this.
I must just be feeling heavy today.
Transparently still here,
Elizabeth

======= Elizabeth:

Back again….
I love some of the images and truths in this psalm from David. It’s gotten to the point where I can read a psalm without looking at the header and just know whether or not it’s by David. There is something about his personality and spirit that shines through them clearly to me.
Anyway…love these lines:
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. ”
-Psalm 62:5
I love “let all that I am wait…” How hard it is for me to wait quietly before God! Waiting is so hard for me. I would much rather throw myself into the task at hand when I am troubled in spirit….I just want to “do” and “bind up” and try to “fix” whatever is broken, in my own strength.
But, there it is again: “Let all that I am WAIT”
For me, that’s a tough one.
It feels like I am trying to stop a steam engine in its tracks.
Love this too:
“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” -Psalm 62:6
I love the “He alone…” part. It is so easy to look to other people’s opinions or comfort for strength and justification. But all that I do or am falls or remains in Him alone. This humbles my spirit because I fall so short in this area.
“My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:708
Well, at least I am better at this–i.e., pouring out my heart….
Lord, I thank You so much for being my rock, my salvation, my fortress. Thank You for being a God who hears our hearts when we cry out to You. Help us to run to You always and then to wait before You in faith, knowing and trusting that You alone are worthy of our devotion and praise.
Elizabeth

======= Betty:

It’s so easy to get bogged down in all the offerings, rituals, rules. However, what it pointed out to me is man’s great degree of sinfulness and the need to offer to God daily, if not moment to moment, our praise and thanks to Him for our mere existence. Are we not a “stiffnecked” people? Even for these festivals, God tells His people they are to do “no ordinary work” that day. As Americans, we are obsessed with work and making money. We can’t even take a break from our computers and feel guilty if we are not productive. Surely, for myself, i literally have to force myself to STOP, meditate, get perspective. What is important is not making money but loving God and relying on Him.
That idea continues on in Psalm 62:7,8,10. “My victory and honor comes from God. Trust in Him at all times. If your wealth increases don’t make it the center of your life.” And as a final reminder, Prov 11:18 talks about evil people can get rich, but the “reward of the godly will last.” So I come to the conclusion that being “on my knees” is what God desires versus rushing through life and working for more money. Yes, we all have to work to live, but again, it must be in proper perspective. My prayer is that I will stop each day to give God His due and allow Him to change the way I think. After all, what we spend time thinking about all day reveals what we love the most.
Betty

======= Arielle:

Hey all,
This is what I think about the rituals and traditions in Numbers.
Since they were brought out of Eygpt and lived the pagan culture till then. probably they needed all this strict laws to follow to help them re-learn what it is to worship the true living GOD and help them realize that HE is real. When we were reading the previous chapters we can see the Isralites complainign most of the time. Their faith did not become strong after all the miracles that GOD did for them when bringing them out of Eygpt. It looks like they were too hard headed to see how much GOD loves them. So maybe they needed all these laws and traditions to humble them.
I think these laws and structure were not there before Moses time or before their life in Eygpt. Because people back then knew the true living GOD and were worshiping HIM in truth and in spirit
What do you all think?
Arielle

======= Elizabeth:

Hello Betty & Arielle,
Thanks to both of you for such good and helpful thoughts…
Betty, I agree about our culture being focused on money and productivity. It’s easy to be busy and much harder to be still and focus on Him. I think people even become afraid of silence…they don’t want to think too deeply. Loved your prayer–may it be so!
Arielle, that is a very interesting angle–never thought of it from that perspective–a type of “retraining” I also have been amazed at all the manifestations they had of God, yet they complained. It just goes to show you that faith goes beyond the visible.
Thanks for hanging in there and helping me through the bulls, rams and lambs ; )
Elizabeth

======= Raeann:

What is the point of all of these statistics? 
Raeann

======= Frederick:

Re: Raeann Why the Statistics
I believe there are at least two reasons why God put these statistics into Bible. Firstly, this shows that this is a real history rather than a fable by including this. Secondly, it shows that God is the God of individual besides that He is a God of a nation. In the book of Revelation, God mentions that there will be names of each saved people in the Book of Life. I believe this also reflects that God cares about each of us.
Frederick

======= Steve:

Psalm 62
In today’s readings what stood out for me was Psalm 62 which takes place at a very difficult time in David’s life, his son Absalom has betrayed him and seeking to kill him. I can’t imagine anything more painful for a father. In this Psalm David is basically talking to himself and repeating what God has already said, a very powerful combination.
David was a Sheppard at heart and a Sheppard knows how to keep track of his flock. In a sense we are to be Sheppard’s of our own thoughts because like sheep, our thoughts are prone to go astray. I know this to be a fact for myself; I see my thoughts straying from God’s will more than I care to admit. In this Psalm David rounds up those lost sheep thoughts driven by fear and unbelief. I want to point out that David is not doing this on his own, he is not giving himself a pep talk from his own understanding. On the contrary, David is strengthening his own soul, by taking God’s words, placing them on his tongue and speaking them into his life.
Have you ever had one of those days that you wish you could have a Do-Over? Yesterday was a day like that for me. If I would have used wisdom like David and spoke to myself with God’s words for my circumstances, I could have gone a different route instead of putting my size 12 shoe in my mouth and spending the day in regret. Even when we have that type of day, God is gracious and patient, ready and willing to walk us through the learning process and show us where we went off course. In fact, sometimes when we have those off course days that make us cringe in disgust at our actions, the Lord takes full advantage of our remorse and gently herds us towards a wiser path. God is good.
Steve

======= Flora:

Dear Mike,
I am blessed by reading God’s word here. Indeed, as i start my day ,i can only commit everything to my God what the day will in store for me. I ask God to help me be a blessing to others, a comfort to those who needs one and to use me in ways He alone understands. I am on my learning process and often, when the day ended and i realized i had a rough one, it was then i realized that God put me into a situation where He can mold, used or ulilized me in His way. Praise God He never gives up on me.
Flora

======= Duane:

I believe that I am growing and trusting God more than I ever had in my privious years. It seems God has put a hunger in me to seek him more earnestly There are desires in me that I still want fulfilled, but only as God wills. I truly want to know him better each day and I want purity because he is a holy God.Sowing righteousness is my goal for each day. I want God to be glorify in my work, home ,neighborhood and all that I do.I pray that those on this blog will lift me and all in prayer each day that God will surely use us to bring the good news to those who have no hope. I really enjoyed the song by Casting Crowns. May God continued to a great work through this blog.
Duane

========= Cathy:

Ramona and Mike,
Thank you for your great input.
Have a blessing day.
Cathy

=======Mitch:

OT – Yahweh has set them up with festivals with more than numerous offerings. At Mt. Sinai the people were told to stay away, but through all of the festivals/offerings God is showing them the way to approach Him. Given all the structure – one would think the Israelites would be starving for Jesus’ simple message of Repent and Believe. Receive Me and have eternal life.
But Israel did not receive Him. Why? IMO they long ago had forgotten the motive and significance of the festivals/offerings. If they did those things – for most it was checking the boxes. Therefore they were not appreciative of the simplicity and the deepening offer of God’s relationship to His people.
NT – Genealogy fulfills a requirement of kinsman redeemer. To redeem out of bondage one must be the nearest kinsman not in bondage. This shows that Jesus is able to redeem us from sin – as He is the nearest relative to Adam that is without sin. (Note: He is the only relative that is sin free and thus the nearest).
Mitch

======= Dee:

This is so true your questions you had..where does our power come from? It comes from God alone! I love that because I teach science and we are in electricity right now and it’s amazing how God gave us this power to wire and transpose the entire world with His word. Do I honor my employer. I believe I do. I help as much and try to be a blessing to my staff and employer. I respect my immediate employer very much and my co workers and I get along as well as my principal and AP’s. Very good group to work with and for. Love my children and try to see them as Christ sees them. Even though sometimes they get on my nerves, I try to see them in His light. They are all his babies first.
Dee

======= John:

As Bob Deffinbaugh alluded to and J. Vernon Mcgee states – Luke was written to the Greeks. (I never thought of that before today.)
Matthew was written to the Jews with Jesus as the “King”. Hence all the Old testament verification by Matthew to verify Jesus’ kingly claim.
Mark was written to the Romans with Jesus as “servant”. Hence all the “action” to demonstrate Jesus’ resume to fulfill his mission.
Luke would then be written to the Greeks, not only as a history – but to show Jesus as the “perfect man” able to fulfill God’s new Covenant.
Why the “perfect man”? In 4th Century B.C. the Greeks intorduced the “Periclean Age”. They attempted to perfect humanity and to develop the “perfect man”. Their gods were often in the image of men, so a man-god would not be a foreign concept to the Greeks. Ultimately they fell short of the perfect man/society.In admitting this, they erected an image to the “UNKNOWN GOD”. Later a jumping off place for Paul’s discourse to the Greeks.
======================================================
Luke’s geneology is a verification of Jesus’ “perfect man” status through blood lines. It is placed right before Jesus’ ministry was to start.
Luke’s writings up to now are a prelude to this moment in Jesus’ life. In the first three chapters Greeks would understand:
gods sending messengers down to earth to announce miracles and events – miracles and godly announcements occured in Greek mythology.
John the Baptist – Greeks had oracles.
The prominent role of Mary and Elizabeth in writings -Greeks had plenty of female representation sometimes impregnated by the gods in mythology.
Anna and Simeon’s story – the Greeks had plenty of priests and oracles to interpret the gods.
The temple story of Jesus at twelve – the Greeks would love the idea of the “perfect man” being a great (perfect) thinker.
John the Baptist’s preaching – to Greeks man in the end was flawed.
Jesus’ baptism – Greeks would get this ritual accompanied by a voice speaking from the heavens that verified this “perfect man” as from the gods.
======================================================
So what about your original question about “as was supposed”? Luke is bridging from the introduction to Jesus’ ministry. Most people were not at the baptism scene, especially the Greeks. The prelude is nice so far, but so far it is just a story – the Greeks had plenty of stories.
Luke is establishing the pedigree of the “perfect man” sent from the One True God. To be followed by the story of Jesus’ ministry that will supply the “proof”.
‘as was supposed’, ‘in public perception’, and ‘as was the custom’ was Luke saying, ‘most people taking a casual uninformed look would see Mary and Joseph and the family unit and presume that Jesus was Joseph’s son. But not so fast, take a look at the pedigree (geneology) of this “perfect man” going back to Adam.’
Adam was the first “son of God” that screwed things up, this “perfect man” (this “Son of God” – Jesus) is here to set things straight and reconcile man to the gods. The Greeks would like this story. The proof would later show there are not “gods” but One True God.
So while most people would assume Jesus was just a normal man (perhaps gifted) and a son of Joseph. Luke was saying, ‘ Don’t believe it, you read the prelude – god impregnated Mary, through Mary (Luke’s geneology) we can trace Jesus back to the first “son of God”.’
Adam was a created man, but Jesus has the bloodline to be this “perfect man” a true “son of God”. It is now up to Luke to prove this to Greeks with the rest of his Gospel.
John

======= John:

Geneology
A key to above is that the geneology in Matthew is Joseph’s and Luke’s geneology is of Mary.
In Matthew – “Jacob begat Joseph” so who was “Heli” in Luke’s geneology. Most scholars would say – Joseph’s father-in-law. Thus the Geneology of Luke is of Mary.
Matthews geneology establishes Jesus’ legal right to throne through David/Solomon. As the adopted eldest child of Joseph – Jesus would have that legal claim.
Luke’s geneology establishes Jesus’ blood rights to the throne through David/Nathan and takes him back to the first “son of God” (Adam). Would establish him as descended from the first “son of God”.
Believer’s commentary has a better (and briefer;) list of reasons why Luke is writing Mary’s geneology.
Before taking up the public ministry of our Lord, Luke pauses to give His genealogy. If Jesus is truly human, then He must be descended from Adam. This genealogy demonstrates that He was. It is widely believed that this gives the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Mary. Note that verse 23 does not say that Jesus was the son of Joseph, but “(as was supposed) the son of Joseph.” If this view is correct, then Heli (v. 23) was the father-in-law of Joseph and the father of Mary.
Scholars widely believe that this is the Lord’s genealogy through Mary for the following reasons:
1. The most obvious is that Joseph’s family line is traced in Matthew’s Gospel (1:2–16).
2. In the early chapters of Luke’s Gospel, Mary is more prominent than Joseph, whereas it is the reverse in Matthew.
3. Women’s names were not commonly used among the Jews as genealogical links. This would account for the omission of Mary’s name.
4. In Matthew 1:16, it distinctly states that Jacob begot Joseph. Here in Luke, it does not say that Heli begot Joseph; it says Joseph was the son of Heli. Son may mean son-in-law.
5. In the original language, the definite article (tou) in the genitive form (of the) appears before every name in the genealogy except one. That one name is Joseph. This singular exception strongly suggests that Joseph was included only because of his marriage to Mary.
Although it is not necessary to examine the genealogy in detail, it is helpful to note several important points:
1. This list shows that Mary was descended from David through his son Nathan (v. 31). In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus inherited the legal right to the throne of David through Solomon. As legal Son of Joseph, the Lord fulfilled that part of God’s covenant with David which promised him that his throne would continue forever. But Jesus could not have been the real son of Joseph without coming under God’s curse on Jechoniah, which decreed that no descendant of that wicked king would prosper (Jer. 22:30). As the real Son of Mary, Jesus fulfilled that part of the covenant of God with David which promised him that his seed would sit upon his throne forever. And by being descended from David through Nathan, He did not come under the curse which was pronounced on Jechoniah.
2. Adam is described as the son of God (v. 38). This means simply that he was created by God.
3. It seems obvious that the Messianic line ended with the Lord Jesus. No one else can ever present valid legal claim to the throne of David.
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville
John

======= John:

Feasts (Holy Days) of Israel
God goes into great detail about five of the seven prescribed feast days here in Numbers’ readings.
But what is God getting at – is there any symbolic meaning????? God is always providing clues to His plan for salvation, and I think the 7 major feast days ordained by God are some of those clues.
In Gospel of John we will see that Jesus was always around Jerusalem on the feast days and His words at the time can be tied in with the theme of the feasts.
In addition it can be argued that symbolically the feasts show God’s plan in total. The three spring feasts were symbolically filled with the life, death, and ressurection of Jesus. The middle feast was symbolically filled with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). The last three feasts will be symbolically filled at the Second Coming.
A beginning, middle, and end to God’s story on Salvation.
Link here does an ok job at outlining the feasts, and a great job at providing NT links to each of the feasts that have been fulfilled. You can “search” on your own for other links that might be better 
http://www.annieshomepage.com/feastsa.html
A more involved link – and better I think – is here:
http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/feasts/index.htm
John

Numbers 26:52-28:15 + Luke 3:1-22 + Psalm 61:1-8 + Proverbs 11:16-17
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament: Today in Numbers we read a powerful narrative about how Joshua was to succeed Moses. Jesus’ name comes from Joshua, which means, “Jehovah is salvation.” Makes a lot of sense for Jesus’ name… Is Jesus your salvation? Below is a great image for Numbers Chapter 27 verses 16-17:

New Testament: I always love reading about John the Baptizer! John is sometimes referred to as the “last Old Testament prophet.” Jesus said this about John in Luke 16:16 – “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John.” Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets, priests and kings. I find it very helpful to know Jesus is my Prophet, Priest and King. Prophets in the Old Testament typically preached repentance from sins, and John was no exception to this rule in our readings in Luke chapter 3 today. John preached repentance! Have you repented from your sins? Is your life showing the fruits of your repentance?

Commentary from Bible.org on Luke chapter 3’s readings today titled “John the Baptizer” is at this link.

Psalms – Today we read Psalm 61, which has some powerful verses for us to meditate upon when the storms of life come crashing down upon us. This Psalm reminds us of who is indeed our true Rock – our true Refuge. Verses 1 through 5 are so powerful to meditate upon when you are going through a storm in your life –

“Hear my cry, O God;
  listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.
I long to dwell in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
For you have heard my vows, O God;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”

Proverbs: Today’s Proverbs remind us to be kind! How’s your kindness going these days?

1.2em;”>Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “Dive:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXqXIicm8uU

Have you dove into the life of faith yet? Click here and dive in!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “And the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray for more of the Holy Spirit in your life. Pray that you life will be pleasing to God.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Psalm today, do you cry out to God in prayer during the storms in your life? When your heart grows faint, do you call on God’s holy name, and allow him to lead you to his Rock? Do you believe that God can be your refuge? Your strong tower against the foe? Do you long to dwell in God’s house forever? Do you long to take refuge in the shelter of God’s wings?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 26:52-28:15
The following two verses in chapter 27 spoke to me today,
3 “Our father died in the wilderness without leaving any sons,” they said. “But he was not among Korah’s followers, who rebelled against the LORD. He died because of his own sin. 4 Why should the name of our father disappear just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.”
I’m not sure why these verses spoke to me but I think it may have something to do with “dealing in truth.” The Daughters of Zelophehad dealt in truth about their father, “He dies for his on sin.” They did not blame someone else or Moses for bringing them out into the desert. The also did not operate in “shame” which would have kept them from speaking up for themselves. So often we are afraid to go to God to ask for anything because we are so full of shame and guilt. Truth is we don’t deserve anything but God is a God of grace and mercy who deals in Truth, yet His Promises to us are not based on how good we are, we aren’t, but on how good He is.
We have Hebrews 4:16, Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need, they didn’t, yet these woman stepped forward and asked. Father God, may I study and meditate on how these woman handled their situation and take heed for the areas in my life that seem to be outside of the blessing and favor of God, emphasis on the word “seem.”
Luke 3:1-22
John the Baptist new his purpose and he did, without reservation, what he was created to do. He didn’t have all the information on who and how, he received from God on a need to know basis and accepted it. John didn’t need folk’s approval because if he did he would have spoke to the crowds in a manner that would make them feel warm and fuzzy. John spoke the Words of God under the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 61:1-8
5 For you have heard my vows, O God.
You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.
Hmm, it seems that godly fear is profitable. I just must make sure that I have the right understanding of profitability in the economy of God.
Proverbs 11:16-17
I had to go to another translation to understand the sixteenth verse so I when to the Amplified Bible, 16 A gracious and good woman wins honor [for her husband], and violent men win riches but [a]a woman who hates righteousness is a throne of dishonor for him.
This verse is compares honor with wealth and strongly suggest that there is no equity between the two. In the economy of God honor has the greatest value.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Emily:

Talking of the harsh stuff. Here is what caught my attention. And I wondered aloud if in those times there was no freedom of religion or thought… No Free Will…? Are these concepts modern inventions? (Free Will is mentioned no where in Bible… only in the book of Joshua there is an allusion, when Joshua asks his people if they want to worship God or other gods)
So, here is that harsh sounding command from Deutronomy 13:6-10:
”If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God…”
Emily

======= Jenny:

Lots of great stuff today.
I love how John the Baptist says of Christ: One whom I am not fit to untie the sandal of. I love that respect he had for Christ. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is not in Luke but in John 1:29 when John the B. is introducing Jesus: “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. …that verse is so powerful! I just love it!!
Also, we get here a picture of the trinity, 3 separate entities, yet one.
“and the {Holy Spirit (God the Spirit)} descended upon {Him (Jesus, God the Son)} in bodily form like a dove, and a {voice came out of heaven (God the Father)}, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
I dont fully understand the trinity, but I just trust and realize its beyond human reasoning. Its too amazing for me. But as my pastor explained it, you have God the Father (1), God the Son (1), God the Holy Spirit (1). And 1 x 1 x 1= 1. Each number is a value, 1. each is its own but multiplied, they are still 1.
I love this psalm, its beautiful…i’m feeling it. i’m going through some tough things right now. I definitely seek to take refuge in His wings! I love the verse, “when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher then I”. I had that posted in my notebook in college in my early 20s, tough times, but i would open my notebook n read that everyday. Also, it struck me bcos wen i was in the world in my teens, that song by REM came out, Everybody Hurts, I watched the video a lot and it has words on the screen, and “Lead me to the rock that is higher then I” was one of the phrases…i didnt know it was from the Bible then, not sure what it meant at the time but i liked it, it was soothing. Now I know and now I have that hope! Praise God and amen.
Jenny

======= Lisa:

Thank you, Mike. I’m praying for you today.
Lisa

======= Julie:

One of my favorites that I pray on a lot in times of distress is Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. Very similar to today’s Psalm. Yes I use this image in times of trouble. I believe the Lord will shelter me with his wings. He promised and I believe. I enjoyed the video. It was the first time I heard it, so thank you for sharing it with me.
Julie

======= Tammy:

What spoke to me today as I caught up from yesterday.
Ps. 61:6 Add days to the king’s life; may his years span many generations.
I had to look this up on Bible gateway to see who’s years were being referred to. It could have been David’s although he was not a king yet or it could have been Jesus. Both of them would have been kings and both were pursued because of God’s calling on their life.
Why does it speak to me? It is my prayer that God add days to my life and He has. Having a terminal diagnosis given by the medical community has nothing to do with God’s date/plan book. Thank you God for that!!! I know this request is already answered.
Tammy

======= Laura:

Such a good prayer point today! More of the Holy Spirit and for our lives to be pleasing to God places the right focus on how to live each day.
I was listening to music on shuffle and “Kindness” by Chris Tomlin came on – it’s another great reminder of themes in today’s readings!
Laura

========= Yongho:

This blog is awesome.
thank you for your sharing.
Yongho

======= Jill:

Psalms 61
“Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I”
This verse speaks to me when i am weak and feel defenseless. God spiritof peace comes over me. Peace is Gift from God. Allow him to take your worries before it becomes anxiety
Jill

======= Grace:

Psalm 61 v 3 For you have been my refuge a strong tower against the foe. This verse is summary of the story of my life as I have gone through lot in my life but through it all I must God had always and He still got my back. God been the reason I am alive and live because of hope I have in Him ,I can face tomorrow.
Prov 11 v 16 A kindhearted woman gain honor…………… I am persuaded to keep on been kind. Then in verse 17 there a benefit for been kind.
Grace

======= Robert:

Luke
The Meaning of John and His Message For Today.
At the end of of Bob Deffinbaugh’s comments he suggests some things we can use to improve our discipleship in our lifestyle and our ministry.
My personal take or understanding of John’s message is his depiction of a time in our life that needs some stirring up. It could be a person but it could also be an event or something happens that is unusual and even extraordinary. Maybe your life is a bit humdrum or complacent. All of a sudden a John the Baptist shows up and reveals things about yourself and those around you. If you listen and take heed, remarkable things are shown to you and your life changes. You come closer to the Lord. Advent is a natural occasion for this because we are particularly sensitive to a special time of the year that points to the birth of Jesus. The Holy Spirit can show us things we need to grow in our relationship with God. May John be an instrument in making our joy full.
Ramona: I liked how you analyzed the character of the Daughters of Zelophehad. Speaking up, seeking truth and showing us that we can always approach God’s throne.
Robert

======= MItch:

OT – Numbers 27 and Zelophehad’s daughters. Established that if no sons the inheritance would go to daughters. Besides being fair, perhaps this has implications for the right to David’s throne.
Joseph’s genealogy disqualified Jesus (as adopted son) from having the right to David’s throne due to Jeconiah’s curse. However through Mary’s genealogy in Luke, the line runs through David’s son Nathan. If Mary was oldest, had a sister, and no brothers than the line to David’s throne would run through Mary based on Numbers 27. Speculation on my part, and will not know the answer until I am in heaven.
NT – Jesus’ Baptism displays the Trinity. The Holy Spirit descended in “bodily” form like a dove. To me – Holy Spirit was observable (unlike Jesus’ description to nicodemus in John 3) so that it could be witnessed that Isaiah 41:1 was fulfilled. Fluttering (not in a direct line) like a dove. Don’t think it was just John the Baptist who saw, as Luke depended on eyewitnesses for his gospel – and John was dead before Luke started writing.
Mitch

======= Dee:

I love John the Baptist..and I love his courage and his standout performance within not comparing to others and being bold and Jesus loved him so! He was hurt when the Baptizer was in prison. I want to be old like him. He gives me hope when all seems against us and we are like an outcast. Being different is not so bad!
Dee

======= Ramona:

Numbers 26:52-28:15
More thoughts from Today’s Old Testament Readings:
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18 AMP)
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. (Luke 11:9 AMP)
You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions. (James 4:2-3 NET.)
The above three verses show me that I can do what the daughters of Zelophehad–Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah did (27:1-11), I can ask God directly for understanding and guidance and expect an answer. They were not angry with God because their father died in the wilderness, they unlike so many others who blamed God for their hardships and wondering in the desert, knew that it was the sin of the people that kept them out of the Promise Land and said so. Since they saw nothing in the Word and commandments that God had given to Moses, and thus passed on to them, they were afraid that their father’s name and inheritance would be wiped out.
Yet they were bold and gathered up their strength to ask and asking is the basis for receiving. Unlike the murmurs and complainers in the desert these five women went to God.
May we learn a valuable lesson from these women. When we don’t understand God’s Laws and commands and even when what God has stated doesn’t appear to cover our needs, don’t just sit back and grumble and accept the status quo, ask God: ask, seek and knock. God wants to dialogue with you and me.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= John:

Luke (1 of 3)
This ended up being a bit long (OK a lot long:), so I broke it up. I KNOW not everyone will agree with these postings. I have been thinking about this, since last night and have reflected on Luke’s passages, reviewed the Scripture references, what Jesus said, and the six parts of repentence as it applies to John the Baptist’s preaching in Luke.
I am comfortable with the sermon’s application to the Scripture. Perhaps, that is because I have a pre-disposed bias to the interpretation. Nevertheless, I stand behind the postings. If there is disagreement, then please post alternate interpretations or ask discussion questions.
Again with 2,400+ people signed up, and some portion reading these comments – my purpose is not to force ideas on anyone, but to get readers to ask questions and study for themselves – whether it is to verify what I write or trying to refute the ideas presented in these posts. [Or to be just ignored.]
The link to the four sermons is below. They are listed under Luke 3:7-17. Remember they are transcribed sermons from four different Sundays, so they will not read like a book, and their will be repetition 
http://www.biblebb.com/brefindex/luk.htm
I am in agreement with these sermons – I attempted to write a summary of John MacArthur’s sermons in my own words. Quotes are used when I specifically lift from Scripture or John’s sermons.
======================================================
Well we are in our third Gospel in a row, and I thought – ‘not much new to learn here’. Then I saw a quote from John MacArthur on Luke 3:4-17
“So, repentance means you come to an honest understanding of your own personal sin. You recognize divine wrath. You reject ritual and ancestry. You demonstrate transformation in the fruit of true repentance. And you receive the true Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Excerpt from John MacArthur sermon
John says all these points are in Luke’s passage. I was taken aback. I knew John preached a “baptism of repentence for the foregiveness of sins”. Paul says much the same thing.
Acts 19:4
“Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.””
I guess I glossed over the rest of it? So, I decided to check it out.
John preached repentance. Everyone acknowledges that point. Turn away from the “world”, and turn your heart back to God. Search your heart and acknowledge your sin. From Isaiah’s allusion: examine the low base places of your heart, the high prideful things, the crooked devious things, smooth out the rough spots – “obstacles that prevent the King from coming into your heart.”
John preached divine wrath. What wrath? The Jews would know from Mal 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”” NAS
John seems to preach from the symbols in this passage. The old testament prophets were full of wrath references (Is 2:2,12,19,21,30:27,Zeph 1:14,18,etc.) The Jews would understand the wrath – their ancestors had experianced it firsthand. The Jews knew the Messiah would bring blessings and also wrath. They flocked out to John to make sure they received the blessings.
Brood of Vipers? Seems harsh. In Matthew 3:7 John is directing it at the Pharisees and Saducees. Jesus also calls them “brood of vipers” in Matt 12:34,23:33. Here it seems in general, but the allsuion seems to be like snakes coming out from under rocks to escape the coming brush fire. John seems to be warning them, you are trying to escape the fires by rushing to the water (baptism), but you are still snakes. However there is more to it than that, you must change your nature (heart) – (back to) Repent!
John

======= John:

Luke (2 of 3)
Reject ritual. Huh? The Jewish nation was all about ritual. God had commanded it back in the “Wanderings”. I do not believe it was ritual for rituals sake, but rituals to be done with the “right heart”.
John was saying, ‘You snakes, don’t come slithering down here to the water and dive in – expecting to escape the wrath. Don’t expect this ritual of immersion in water (baptism) to save you. Repent – have a change of heart.
Jesus attacked rituals in Matt 5 – 7, Paul said rituals were as “dung” when compared to repentence in Christ (Phil 3:8).
The proof of your change of heart? Produce fruit in keeping with your repentence. Baptism is an outward sign of the change of the heart, but without the changed heart – it is meaningless. The outward symbol of that change is bearing fruit.
[NOTE: This is harsh message. Heretofore, baptism is what a Gentile did to convert to Judaism. For a Jew to even admit he needed Baptism is a Big step. But John says – not enough, you must repent.]
Hey, John says, ‘the ax is there – Judgment is coming. If you are not producing good fruit, because of your change of heart – then the tree is coming down and going into the fire. I don’t care how many times you dunk yourself.’
Reject ancestry. John says,”And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” Don’t expect salvation to come through genetics. Jesus said to the Jews in Luke 13:28
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.”NIV
Nationality is nothing of and by itself. If God wanted to , He could create children of Abraham from the rocks. (Is. 51:1-2) “Your Abraham’s child if you follow the faith of Abraham.”
Romans 2:29
No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.NIV
How do you get that “circumcision of the heart”? Ez. 18:30
“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.”NIV
Just as John has been preaching: Repent and turn back to the Lord.
[NOTE: I would surmise that a Christian is not a Christian because they are born of Christian parents and/or are raised a Christian.]
John

======= John:

Luke (3 of 3)
Demonstrate transformation. Already talked about with fruits discussion.
Paul said to King Agrippa:
Acts 26:20
“First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.”NIV
The Jews were familiar with this concept from Old Testament:
2Chron7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”NIV
Ez. 33:19
And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so.NIV
All of these speak to turning back to God (repenting).
You receive the True Messiah. John never proclaimed to be the Messiah. He could call for repentence and immerse people in water – prepare the “way”, but only Christ can immerse people in the Holy Spirit and fire.
[Not recorded anywhere that Jesus baptized anybody. The disciples did baptize people as an outward sign of repentence and faith.]
The Jews understood the Holy Spirit.
Ez.36:26
“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Psalm 51:11
“Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.”
They also understood “fire”. “…that’s Isaiah 29:6. You can see it in Isaiah 31:9, Ezekiel 38:22, Amos 7:4, Zephaniah 1:18, Zephaniah 3:8, Daniel 7:10, God’s final judgment is associated with fire.” – John MacArthur
So, Messiah will come and immerse people in the Holy Spirit for those who repented, and turned back to the Lord. If they do not repent, they will be immersed in fire. Of course you will have to accept Jesus to get the former, and reject Him to get the latter.
John gives an agrarian example of this process. A separation process. The wheat is brought into the threshing floor. By using the winnowing fork, the grain is seperated from the chaff. Grain piled in middle and taken to barn. The chaff is then burned. The fire goes out when chaff is burned up, but John says chaff will burn with an “unquenchable fire” – a judgment fire that will never go out.
John

======= John:

The Boy Jesus at the Temple
Two things:
1) As I said before, this must have been a wonderful scene. It came to me that this may have been the root of Jesus’ grief in Mark 3:5. That some two decades later some of the same men who had delighted in Him as a youth – now rejected Him and His message.
To be fair, perhaps some of these men, teachers of the Law, were amongst the early converts in Christianity.
Mark 3:5a
“And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand…” KJV
Acts 6:7
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” NIV
======================================================
Luke 2:52
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” NIV
It is easy to see why this is so with God. Jesus studied (I don’t think He just automatically knew Scripture), was growing up equal to the tasks of His age, and brought joy to God with His obediance to God’s Word.
What about “men”? Jesus had not started His ministry yet, and He was probably the model Jewish youth. Obediant to mother, hard working, courteous, studied the Word, and (I imagine) helpful to fellow townsmen.
When His ministry started – nothing changed with God. But for many men Jesus became at worst a despised figure, and at best an ignored figure. Perhaps it was the message and not the messenger that bothered so many people.
Is it any different today?????
John

======= John:

John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Luke 3:7-8
“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.” NIV
“John was aware of shallow conversion. He was aware of that. He was aware that the Jewish people were very good at superficial religion and so the tone of his preaching was urgent and the tone of his preaching was even harsh as he spoke hard truth calling sinners to true penitence.” – John MacArthur
======================================================
A while back someone questioned whether Romans 10:9 really worked, was it enough to gain salvation?
Saying a prayer, by itself – no, it is not enough. You must talk to God AND believe in your heart (a right heart), and that is a HUGE difference.
John baptized in water (symbolizing a cleansing), but that is not what he preached:
Luke 3:3
“He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” NIV
You can dunk yourself in water all day long, you can pray to God all day long – but if you do not come with a repentant heart – neither mean anything.
John knew that – people from all over Israel probably knew his birth story – and now that he was preaching – they did not want to miss out when the Messiah came to Israel. Prevailing belief: the Messiah would come and establish himelf on David’s throne and Israel would be blessed. There was no question to them that they were in the kingdom, but from Malachi they knew there would be blessings and wrath. The people scrambling to John wanted to make sure they were in on the blessings. ‘What do we have to do to get the blessings? We’ll do it.’
John calls them a “brood of vipers”. Jesus said the same thing in Matt 23:33 when calling out the Pharisees as “hypocrites”. It is the same here. Don’t come scrambling down the hillside to perform some ritual to beat the clock. No ritual is going to save you. Where is the fruit of your repentance? You can’t dunk yourself here in water and go back to living the same way. And don’t call on your ancestry as your saving trump card – REPENT.
Jesus’ parting words in Luke speak to the same issue:
Luke 24: 46-47 “He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
“repentance and forgiveness of sins”: in the Greek the “and” is not implied it is the specific Greek word for “and”. You cannot have forgiveness without repentance. You cannot mouth a prayer and think everything is hunky-dory if there is no repentance which leads to the right heart with which you believe.
May God bless!
John

Numbers 26:1-51 + Luke 2:36-52 + Psalm 60:1-12 + Proverbs 11:15
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Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 26 we read about Israel’s second census, which was commanded by God.  (We’ll read later in the Bible a census conducted by David that was not commanded by God, which was a sin.)  This 2nd census in numbers was taken approximately 38 years after the first census.  The first census in Numbers chapters 1 & 2 was taken after Israel had left Egypt.  This second census is being taken just before the conquest of the Promised Land.  In verse 51 today we read: “So the total number of Israelite men counted in the census numbered 601,730.”  This total of the second census compares to 603,550 from the first census, so is very comparable.  These second census numbers obviously reflect the 24,000 deaths we read about in chapter 25 – so this number would have been higher.  To me, overall, to see the numbers so similar over 38 years in the wilderness shows that God’s hand of blessing was so clearly upon the Israelites.  They were flourishing in the desert.  Hopefully this is encouraging to us today.  If we are in right relationship with God, I believe our lives will clearly flourish in whatever circumstances we might find ourselves in – even if we are in the desert!

New Testament – In Luke chapter 2 today we read about Jesus’ wisdom at the young age of 12.  How’s this for a profound statement from Jesus to Mary & Joseph when they found him in the Temple in verse 49 – “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “You should have known that I would be in my Father’s house.” I like that!  And I like that Jesus was paying such respect for the Temple as well – essentially calling it the house of God.  I do believe this can be carried forward today to Jesus’ love for his body, the church.  I often think to myself, when I’m on my way to church, that “I’m going to the house of God.”  Do you believe that we can find Jesus today in his Father’s house?  Or are you searching elsewhere?  I do believe of course Jesus can be found outside of church… but I also know that I oftentimes experience his presence so profoundly at church – and Communion in church clearly being one such a time & place where I cannot help but find Jesus in a profound way. Below is “Jesus in the Temple at Twelve” by Duccio di Buoninsegna from the early 14th century:

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Luke titled “The Day Jesus went AWOL” 🙂 is at this link..

Psalms – I like the imagery of Psalm 60 verse 4 a lot – “But you have raised a banner for those who honor you — a rallying point in the face of attack.”  I do believe that if we honor God, he will in some profound way “raise up a banner” for us.  A banner that will rally and encourage us in the face of attack – in the face of doubt or despair or sickness or just plain old fashioned attack from the Enemy – I believe God will give us a banner of hope.  This banner could end up being one of a million different things I think, depending on the circumstances.  For me, certainly a banner that rallies me each and every day is God’s very Word, the Bible.  I believe the Bible is indeed a banner that rallies us in the face of attack…   What are some banners in your life that God is providing to rally you in the face of attack?  Uh-oh, this whole banner imagery has reminded me of an old childhood song…  🙂  Remember that children’s song that goes something like this (over and over and over again…) – “Peter built the church on the rock of our faith.  HIS banner over me is love.”?  What a great simple song!  God’s love very well should be a banner in our lives!

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verse 15 is saying one thing – which I get – but for some reason today, something else is being said to my heart.  Here’s the verse: “Guaranteeing a loan for a stranger is dangerous; it is better to refuse than to suffer later.”  It’s that last half of this verse that is jumping out at me – and in a way unrelated to loan guarantees.  🙂  Here’s the tangent this verse brought to mind for me today.  I am someone who does not do a very good job of “refusing” much of anything.  I say yes to way too much and take on way too much.  And part of me really enjoys this – I feel wanted, loved, invited, needed, busy, etc.  But then… I suffer later.  I then feel overbooked, stretched thin, and just plain tired and grouchy.  So, for me, the second half of this verse tonight is a good verse on boundaries – it’s better to refuse than suffer later…. I like that…. I need that!

Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Zach Williams song “Old Church Choir:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOEviTLJOqo

Do you have an old church choir in your soul? Click here and Sing!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2:49 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will look for Jesus today in his Father’s house, heaven, seated at His Father’s right hand side in glory. Pray that you won’t ever need to search for Jesus, but know that He is with you always, even to the very end of the age.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on my Proverb reflections above, how are you with setting boundaries? Do you know when to say No and when to say Yes?  What are some disciplines you practice to make sure you set appropriate boundaries?  Has anyone read the “Boundaries” book I show above by Henry Cloud?  I hear it is fantastic from friends of mine that have read it!  In fact, I heard it’s great for small groups too.  May be just what the doctor ordered for me…  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 26:1-51
For some reason the following verses came to me as I read the chapter,
While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: The sons of Leah were Reuben… (Genesis 35:22-23 NET.)
I had never paid attention before to where and what tribe the rebellious Dathan and Abiram descended from. These were the same men who joined with Korah to rebel against the leadership of Moses back in the 16th chapter of Numbers. Their ancestor, Ruben, in sleeping with his father’s concubine, although he did not break the commandments because the Law had not been given, tried to take the authority and leadership of his father, Jacob, by his actions. Here we have his descendents trying to do the same thing to Moses. Is this a clear example of the following verses?
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:5-6 KJVR)
Although most modern translation don’t use “visiting the iniquity,” in the Hebrew the word is visiting. For me this is a very sobering statement because that means my sins will knock on my two son’s door asking for access and prayerfully they will not let Mr Sin and his children into their homes and lives.
Based on Strong’s Numbering system:
H6485 (Visiting)
פּקד
pâqad
paw-kad’
A primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
Luke 2:36-52
My “hit and run” comment on the New Testament Reading is based on the following passage:
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people. (Luke 2:46-52 NET.)
This says several things to me, the first being: Jesus was operating in the Wisdom that came with Him being God while he walked the earth because the “teachers” of the Law was amazed and astonished at his insight. However, He did not operate as God but as a man, and here as a young, but wise, boy, or soon to be young adult, Jesus could not grow or increase in wisdom if he was operating out of His position of God. Growth means you have not reached your maximum potential.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Luch:

I write this from Canada. I don’t know what it’s like in the U.S or other parts of the world but in Canada ‘evangelical Christians’ are not looked upon favourably. In fact, I think people are afraid of ‘us’. At times I don’t blame them. I’m afraid of people who always seem to have all ‘the right answers’ and have no room for thoughtful dialogue. So I found Luke 2:52 an encouragment as we see Jesus growing ‘both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him.” Jesus was loved BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM. What a wonderful example Jesus is for me/us. Sure there were those who wanted to do Jesus’ harm, religious bigots that they were, but later in Luke 4:22 we’ll see the outworking of Luke 2:52 where it says, “all who were there spoke well of him and were amazed by the gracious words that fell from his lips.” The predominant core value of Jesus seemed to be love, and so that’s what He was known for.
These causes me to wonder how am I perceived by the people around me? Not just those who follow the same practices and beliefs I do but how about those who don’t buy into my faith, am I still loved or even liked by them? I think I have a long way to go. Having all the ‘right answers’ has not helped me to draw to many to the Way the Truth and the Life, but when I have sought to build authentic friendship with people and engage in spiritual dialgoue it’s amazing how He has seen fit to move people towards Himself.
Thank You Jesus for always showing us a much better way to lovingly engage our unbelieving world.
Luch

======= Stacey:

It was apparently necessary for Jesus to dialog with the teachers of the law at this time. The first thing it reminds me of is really how humble Jesus was. He waited until He was accepted into the group of “men” at the temple to discuss what Passover represents. Did He really need to know their beliefs? Or was He showing His wisdom and increasing in wisdom by how he engaged them? I think that here in this environment as a young and humble student, He was both charming and disarming by the way He opened up the discussion. And the text then says that all who heard Him were amazed by His understanding and His answers. I think what amazed them was that He knew the heart issues and they were always about the externals of religiousity. At the first opportunity, when the timing was right, He started His ministry by saying amazing things about the “whys” of Passover and the Lamb that had to be slain.
It also reminds me of how important it is to discuss God’s ways with your kids and listen to them. So often, they share beautiful insights from the Holy Spirit. As they grow older and start to “rebel” spiritually do we listen to them and hear from them, or are we just interested in defending our position or doctrine? I just spent 2 years teaching a Bible study with 9-12 year olds. They had amazing insight into the Word when they were in their Father’s house. The times we had together were safe times where they could explore the Word with help and guidance. I learned a lot from them because I discovered that they had pure hearts that would receive easily with faith. Often, I was amazed as they would share insights that could only have come from the Holy Spirit. They didn’t hold back and it was quite comfortable and natural for them to love the Lord and want to discuss Him in amazing ways.
Stacey

======= Laura:

I attended a bible study Friday night the 17th, St Patricks Day and found out some interesting facts. One of the students who actually did a sermon before the study and said a prayer is Irish. He gave some interesting facts and information about the history of St Patrick. One thing mentioned is that the shamrock three leafed clover, which is a symbol of St Patrick actually represents the trinity. I never knew that myself until today. Just thought I’d share that with you all. I hope you had a blessed St Patricks day.
Laura

======= Sammy:

Even though the numbers between the first and second census are close, we must remember that of the 603,550 men above the age of 20 counted in the first census only 2 men (Joshua and Caleb) were among the later census. God, because of His anger over the fact that they would not go in and take the land, declared in Deuteronomy 1 that none of the men, except these 2, would see the promised land. So 603,548 men were buried in the wilderness while children were born and grew to make up the 601,730 men in the second census…this, to me, shows the blessing of God.
Sammy

======= Ian:

51Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart (NLT)
51Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. (NKJV)
51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. (NIV)
51And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. (NASB)
Part B of this verse is interesting to me; mostly because I have no idea what it means. Then when I try to gleen more information about it by looking in other translations it gets worse. The King James and NIV say “but” where the NASB and NLT say “and”. Any Greek scholars out there? It would seem to make a difference in the meaning: If Jesus lived in obediance, “and” his mother treasured these things, then she’s grateful that he’s living in obediance.
The two others here that use “but” don’t even use it in the same way. The King James says “but she kept” where the NIV says “but she treasured”. Kept to me is less emotional, and almost resentful (like keeping it to herself).
Usually when it comes down to specific words that change the meaning, I go with the NASB because it’s a word-for-word translation rather than a verse-by-verse. What do you all think?
Ian

======= Ramona:

Ian
Hi! Just read your post right before I posted you might want to check out Crosswalk.com and use their Study Bible where you can click on the Word (King James and/or NAS, with Strong’s Numbers and research the Greek Words used.
Numbers 26:1-51
Mike you said, “They were flourishing in the desert. Hopefully this is encouraging to us today. If we are in right relationship with God, I believe our lives will clearly flourish in whatever circumstances we might find ourselves in – even if we are in the desert.”
After reading your statement I was reminded of a verse in Isaiah,
18 Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The beasts of the field honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen, (43:18-20 Amp)
Throughout history it has always been under severe hardships when men rise to greatness. Maybe its because we are forced to look outside of ourselves after having tried everything in our own strength and failed, that we turn our focus to God and then and only then He makes “streams in the desert.”
I’ve heard it said that we are always looking for that mountain top experience, that-knock-you-off-your feet high that comes when we have an encounter with God. That feeling is indescribable and incredible, but it is in the valley where the fruit grows. It is in the valley where we get the sustenance to sustain us as we journey up to the mountain ‘cause food doesn’t grow up there. It is in the valley where we learn to live the full life God has planned for us so we can hang out on the mountaintop above the frost line, for a season.
Thanks Mike for giving that original image of flourishing in dry places. Come to think of it when there is no surface water we must send our roots way down into the earth, into God, the Father, where we will find Living Water but where our roots will attach themselves to the bedrock of faith.
Luke 2:36-52
The last two verses in this passage, fifty-one and fifty two, give us a clue about Jesus’ humanity.
Jesus was God but God had set aside His royalty and walked this earth as a man. I know that because of these two verses.
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
1) Jesus subjected Himself to his mother and father, God doesn’t do that: they would subject themselves to Him if He walked this earth as God.
2) God doesn’t increase in wisdom because all Wisdom belongs to Him and came from Him. But this verse says that He increased.
3) Increasing in stature can refer to many things: physical growth, community standing, and importance. God is a “grown” as He is going to get and without Him this universe would not exist so He is already important.
4) God would not grow in favor with God and it wouldn’t matter if God grew in favor with man because whether or not God’s reputation grew with man God is still God.
I am not saying that Jesus is not God because clearly the scripture states, “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was God and Word was with God. (John 1:1) But He did set-aside His Identity, His power, His Divinity to become our Redemptive Lamb of God.
Psalm 60:1-12
This is an important Psalm and I just found that out because I read the note at the beginning before the 1st verse,
“For the choir director: A psalm of David useful for teaching, regarding …” The emphasis should be on the word “teaching.” This note goes on to say,
“…regarding the time David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.”
There must be some great nuggets of “Truth” in these twelve verses that will yield some very valuable lessons in life and there probably needs to be some studying of the history of this battle Joab, David’s nephew and General, commanded and fought. Hmmm!
Proverbs 11:15
Guaranteeing a loan for someone you know is dangerous, much less a stranger. When you do this, especially when you don’t have the amount in question just lying around, you set yourself up to serve someone else’s choices. Ouch! It’s hard enough serving our own bad choices let alone a stranger’s.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

=======. Pat:

Luke 2:41-52 (Jesus at the temple at age 12) = There is a first and a last recorded in this Scripture. It is the first time that Jesus recognizes God as being his true Father and the last time that his earthly father Joseph was mentioned in the NT. It is believed, but not documented in Scripture, that during the missing recorded years of Jesus life between the age of 12 and 30 that Joseph dies during this period and, instead of remarrying as was the custom, Mary devotes herself to her children, especially to Jesus during his three years of ministry. Those missing 18 years have always intrigued me, and I’ve often wondered why nothing about them is mentioned in the Scripture.
God Bless!
Pat

======= Jenny:

sorry i’m a bit behind, weekends are busy for me. Anyhow, honestly reading about Anna was so random for me, i dont remember ever reading about her. I must have once, but it was just random.
Man, that book Boundaries….wow, memories!! I’ve just seen it so much cause my mom had it. I’m sure its still around somewhere in her book collection, we kept some. I remember in my early teens when she started telling me she was gonna start setting boundaries, I hated that word!!! haha. I do set boundaries on things. When we dont have a set of boundaries, we may be more prone to fall, we get ourselves in trouble. One for me is concerning the opposite sex, guys I’m dating, seeing whatever, I set boundaries on the of physical aspect. there has to be a place we draw the line. my dad has been dating a girl over a year n they dont even hold hands! ok, my boundaries are a little broader, but I think its important we set boundaries for areas in our life we can be tempted…also, to let the other person know: ‘these are my boundaries.’. haha, i know a couple guys who learned to hate that word.
Wow, I’m having a senior moment, i cant even think of what the word banner means, or else I would discuss that, but i’m drawing a blank right now…
Jenny

======= Lou:

The best thought I am learning about boundaries is to practice consistently the teaching in Matthew 5:37 where JESUS said, “Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’….” And then the question, “What part of my yes or no did you NOT understand?”
Lou

======= Lisa:

I learned to say “no” and went too far that way. Setting boundaries can become a control issue. I say love the best you know how and be willing to learn from the Master how to love more like Him. This wisdom from the Word is really about love and relationships. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice! Did I miss our Bible Verse for the Week?
Lisa

======= Hal:

Going to a church building I don’t view as going to the house of God like the O.T.Temple was, as I see it as we as Christians are being built up as Living Stones, Jesus being the most important stone. . . I still meet other Christians at a church building though
Hal

======= Sharlene:

Oh…. setting boundaries, A few minutes ago I was annoyed about an issue that my husband and I seem to allow to take control over us, so, while at my desk here in the office I asked God to help me, I need to chat to someone about how I feel, and YIPP I got this…. Setting boundaries….Oh so much has opened up to me regarding just that WORD boundaries and it triggered me that that is what I must do. I pray that my husband will get the same revelation when I give him a copy of this.
THANKS THIS BLESSED ME SO MUCH. (NOW TO DO IT)
Sharlene

======= Art:

I found Proverbs 11:15 to be absolutely amazing this morning as I watch the headlines out of Wall Street unfold. So much of what got “built up” over the last few years there involved “putting up security” through multiple layers. Almost literally a house of cards (or sand — I saw that exact term used in an analyst report from a big bank just last week!) But God’s word is the rock that will weather this (and any) storm.
Re. boundaries, I had just such an issue these past few days. My first reaction was to set them up (boundaries — saying ‘no’). God told me otherwise.
The shepherds and the owner of the sheep get to set and move the boundaries. The sheep do not.
Art

======= Jim:

Mike,
Cloud and Townsend are simply IMHO the most important modern Christian authors (with degrees to back up their opinions). I cannot recommend Boundaries (as well as How People Grow) strong enough. The book was first recommended by my sister based on how it helped her deal with many of her relational issues. I happened to take the book off the shelf just yesterday to talk with my nine-year old son about building godly relationships with other kids as well as his teachers.
Chapter 6 deals in the text with common boundary myths… 1) If I set boundaries, I’m being selfish, 2) Boundaries are a sign of disobedience, 3) If I begin setting boundaries, I will be hurt by others, 4) If I set boundaries, I will hurt others, 5) Boundaries mean that I am angry, 6) When others set boundaries, it injuries me, 7) Boundaries cause feelings of guilt, and 8) Boundaries are permanent, and I’m afraid of burning my bridges.
This book can greatly help one’s emotional and spiritual growth… Art, I honestly don’t think you understand what boundaries are (or why Jacob, meaning deceiver, was renamed Israel, meaning fights with God, after besting both man and God). If someone told you that boundaries are bad over the past few days… it wasn’t likely God. The one true God demonstrates the value of boundaries and saying “no” all the time. And, to be a grace dispenser also means being a boundary dispenser.
Let me quote (as a teaser to encourage all to read this book) the two pages on Myth #2: Boundaries are a sign of disobedience…
“Many Christians fear that setting and keeping limits signals rebellion, or disobedience. In religious circles you’ll often hear statements such as ‘Your unwillingness to go along with our program shows an unresponsive heart.’ Because of this myth, countless individuals remain trapped in endless activities of no genuine spiritual and emotional value.
The truth is life-changing: a lack of boundaries is often a sign of disobedience. People who have shaky limits are often compliant on the outside, but rebellious and resentful on the inside. They would like to be able to say no, but are afraid. So they cover their fear with a half-hearted yes, as Barry did.
Barry has almost made it to his car after church when Ken caught up with him. Here goes, Barry thought. Maybe i can still get out of this one.
‘Barry!’ Ken boomed. ‘Glad I caught you!’
The singles class officer in charge of Bible studies, Ken was a dedicated recruiter to the studies he presided over; however, he was often insensitive to the fact that not everyone wanted to attend his meetings.
‘So which study can I put you down for, Barry? The one on prophecy, evangelism, or Mark?’
Barry thought desperately to himself. I could say, “None of the above interest me. Don’t call me – I’ll call you.’ But he’s a ranking officer in the singles class. He could jeopardize my relationships with others in the group. I wonder which class will be the shortest?
‘How about the one on prophecy?” Barry guesses. He was wrong.
‘Great! We’ll be studying end times for the next 18 months! See you Monday.’ Ken walked off triumphantly.
Let’s take a look at what just happened. Barry avoided saying no to Ken. At first glance, it looks like he made a choice for obedience. He committed himself to a Bible study. That’s a good thing right? Absolutely.
But take a second look. What were Barry’s motives for not saying no to Ken. What were the ‘thoughts and attitudes of the heart’ (Heb 4:12)? Fear. Barry was afraid of Ken’s political clout in the singles group. He feared that he would lose other relationships if he disappointed Ken.
Why is this important? Because it illustrates a biblical principal: an internal no nullifies an external yes. God is more concerned with our hearts than he is with our outward compliance. ‘For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings’ (Hos. 6:6).
In other words, if we say yes to God or anyone else when we really mean no, we move into a position of compliance. And that is the same as lying. Out lips say yes, but our hearts (and often our half-hearted actions) say no. Do you really thing Barry will finish out his year and a half with Ken’s Bible study? The odds are that some priority will arise to sabotage Barry’s commitment, and he’ll leave – but without telling Ken the real reason why.
Here’s a good way to look at this myth that boundaries are a sign of disobedience: if we can’t say no, we can’t say yes. Why is this? It has to do with our motivation to obey, to love, or to be responsible. We must always say yes out of a heart of love. When our motive is fear, we love not.
The Bible tells us how to be obedient: ‘Each of you must give as you have reluctantly or under compulsion, for God love a cheerful giver’ (2 Cor. 9-7).
Look at the first two ways of giving: ‘reluctantly’ and ‘under compulsion.’ They both involve fear – either of a real person or a guilty conscience. These motives can’t exist side by side with love, because ‘there is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear’ (1 John 4:18). Each of us must give as we have made up our minds. When we are afraid to say no, our yes is compromised.
God has no interest in our obeying our of fear ‘because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made in perfect love’ (1 John 4:18). God wants a response of love.
Are boundaries a sign of disobedience? The can be. We can say no to good tings for wrongs reasons. But having a ‘no’ helps us to clarify, to be honest, to tell the truth about our motives; then we can allow God to work in us. This process cannot be accomplished in a fearful heart.”
Jim

======= James:

Sweet! I was googling the passage out of Numbers looking for how long it was after the first census the second one was taken and stumbled upon your blog. I’m doing the same schedule you’re doing, except I’m doing it on facebook. I’m gonna bookmark your site though and check in every day.
James

======= Amrita:

I also agree that setting boundaries wisely and in a spirit of LOVE is a good thing.We have to ask God for wisdom in this.
I would love to read this book and others by these authors but they are not available in my country.Wish someone could send me an old used copy.
Amrita

======= Caroline:

Thank you Mike for all your eforts…
May God richly bless you
Your blog became an important part of our daily routine.
Caroline

======= Wendy:

The book “Boundaries” is an excellent book for raising teenagers. Now, it is a great book for everyday living for me. Setting boundaries, not what we are used to but it is vital to not becoming a “slave” to those things which we stretch ourselves to do.
Wendy

======= Bobbie:

Num.1 &2
Its reminds me that for 38 yrs. God’s hands is always at the Israelite. But inspite of all the blessings they have from God they are still stiffed necked people. It is shameful that upon all the blessings that I have I’m still hard headed. Getting nervous,fret and worried when God assured me that He is always at my side. Thank you for your life you make me awake for all what God has done for me.Thank you so much for the sharing.
Bobbie

======= Billy:

Just wanted to say one of my Banners is the “oneyearbibleblog.” Thanks Mike !!
Billy

======= Lizzy:

Hi Mike!
Thank you for your faithfulness in writing this blog every day. It is such an encouragement to me, and I have learned so much from you and from the links you include.
I have learned from the readers’ comments too, and from Ramona’s comments in particular.
I have one thought about Ramona’s comments from today (above). When she writes that Jesus “set-aside His Identity, His power, His Divinity to become our Redemptive Lamb of God,” I think she over-states her case. Many Scriptures prove that Jesus was fully God, as well as fully man.
Concerning the book Boundaries, I have read it and studied it with a group. There is much to be learned from it, but though it is a Christian book and contains much Scripture, it does not always perfectly line up with Scripture. For example, in Chapter 11 and elsewhere, the book advocates cutting unhealthy relationships out of our lives, but the Bible tells us a different way to handle unhealthy relationships. If someone causes us to fall into sin, we should run away because we are like sheep. But when someone sins against us, we are not just to “cut them out of our lives.” Instead, we are to follow the instructions that Jesus gave us in Matthew 18. Jesus is all about redeeming sinners, not “cutting them out.”
So Boundaries, just like any book or teaching other than the Bible, contains error. Take the good, and sift out the bad!
Lizzy

======= Jill:

Boundaries. That should have been one of the fruits of the spirit? At what age does boundaries begin? That’s one of those things a child watches and observes from parents. The cycle begins. Parent has no boundaries. Children learn no boundaries. Submissive mother, submissive chikdren. Now as an adult I shoukd have set boundaries a long time ago. But I didn’t know how. So now my young adult chikdren set boundaries. And how do I respond? They are learning from my mistake.
Secondly Jesus told his parents. “Don’t you know I would be at my Fathers house?” We are called to serve like Jesus. I think it means our priority csn be so much on our biological families we miss His calling to serve community and church family. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jill

======= Imja:

Greetings!
My favorite story of Jesus in the temple, Mary and Joseph found Him three days later? (verse 46) That is not a coincidence! I love what verse 51 says: Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
RE: Boundaries. I was overextending myself constantly because, people kept asking me to “do” more. Then, the Lord stopped me. I needed to discern the motives of my heart. The word “No” became much easier to say and it is freeing 
Imja

======= Robert:

Luke 2:41-52
Jesus the Teen.
How many times has this scripture given me comfort! Here I see the slightly rebellious nature of Jesus as a teenager that has been an attribute of all my kids growing up. I love this human side of Jesus where the age of thinking begins to take independence. I think it is embedded in all of our human nature. Not necessarily a bad thing but can be a real challenge to parents. I have used this scripture as a teaching example because that rebellion is in us, especially at that age but look at what Jesus does. He is still subject to his parents and shows obedience to them.
My wife and I have reminisced of our children’s behavior in their teens. It brings back many emotions but mostly good ones. We laugh. Sometimes cry. It is similar to Mary’s memories and you can’t help but cherish them in your heart.
Robert

======= Mitch:

OT – Mike and Ramona – have a different take on flourishing in Wilderness.
Flourishing should indicate a growth in numbers from last census. This census was around 2,000 light from previous count. We will see tomorrow that only Joshua and Caleb were in both body counts. Why? Because of the lack of faith on original try to enter Canaan, sin, disobedience and the death of all who originally left Egypt with Moses.
Siooo…what I see is God maintaining a viable Israelite contingent – establishing a new creation and getting rid of the old. (See a picture of Salvation here?) – God will monitor, provide and is faithful to His word to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
NT – From my first year as a Christian (age 49) have wondered in these passages – Did Jesus ever run into these teachers, from the temple, in his adult ministry? Did He recognize them? Did they remember that precocious boy? Wonder if any were in his disciple group, or were any in the early group of converts in Acts?
Mitch

======= Nancy:

On Facebook is a blog titled Bible Love Notes. In this blog she raises valid concerns about some of the teaching in the Boundries book. I urge you to consider checking it out.
Nancy

======= Dee:

Pertaining to Mike’s question: boundary setting. I am terrible at setting boundaries. I go go go, and then want to crash. My home, car, carat school, everything suffers, my pets not getting bathed. Too tired. I pray that I will learn to say no more often so later it doesn’t become..I wish I had declined. Amen!
Dee

======= John:

Luke
Two things:
1)I do not know how may people here have taught, coached or raised a child prodigy. From the few brief encounters I have had – while it may be challenging and rewarding to deal with a normal child, and more so with a handicapped child – it is special to be around a prodigy. Especially if the learning is not being forced upon the child by his parents. It is just exciting to see a “gifted” child who has a natural hunger for his “gift”.
I say this, because I wonder how wonderful the scene at the temple really was for the teachers (Pharisees?). Here they had a child, Jesus, who was hungry for the teachings of Scripture. Did most children have this hunger? Probably not. If so were they as bright? Definately not. The Teachers must have been delighted at his rapt attention and probing questions. Such attention might have given way to glazed eyes on other youths. I can see both parties, teachers and Jesus, losing track of time as they discussed the intricacies of Scripture. They must have developed a fondness for the boy (who wouldn’t?), and Jesus (I would imagine) enjoyed this time of being about his Father’s business.
It only makes me wonder, how much this increased the sadness of Jesus when the teacher’s turned on him during his ministry. I can only imagine how it felt when (probably) some of the very same men that met with him at twelve later plotted to kill him.
It makes me harken back to “Mark’s Gospel” where the implication was not that the Pharisees grieved Jesus internally, but he grieved “for” them as a relative at a funeral. Was he recalling better days of communication and understanding from when he was twelve?????
2)While Luke in original Greek never referred to Joseph using the word “father”. Here he quotes Mary using the term – “father” for Joseph. Jesus as he always does when people cite scripture incorrectly or make a mistake of “fact” corrects Mary.
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
They did not understand, but Jesus, through Luke, got it on the record in this Gospel with words from our Savior as a pre-teen. Jesus was the “Son of God”.
John

======= Vance:

NUMBERS 26 (NKJV)
Note from Matthew Henry’s concise commentary:
Notice is here taken of the children of Korah; they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram; they seem not to have joined even their own father in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues.
** MAY WE THINK BEFORE WE, AS MEN AND WOMEN, ACT. Our actions affect our children to the 3rd and 4th generations.
** MAY WE be people of purity, so that we will not be compromised, weakened, or judged.
** MAY WE EMBODY, by God’s grace, God’s will for us in Isaiah 54:17 (Amplified):
17
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong.
==> THIS[peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition]
IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD [THOSE IN WHOM THE IDEAL SERVANT OF THE LORD IS REPRODUCED];
THIS IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OR THE VINDICATION WHICH THEY OBTAIN FROM ME
[this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.
~~~
Vance
P.S.
Since this is St. Patrick’s day, take a moment and thank God for a soldier for the Lord — Patrick.
Also, here is a joke, that might be an ice breaker today as you build bridges to people so you can touch them with Jesus’ love as you relate to them:
Why do leprecauns carry shamrocks?
Because real rocks are too heavy!
Vance

Numbers 24:1-25:18 + Luke 2:1-35 + Psalm 59:1-17 + Proverbs 11:14
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 24 we read about Balaam’s prophecies!  Verse 17 is thought to be prophetic of Jesus: “I see him, but not in the present time.  I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.”  Tyndale’s commentary today suggests that the star rising from Jacob may be the prophecy that convinced the wise men to travel to Israel in search of the newborn Jesus.  Here’s an image of Balaam prophesying over Israel’s camp:  (and of course Balak looking horrified over this blessing that Balaam is giving)

And just when it looks like Balaam was turning out to be maybe not so bad in chapter 24… we get to chapter 25…  In chapter 25 we read about Israel’s sin in worshiping Baal and their sexual immorality.  What we don’t find out until Numbers chapter 31 verse 16 is that Balaam was the principal instigator of the idea of leading Israel toward this sexual sin & idolatry: “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD’s people.” Revelation chapter 2 verse 14 also refers to Balaam’s hand in the incidents that took place: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.”  Reading about these incidents in chapter 25 today – do you think people today still live in this tension of serving God versus being seduced by idols?  What saves us from this tension?

Bob Deffinbaugh’s take on Chapter 25 and Balaam’s behind the scenes work is at Bible.org at this link and leads off with, “Balaam’s Advice: “If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em!”” is at this link.

New Testament – Okay, any fans out there of Charlie Brown’s Christmas Special recognize anything here from Luke chapter 2?? 🙂  Yes, indeed, Linus’ speech to Charlie Brown about the meaning of Christmas comes straight from the KJV of this chapter, Luke 2:8-14.

One thing that seems to be standing out to me quite a bit in reading Luke this year is how much Luke writes about Mary.   I like how Luke gives us a little bit more of a glimpse of the mother of Jesus in his Gospel.  We saw this obviously in our readings 2 days ago about the Magnificat.  And then today we read about Mary listening to the shepherds’ words in verse 19: “Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.”  And then in verses 34 & 35 today we read: “Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.””  This last sentence of Simeon’s seems to be the first glimpse of Jesus’ suffering and death that will come later in his life….  Here’s a nice image of Simeon holding Jesus:

Bible.org commentary on Luke chapter 2 titled “The Birth of the Messiah” is at this link, and “Acclamations of the Birth of Christ” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 59 has some powerful imagery of the “night of danger” in verse 14 and the “morning of deliverance” in verse 16 – “But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love.”  I like that thought – shouting for joy each morning because of God’s unfailing love.  I pray that in some way I “shout” for joy each morning because of God’s love.  How about you?  Do you in some way “shout” for joy each morning because of God?

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verse 14 teaches us today: “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” This is a great teaching that it is wise to seek the counsel of others!  Whether it is a nation or in our own lives, this is wise advice.  We can’t figure it all out on our own.  We need many others in our lives to help counsel us along The Way.  We certainly need the Bible to help counsel us along The Way…

YouTube: Based on my reference above to Linus telling Charlie Brown about the true meaning of Christmas in Luke Chapter 2, here’s the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eff0cqYefYY

Do you know the true meaning of Christmas? Click here for your Christmas today!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will treasure all of the Words of Scripture that you are reading this year and that you will often ponder the Word in your heart.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Proverb today, do you have advisers in your life today?  Are there times that you try to figure things out just on your own rather than consulting advisers?  Which way works better?  Has the counsel of advisers in your life ever changed how you might have approached a situation on your own?  If you don’t have advisers in your life, do you think you should?  Where do you think you can find wise advisers these days?  In church?  In a small group?  In a Bible study?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 24-25:18
I hear it in the Book of Psalms, I hear it from the mouth of Jesus, I hear it from the writings of the Apostle Paul and now I hear it from the mouth of a false prophet,
Romans 8:
30 And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].
31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] (AMP)
Why do I continue to get nervous, fret and worry when things seem to be against me and mine. Although this is about Israel, the nation, this is for Israel the Spiritual nation. God has my back. Yet I am aware that it is one thing to say it, study it in the scriptures; however it is another to get what’s being rationalized in the head to be aligned with what is going on in the heart. Ramona, hear the Words of God and BELIEVE!!
Luke 2:1-35
I don’t think that Joseph had to by law take Mary with him when he went to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. I’m not sure how a census was done in the Roman Empire, but I know that females were not counted in Jewish census. So it is all the more compelling that you would have a ninth mouth pregnant going on a trip with her husband to participate in something she was not going to be a part of. It is hard enough traveling back and forth to work, when one’s time is so near. Yet Mary traveled over rocky terrain to go with her husband. At nine months most woman don’t walk they waddle over a smooth walking surface, imagine traveling over the rocky landscape of the Middle East, of Israel 2,000 years ago.
But this was no extraordinary journey that just happened to place Mary in Bethlehem at the right time. God ordained this. But I don’t think Mary woke up one mourning and said, “Hey! Joseph is going down to Bethlehem you better go with him so you can have the Messiah in Bethlehem as foretold by the prophets.” She did this because she was led by the spirit to do this. Mike mentioned yesterday about being inconvenienced and that inconvenience being a blessing, a lifesaver, fulfilling the plan and purpose of God, through the Word of God. What a blessing!
O, to stop and take a look back at some of the detours on the way to living our lives and discovering that our life was either saved or that we only really began to live life because we were “detoured” along the way.
Psalm 59:1-17
These Psalms of David where he shares the mental anguish of being pursued and reviled by people he thought where his friends, have one thing in common: In the midst of fear, doubts, threats and weariness, David always praises God despite what’s going on all around him. A sacrifice should be something you value highly and offer up to be totally consumed. Our praise is something of value, the fruit of our lips, a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving when we don’t feel like praising and when our thoughts scream out, “You have nothing to be thankful about.”
These Psalms were surly written to be used as examples for us to see that our victory over our circumstances is not based on our mental strategies but is founded in our praise to God. Can I get an Amen??
Proverbs 11:14
A Proverb that reminds us why we need to prayer for a National Leaders, no matter how much personal integrity a leader has, it is important that they are surrounded by godly men and woman. Worldly wisdom is not enough because that wisdom is foolishness to God.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Micah Girl:

Ps 59: 11 Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons;
       stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees,
       O Lord our shield.
What a powerful prayer. Don’t kill ’em, Lord, stagger them with Your power! I will have to remember that.
Micah Girl

======= Karyn:

More simple this morning, the reading that I felt in my very soul has to do with Mary treasuring the things spoken to her in her soul, and the image of her sitting quietly, pondering the miracle taking place both inside her own body as well as externally in world. I remember those early days of love, when I kept silent regardng things my late husband and I shared, or the spiritual times, when a verse would leap out at me and I would bath in it before sharing it and why it meant so much to me with anyone.
It is a reminder to me to hide God’s word in my heart for those times when I need to be reminded of His great love for me, especially as a young widow and now single parent. I need to ponder His words silently, directing my mind and spirit back to them often. Great choice of readings all around today for my tired spirit!!!
Karyn

======= Edward:

Num 22:21-35 – Why did God send an angel to kill Balaam when God earlier permitted Balaam to go with the men the second time round? Balaam knew that the intentions of the princes of Moab was to ask him to curse Israel and he knew that cursing Israel will displease God but at the same time his heart was drawn to the princes and possible benefits. However Balaam still consulted God the second time even though he already knew the answer because God’s mind does not change, so God permitted Balaam to go with the princes but to speak only what God tells him to. Balaam’s heart was not right because he was more drawn to the princes rather than obedient to God. Do we seek to please men or God? Are we after material rewards from what men can offer or do we obey the voice of God. God may permit us to do as we please but it may result in destruction if we go too far out of His will. Sometimes another person to discuss is better because they may be able to see clearer or at least pray through with you, in this case it was Balaam’s own donkey that saw the danger earlier which preserved Balaam’s life.
Edward

======= Luch:

I love the way Luke writes. There is a sense of ‘this is true…this really happened.’ Last night we were regaled on TV again about the lost tomb of Jesus. I am so glad that we have a presence of Jesus that just won’t go away. You and I and the world cannot escape the Lord Jesus. His brith affected everything for the better. I went to Chatpers (canadian version of barnes and nobles) and I saw again our bookshelves sagging with books mostly good but some not so good about Jesus. He’s still in the consciousness of people. Maybe God can use OYBers to bring even greater clarity by our way of life that hopefully is the way of Jesus.
Luch

======= Ramona:

Thoughts on Today’s Reading
Unbelievers, pretenders can get a Word from God, but that doesn’t make them “righteous.” I have been given “a word” by people who I knew out right were into the occult because they were out in the street standing in front of their “palm reading” shops as I walked by. Yet, there are pretenders who operate out of what the Bible calls “familiar spirits,” spirits who know your history because they have hung ‘round your family, hiding out in the Church. They cloak themselves with the “appearance of …,” like Balaam.
Jesus called these pretenders out when he spoke this:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV).
I am so grateful that Mike was led to create a “space” on the WEB devoted to and focused on reading through the Bible. Fully knowing God’s Word and making it a systematic study is the only way we will be able to identify the pretenders in our midst. Identifying them is truly essential for our spiritual and natural lives.
Reading the first verse of chapter 24 stunned me,
By now Balaam realized that the LORD intended to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as he often did. (24:1 NLT). His previous failed attempts to “curse” Israel, which turned into a blessing had been by “divination,” and everything he had stated that was recorded in the previous chapters was all true none of it was inspired by God!
In the twenty-fifth chapter, not everyone in the assembly participated in the worshiping of the gods of Moab, yet the entire assembly was tainted by the sin of a few. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the “yeast” of the Pharisees: that small amount of “yeast” that causes the entire batch to rise. Also, note that Moab was Israel’s relatives. She was the descendents of Abraham’s nephew Lot. Do you think they approached Israel by using that blood relationship to tear down Israel’s defensives? Have you ever had a relative use “family” tradition and relationship to do something you knew God said was a sin in the name of family unity? I have and yes, I fell into the trap to keep the peace. After all this is “family.” Did I live to regret it? Yes indeed.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Emily:

Yes Ramona even the best wisdom is useless if it is not applied to life. Its not enough to read the Word of God but it must be applied to and concern your life, your relations, your work ethics, principles, issues of scial justice etc.
This brings me into an interesting contrast with Catholicism.Some Protestants are sometimes so into Catholic bashing that it beomes their logo, ”Salvation by faith and grace alone” Trouble with this is that it can be interpreted negatively, which all Christians should guard against. Epistle of James is an interesting read that emphasises the importance of works, doing good, living out your faith.
On this theme I remember a nice quote, ”Our worth is determined by the good deeds we do rather than the fine emotions we feel.”
But of course negative side of ”Works” is as useless, i.e. salvation through sacraments, confessions, alms-giving (to THE CHURCH). You know what I mean!
May God make our faith firm and give us the grace and strength to live out our faith.
Emily

======= Jenny:

hmm, Balaam is one confusing guy!.. thats all i can say.
I really like Luke, and wow, now we get to the birth of our Messiah. awesome! i cant even image the honor of being alive back in those days, to see Jesus for myself like Simeon. wow, what an amazing blessing!
In Ps v 9-10 stood out for me: “You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.”
I was kinda confused regarding v. 11, “dont kill them” then in v 13 he says: “destroy them…wipe them out.” had to get out my study bible, which said;
“The psalmist thinks that if the Lord were destroy the wicked too quickly, the lesson of God’s hatred of evil might not be impressed on the minds of the people.”
Honestly, i kinda wish i lived in a day or place where i had more persecution. we have it too easy here, which is a blessing on one hand, we have freedom to worship, but is it really a blessing? i think where there is persecution, the power of the spirit is stronger. like in muslim countries where believers in christ are persecuted so much, the nonbelievers are more apt to turn to christ because they see these martyrs who’s faith is so strong thye are willing to die for it and it stirs ppl’s hearts. I’ve had a few messages from randon ppl i dont know on myspace who mock my belief in the Lord and my reliance on Him, it really fires me up! It gives me such a zeal for God, my faith in God is strengthened so much and I feel a fire and passion for God so strongly. of course, i’m not comparing being mocked the same as real extreme persecution, but i think its an honor. So many beleivers are lukewarm in America (and i’m sure other places) bcos its deemed a “christian nation’ which we know is absolutely false! Like in Acts, the people were arrested for filling the streets with the gospel of Jesus Christ…what an honor! Mostly ppl here nowadays just tend to be of the mind, you found the way thats right for you, thats good. good for you.
well, thinking of ppl like Joseph, he was trusted and given high authority tho potapher didnt believe, he knew jospeh was wise and that God was with him. Then you have paul who was thrown into prison for his faith, singing praises, the more he was persecuted, the more fire and passon he had! I think a lot of us need more fire and passion! Not sure where that tangent came from, but, there you go! haha.
Concerning advisors, it depends on the situation whether i try to figure it out on my own (seeking the lord of course) vs going to others. i do have trusted advisors, my dad, my best friend, my other godly friends who are rooted in the word, my aunt, etc. i have spoken with pastors over issues…it depends on the issue.
Its funny bcos i will often call my best friend for advice for an issue and as i’m telling her the issue and seeking her advice, i hear myself saying it and the Lord speaks to me through my own words…just recently i was upset over something, called her up, was explaining the situation and while i was, God already revealed my heart to me! So i knew the right thing to do before she even said anything.
but if its a larger issue, i will solicit counsel from ppl who are firmly established in the word, who know scripture and are unbiased (not gonna just favor with me cause i’m their friend, but are gonna favor with the Lord!), who know not to tell me wat they think i want to hear. what i need to hear is the truth! I want to be told when I’m wrong! i really do! i find very few ppl who will! ppl are scared of hurting me, but i cherish the wounds of a friend if it is from God’s wisdom they speak. (not from their flesh…if its from the flesh, i wont receive it, i can tell the difference). My dad is one…he wont ‘spare’ me feelings, he’ll tell me when i’m out of line and i need that!! we all do! theres my other tangent today, haha.
I’m loving Gods word, cant wait for the next readings. Praise God!!!
Jenny

======= Mae:

Hi Everybody,
I have a busy weekend coming up; we’re going preaching the Gospel on the streets tomorrow (wooh hoo!!! Pray for us!!!), followed by a great evening in church hosted by our brothers and sisters from Breda and Sunday is a special day when my husband and parents will be baptised, praise the Lord for that!
So … preperation is needed, I’m busy right as we speak. I only have the afternoon, cause tonight we have the Bible study at my house … sooooooooooo … I’m going now!
I will be doing the readings, but it’s just too busy to take time to sit behind my computer and comment.
Have a wonderful weekend everybody!!!
In Christ,
Mae

======== Skip:

Wow…I can’t believe that I’m the only one to post today!
Several versus stood out to me today. The first is Numbers 24:9, “…Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” I can’t help to think about how the United States has always backed Israel and how much we as a nation have been blessed. It bothers me that some of our leaders are now talking about not backing Israel. Don’t they know that if we do not back Israel; we will no longer be blessed? I fear what will happen in this country the day we no longer support Israel. Our nation is in bad shape with His blessing. What will it be like without it?
Psalm 59:9-10, 17 also stood out. 9 You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. 10 In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.” I find myself pray more often for Jesus to rescue me from this world. I truly feel as if I don’t belong here and actually I don’t. I belong to Jesus and therefore I am not of this world. His unfailing love does stand by me and in the end I know that He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. Versus 17 O my strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. I praise God for being my refuge in this world and for always loving me, know matter what.
Luke 2:34-35 has always stood out to me. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul. Jesus has caused many to fall and He has been a wonderful joy to others, including me. I don’t know how people live without Jesus in their life? When you read the newspapers and watch the news there are so many people opposed to Christianity. There are so many false teachings out there and what is very sad is that so many people are so ignorant of the Word that they believe anything they hear or anything that makes them feel good. I pray that God will allow me to spread the Word to others and to bring many to follow Him. But I find that I’m not very good at doing that so all I can do is to try to live like Christ and pray that other people notice it and mimic me.
Yours in Christ
Skip

======= Elizabeth:

Hello,
Just checking in to say that I am STILL in Numbers 15–not Leviticus, as I said the other day ; ) I guess was having Leviticus flashbacks!!
Anyway, been a rough handful of days here. Just hanging on to Him,
Elizabeth

======= Chris:

9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.
It’s been a wonderful day meditating on these words. I think of how Moses’ face shone when he was in the presence of the LORD, and wonder how the shepherds may have looked as “the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them” … once they got over their terrified feelings, that is. I doubt I’d be able to stand in the presence of His glory … and the joy would go from ear to ear.
Chris

======= Steve:

Numbers 24:1-25:18
Numbers Chapter 24 and 25 are powerful chapters outlining God’s unchangeable faithfulness and mans fickleness and proneness to wander. See Mikes link to the commentary by Bob Deffinbaugh, it’s a great read. Here we see the two main characters (Phinehas and Balaam) and they are as different as night and day. Balaam is a prophet that knows much about God but doesn’t actually intimately know God and Phinehas who is a faithful godly man that knows God intimately.
Balak (King of the Midianites) is rich and powerful and he offers Balaam great wealth if he can successfully curse the Israelites because he knows God is their strength and if he can somehow drive a wedge between them and God then he can destroy them. Balaam wants the reward but can’t curse the Israelites because he realizes that God is protecting these people from harm from any outsiders. Finally Balaam comes up with a plan in which he can curse the Israelites and get his reward. Knowing that God is faithful and protecting the Israelites from outsiders he devises a plan to attack the Israelites from the inside by using the Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men sexually by enticing them into worshipping other gods though sexual rituals.
This is why Christ said that it only takes a little leaven to leaven the whole lump. The attack on the Israelites launched by Balak and Balaam was so subtle that it crept in and like yeast it just grew until its presence got bigger and bigger right under the noses of the Israelites. No one stepped up as a leader to put a stop to the sin which was being tolerated until Phinehas stepped out of the shadows and lead the Israelites away from their compromised morals.
I love going through the bible with a daily reading plan, it keeps me aware of my own softness to sin and makes me realize that I need to be like Pinehas, step out of the shadows and take action against the sin in my own life.
I loved this quote by Bob Deffinbaugh “Immorality is deadly, so let us deal with it as a deadly disease. Let us not pamper it or protect it, but let us root it out with all diligence.”
Steve

======== Frederick:

Numbers 24:1
1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
Why Balaam turned his face toward the wilderness? Wasn’t it because he knew God would bless Israelites and so he turned toward the wilderness so that God’s words did not fall on him to bless the Israelites?
Frederick

======= Billy:

Thanks Mike !! I’m a huge fan of Linus’s speech in Charlie Brown’s Christmas. How wonderful !! Praise the Lord !!
Billy

======= Duane:

Sad,but true, I believe ther have been times where I avoided wise council in order to do what I wanted. I knew in my heart that what I was wanting was wrong, yet I continued down that road. Believe me I paid a heavy price for going agaist the council of God. The scripture yesterday, revealed to me how I need a talking donkey in my life.Jesus prayed,”Father ,not my will but your will be done”. When we examined whats really in our hearts, sometimes you may not like what you see. But thats whats grat about God’s word, it reveals the innermost workings of the real you, and God is wanting to lead us out into the place where we ulimately trust and obey .
Duane

======= Janet:

A couple years ago, someone (probably heard it on my local Moody Christian radio station) pointed out a really cool thing in Linus’ speech to Charlie Brown. As he is quoting from Luke:
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Now get this: when he says “Fear not” he lets go of his security blanket! Go ahead, go back and watch and see!
Amazing isn’t it?
I think that is just so great!
I’m pretty sure that was planned on purpose. There are other scenes featuring Linus’ blanket to also ponder.
I love the fact that millions (believers and non-believers) have watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” every year since 1965. 1965! (my eighth year on earth and it would be at least 8 more years until I got to see A Charlie Brown Christmas in color). I have never heard any complaints about this program being aired, despite the fact it includes Christian scripture. Yay for Charles Schulz! YAY for JESUS!
Now, I personally really need to work on letting go of the importance of so many earthly things and truly surrender myself to the Lord. Nobody ever said claiming Jesus as Lord and Savior would be easy. There is surely something to that camel-going-through-the- eye-of-a-needle passage.
OK, since we didn’t get a song today (got Linus’ clip instead, which is totally a good thing) here’s one:
https://youtu.be/rBZiPRPogn0?si=OeQ7BgIWytEVuEGV
Janet

========= Joyce:

Mike,
Thank you for sharing in yesterday’s reading in Numbers that: “A donkey laying down and starting to talk is inconvenient to Balaam. But, this talking donkey saved Balaam from an angel with a sword in hand that Balaam could not see… perhaps ‘inconveniences’ in our life today are saving us from a bad situation.”
In today’s reading in Luke 2:1-35, as Ramona shared, for Mary to travel with Joseph to Bethlehem, when she is about to give birth, would be an ‘inconvenience’.
Not to mention, that while at Bethlehem, there was no lodging available for them – another inconvenience.
Yet, Ramona, like you said, all these inconveniences were fulfilling the plan and purpose of God. So they are actually blessings! How true.
How easy it is for us to feel frustrated at inconveniences.
It’s a blessing to be reminded that God’s good purposes may be behind them.
Sincerely,
Joyce

======= Pat:

I’ll share something with you that you who don’t live in KY might not know even though it was touched on in the national news. An elementary school in Johnson County put on the Charlie Brown Christmas play but banned the line “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord.” because of its desire to separate church and state which the law requires. This so enraged the parents and community that when it came time for that line the student paused and members of the audience stood up and shouted it. Our General Assembly is now in session and they have already passed a law which will allow schools to put on plays such as this in its entirety without leaving out lines that may have a religious emphasis. I’m so proud of the people in Johnson County and our General Assembly for standing up and taking the action that they did!
Pat

======= Robert:

Luke 2:1-38
Every time I read this scripture by Luke I get reminded of the manger. Luke says it 3 times to suggests its importance. A manger was primarily used for the livestock to come and eat from. In the same way the Lord is represented for us to come and receive nourishment.
Our church has tried to do an outdoor live nativity play every year for about the last 20 years. We have preformed in -40 to it raining cats and dogs. This weather always sheds a new perspective of that remarkable event. Afterward everyone gathers in the church for hot chocolate and sing-a-long. That warmth and fellowship spreads nicely into the community. The only thing stopped us this year was Covid. (Another perspective!).
Robert

======= Mitch:

OT – Balaam could not curse Israel (God would not allow those words in his mouth), and in the end prophesied the end of the different “ites”. BUT according to 2Peter, Jude, and Revalation – Balaam did offer up a plan to disrupt the Israelite contingent. His plan was send in the pagan women, let them bring food (more varied than manna), and get Israelites to worship false god (Baal). Why did Balaam do this – maybe to protect his life and/or to keep the treasure he was paid.
It worked. Why? Because the pleasures of the world are a temptation to us all, and some (if not many) will succumb. In the end, at this judgment by God – 24,000 died. About 1% of the camp. In America that 1% would be about 3 Million people. It would shake us up, as I am sure it shook up the Israelites.
NT – Three things:
– Luke says more about Mary than other gospels. Why? Probably because she was one of the witnesses Luke interviewed before writing Gospel.
– Angels did not sing before the shepherds – the Greek word is “lego” meaning “said” these things.
– Mary went with Joseph because in her village/town she was not viewed kindly. They ended up living in Bethlehem, fled to Egypt, and settled in out of the way Nazareth (not their home town) a place Joseph could work out of as Roman building projects were going on nearby.
My ?: The shepherds told all the people what angels said – they were amazed? For how long? They seemed to forget about this Messiah pretty quickly. My take is just like today the news cycle passed. Go by and look at this baby every day, and nothing special happens. BORING! Let’s move on – NEXT! Do we do that – get hyped over Jesus for a period of time, nothing much happens, and we just move on to a different idol?
Mitch

======= Dee:

I love the sweet Charlie Brown story! That is what it’s all about! The gospel! The Savior of the World! I do have advisors, I seek the Lord, I trust in the Holy Spirit, my pastor, my husband, a former headmaster at a school I worked at, a dear mama friend. Many God has given me to lead, guide me and help me in this journey I call life and I am forever grateful!
Be blessed
Dee

======= John:

Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” NIV
I had always thought this to be ‘peace on earth and good will to men’.
Which seems to have come from the KJV. I think the NIV and other translations are closer.
Bob Deffingbaugh says:
“In men of good pleasure (His)” “Good pleasure” is eudokia and means “good will, favor.” It developed two significant uses: (1) favorable and sovereign disposition, grace, unmerited favor, and (2) will, volition or freedom of choice. The Arminian would stress “will, volition, human responsibility,” and the Calvinist the sovereign disposition of God’s grace. Of course Scripture teaches both.
God has chosen, in His Son, to provide peace, salvation in men. What kind of men? Men of His good pleasure. Those who have responded to and received His grace work in Jesus Christ.
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=982
There is certainly not “peace on earth”, unless it is the peace brought to one by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. It is the peace – that you are no longer at war with God (referred to in Romans). It is also the calmness of heart that comes with knowing you are one in the Body of Christ.
In that case the non-KJV translations make more sense in that the people who experiance that are “believers” – the ones who find favor with God.
John

======= John:

Numbers 24
So far Balaam seems to be doing OK. He keeps blessing Israel. Can a non-believer speak with words from the Lord? Judas certainly acted in the power of the Holy Spirit granted by Christ, and Caiaphas in John 11:49-52 also spoke the divinely inspired Words of God.
Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
“He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
So, it is not a given here that Balaam is a believing prophet of God.
======================================================
Again Balaam blesses Israel – and before heading home throws in some bonus oracles, which were pretty damning to the Moabites and their crew. So everybody parts company.
But Balaam comes up with another idea. If I can’t get God to curse them – maybe we can get the Israelites themselves to anger God.
Rev 2:14 says it most clearly –
“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.” NIV
Also Num 31:16
“They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD’s people.” NIV
[also referenced in Jude and 2Peter2:15]
So it is pretty clear the strategy of the Moabites in Numbers25 had its origin and instructions from Balaam. Why did Balaam do this? Balaam knew firsthand how God felt about the tribes, and he knew the curses from God that fell on those that tried to curse God’s people.
Balaam’s heart was not right and never was – Balaam wanted the wealth, glory and power. Judas wanted a revolt against the Romans – neither cared of the consequences to God’s people or to God Himself. It was about them. The result of Balaams advice we will see in Num 25, and the result to Balaam?
Num 31:8b
“They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.”
‘What good does it do to gain the world and lose your soul’.
You do not try to destroy God’s people or betray God without consequences – both Balaam and Judas found that out – but too late for their souls.
John

======= John:

Numbers 25
Balaam’s plan: Use the attractive Moabite Women to invite the Israelite men to dinner and to worship with them. “worship” of these pagan gods involved sexual orgies right under the cliffs where Balaam had given a blessing on Israel.
[NOTE: The parallel between the forst generation of Israelites and the second. The first generation worshipped the golden calf and were in naked revelry at the foot of Mt. Sinai. the second generation was falling into the same pattern – man is corrupt – and easily prey to enticements of the world – (chosen or not).]
God got mad.
(Hosea 9:10) “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.
His instructions are a point of controversy. If God instructed Moses to have the leaders of tribes killed – Moses did not do that. Is that why God acted with a plague? Because Moses disobeyed or watered down God’s instructions??? There is no starting point indicated – but the “weeping of the “whole” congregation must be related to the plague – where 24,000 died.
======================================================
Phineas
It was so bad that Zimri – the son of a leader brought a Midianite woman, Cozbi, right past the whole assembly of Israel to his families tent. In fact it was not the whole assembly as Zimri’s family was apparently in the tent.
Phineas got a spear and killed the two with one thrust – they were close to each other. By the act of one man, Israel was spared the continuance of the plague. (By the act of one man, Jesus, we can be spared eternal death.) By the shedding of blood – atonement was made before God – and the plague stopped. (By the shedding of Christ’s blood we are given the opportunity to have eternal life.)
Phineas, for his zeal for God and his act of atonement for Israel would receive a “lasting priesthood” for Phineas and his descendants. (Christ who zealously undertook the plan of God for man’s salvation and made atonement for the world is our everlasting High Priest.)
Once Israelites are atoned for, God turns His attention to the instigators. He instructs Moses to wage war on the Midianites (as they were in with the Moabites in Balaam’s plan.)
======================================================
“One last thing I have not mentioned. Standing behind Balaam and his plan to destroy the covenant was Satan. And, Satan tries to do the same thing today that he did with Israel. Satan, in other words, still lures and tempts and entices and seduces with the sins of the flesh. Satan still tries to destroy the people of God.
But, we don’t have to fear. We don’t have to fear because we have someone stronger and better than Phinehas. That someone is the Lord Jesus. In shedding His own blood He made atonement once for all times for all sins.” – Rev. Adrian Dieleman – Trinity Christian Reformed Church
John

======= Vance:

TO CONTROL OR NOT TO CONTROL: THAT IS THE QUESTION
Numbers 24 (NKJV)
1
Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, HE DID NOT GO AS AT OTHER TIMES, TO SEEK TO USE SORCERY, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2
And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
Note the meaning of the following words from the Miriam Webster online dictionary:
SORCERY: “the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits especially for divining.”
Sorcery is related to the word Necromancy. NECROMANCY: “conjuration of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events.”
~~~
In today’s “modern” society, it might be easy to think that there is no way that what Balaam did connects with what people do today.
Yet, spiritism, occultism, New Age philosophy, witches, and warlocks are on the rise in American society as they have been in Europe for many years.
Even if no one reading this is directly involved in any of these precise activities, note that Balaam was trying to influence the Lord—to gain control over the Lord—through sorcery.
How many times have you and I, deep inside, wanted to control life and to control God (not that this is possible) so we could have the life which we consider “the perfect life”?
The issue of control is rooted in fear. Yet, the key issue of the Christian faith is not trying to keep or gain control. Rather, the Lord Jesus requires precisely GIVING UP CONTROL.
Matthew 10 (NKJV) – Jesus speaking
34
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
36
and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’[ quoting Micah 7:6 ]
37
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39
He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
NOTE:
The Lord Jesus requires that we give up control to find life. The “seed” analogy seems to have been a favorite picture that Jesus used. A seed, if it refuses to die as a seed will never become the tree that God planned.
In order to God’s full purposes to occur—and for the fullness of what you and I were meant to be to happen—we must die to ourselves. Jesus must be first. Our love for the Lord Jesus should be that even others in our families are jealous of our love for the Lord, so that BY COMPARISON our deep love for family appears like hate when placed next to our love for the Lord.
The rich young ruler was given the same choice. He, like many of us, chose to keep the “control” of having money as his security. Yet, the Lord Jesus told Peter what would have happened if the rich young ruler—or any one of us—would have gained by giving up human control.
Giving up our controls ENABLES US TO HAVE THE RICHNESS OF GOD’S BLESSINGS—in this life and in the next. And, of course, people will not like our bright shining love for Jesus, and they will persecute us for it.
Following the Lord Jesus will truly cost us everything—but loving the Lord Jesus will truly enable us to have everything of God’s best for us.
See Jesus’ response to Peter after the rich young ruler kept his “control”.
Mark 10 (NKJV)
28
Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29
So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30
who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
31
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Vance

Numbers 22:21-23:30 + Luke 1:57-80 + Psalm 58:1-11 + Proverbs 11:12-13
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Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 22 we read about Balaam’s talking donkey! Yes, this is a very unique portion of scripture, and, yes, one we can learn from. In verses 27 & 28 we read: “When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”  There is a lot going on in the verses leading up to this point, and in the verses thereafter – which you can study more at this link . I think one thing for us to pay attention to here is how we are sometimes saved from a bad situation by what at first glance appears to be an “inconvenience.” A donkey laying down and starting to talk is inconvenient to Balaam. But, this talking donkey saved Balaam from an angel with a sword in hand that Balaam could not see. Are there perhaps “inconveniences” in your life today that are maybe saving you from a bad situation? Or, do you recognize inconveniences in the past that saved you from a bad situation? I know I have. If my car breaks down or I get sick or I miss a flight – all inconveniences – I try to remind myself that it might just be possible that this inconvenience was meant to be. It may have saved me from something much worse happening. The inconvenience – the “talking donkey” – may have actually saved me from something I could not see. Keep your eyes open for inconvenient “talking donkeys” in your life 🙂 – and praise God for them when they appear! Here’s Rembrandt’s take on Balaam’s talking donkey from the year 1626:

Bible.org commentary on Balaam in chapters 22 & 23 is at this link.

New Testament – I love Zechariah’s prophecy in today’s readings in Luke chapter 1!  In particular verses 76-79 when speaking about his son John the Baptist: “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.””  Amen!  Below is Leonardo Da Vinci’s portrait of John the Baptist from the year 1516:

Bible.org’s commentary on our readings in Luke today titled “Why John Was Not Named ‘Little Zach'” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 58 verse 11 stood out to me today – “”There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.””  I think this is wise for us to remember that God indeed judges.  We don’t.  We shouldn’t.  But God indeed judges justly.  This verse also brings up the question – are we living for God?  If so, what will our reward be?  Are you looking forward to the reward?

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verses 12 & 13 today talk about how foolish it is to belittle a neighbor or gossip about others.  I have to admit – these verses are convicting to me today – as I’ve been doing this recently.  It makes me sad to realize that I have, but I have.  I pray that instead of me thinking I am so righteous that I can talk behind someone’s back that I will instead remain silent.  I pray for silence upon my tongue when it comes to gossip or belittling others…

Worship Video: Today’s Psalm reminds me of the Matthew West song “Only Grace:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_4pMBU58e8

Have you experienced God’s grace? Click here for Grace!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will trust God completely. Pray that you will see God’s promises made and promises kept in the Bible this year, and in your life.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on my reflections in Numbers today, have you ever had any “talking donkey” experiences in your life?  An experience that at first glance was a huge inconvenience to you, but in retrospect was an incredible blessing from God?  Basically, have you ever had a blessing in disguise?  Do you think God still can use “talking donkey” experiences in our lives today to get our attention?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 22:21-23:30
A talking donkey, a mad false prophet who keeps sacrificing a lot of sheep and bulls ‘cause he’s trying to “get paid,” and revelations from God about His blessings and favor on Israel. This is a very fast moving read today.
The verse that speaks to me iis the 19th verse in chapter 23,
19 God is not a man, that he should lie.
He is not a human, that he should change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
God is telling us that He can be trusted, that His Word is His bond. He doesn’t have to be manipulated, He doesn’t care how many bull and sheep you burn up His Word doesn’t change.
Luke 1:57-80
How do you explain to people God has named your baby? You are foregoing tradition in naming your male child a name that no other mail in your family has had. The child’s father cannot speak and his mother is an old woman. But when the father in writing confirms the child’s name, the man who was mute for nine months now can suddenly speak. Ya know that God is up to something.
This speaks to me about getting out of “the box.” This speaks to me about looking past traditions, the traditions of men, the traditions of cultural and ethnic groups and finding the will of God outside of the box.
Psalm 58:1-11
Imprecatory prayers written by David can be prayed when we think we are facing enemies. God can take any situation that seems to the observer, impossible and change it around making a way where there seem to be no way. David knew about this first hand because He escaped from his adversary, King Saul, many times.
Proverbs 11:12-13
These two verses immediately brought to my mind another passage in Proverbs 26 (Amp) I’m not sure why.
22 The words of a whisperer or slanderer are like dainty morsels or words of sport [to some, but to others are like deadly wounds]; and they go down into the innermost parts of the body [or of the victim’s nature].
23 Burning lips [uttering insincere words of love] and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel covered with the scum thrown off from molten silver [making it appear to be solid silver].
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Annie:

I wonder if Zechariah understood what he prophesied – or if it was just a divine moment where he spewed out these words that the Spirit gave him… but he didn’t fully grasp…. Fun to think about- does anyone have any ideas on this?
Annie

======= Ramona:

Hey Annie,
I’m not sure if this is the same thing but I’ve spoken things to people, some I didn’t know, and after I said what ever I said, I couldn’t remember what I said.
I also have a friend who has said things to me that were answers to prayers or questions I had been thinking about. When I asked him to explain or elaborate, he looks at me quizzically ’cause he doesn’t remember what he said. But I sure did.
Ramona

========= Beryl:

Hi, its beryl
todays psalm has just the prayer I need:-
I am asking the Lord to break the fangs of this cancer, may it disappear like water on thirsty ground.
Replace “cancer” with the name of your or your loved ones illnesses.
I agree with Mike about the inconveniences of life sometimes being the Lords protection and help.
God bless your day
Beryl

======= Luch:

This story of the talking donkey is one of those very unique times in Bible history where you just sit back, take a deep breath, and say, “I guess it really happened, just as it says, and one leans hard on 2 Timothy 3:16 “ALL Scripture is inspired…” including this story. Like John Ortberg says in his old testament journey, “chalk this one up to “What’s up with that?”
Luch

====== Andrew:

There is a lot today about speaking the word God gives and keeping silent when it is wise.
Psalm 58
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
And the verses from Proverbs.
But I am convicted by these verses from the story of Balaam:
Num 22:38 “I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
Num 23:12 “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
There are times when I say or write stuff that is not driven by the Spirit, but by my mind. It may seem clever, it may sound good. It will score points. So the fingers fly over the keyboard, or the tongue wags.
On the other hand, I believe Jesus has saved me, the Spirit of God is dwelling in me, I am part of the Body of Christ, we are on a mission and there are times when the Lord puts things in my mind, on my heart, in my mouth to be said. And I doubt. (Like Zechariah before Gabriel). And there is silence where the Word of God should be heard. Or there are muffled, garbled thoughts where there should be light and clarity.
Andrew

======= Peggy:

In todays reading of Proverbs 11 12 & 13 really spoke to me. I am doing a bible study and todays reading was about bridling your tongue . I to am quilty of talking about others and reponding in a angry tongue. I have prayed that God will help me to control my tongue. To be so little It is a very powerful tool, that can destroy some one. Thank you for this reading today. Have a Blessed day.
Peggy

======= Laura:

RE The Topic of Gossip:
I really believe that the verses in James which talk about the danger of an unbridled tongue are right on the money. James chapter 3 speaks of taming the tongue. Starting in verse 3 it says “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4, Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are dirven by strong winds, they are streered by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot wants to go. 5, Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6, The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7, All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9, With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likness. 10, Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11, Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12, My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grape vine bear figs: Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water”.
I don’t know about you but I see myself in these verses. They are very convicting. I’ve seen employees get fired, marriages fall apart and church’s split and a lot of feeling that have been hurt which have affected the course of history. All as a result of harsh and cruel words spoken by another or vicious gossip. The same mouth that can tell someone you love them can also tell them you hate them. I think we can all relate to these verses in James. We need to ask God for help daily to control our tongue, especially myself.
There are references to gossip in the old testiment:(NIV) Exodus 23:1 Do no spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Psalms 57:4 I am in the midst of lions, I lie among ravenous beasts ,men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. And in Proverbs 25:18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
In the new testament in 2Thessalonians 3:11-12. It seems idleness is to blame for busybodies. 11,”We hear that some among you are Idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12, Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat”.
Doesn’t this speak to the Welfare society who have too much time in their hands? Time which is not spent for constructive purposes. So many lessons from these valuable scriptures.
Laura

======= Anka:

It’s amazing how Balak wants to try to fool God into cursing his own people..or fool Balaam into cursing God’s people.I’ve not yet been able to read the commentary on Balaam but I sure am looking forward to it.God says NO…but the devil still tries to go around looking for a way around God’s perfectly sealed way.His word is truth(the way things really are)anything contrary is a lie…How I wish I really could grab a tight hold of that in my heart…
In the today’s world of fighting and misunderstanding…I’m sure it’s strange to have people(who don’t even know each other) pull together in love and fight…My prayer partners were thrilled to hear of Beryl’s quick post op recovery…we’re still confident that God started something…He’s not done yet..the battle is His.
We all appreciate Mike’s blog(guess that’s obvious cos we keep coming:))and we are all different ages,cultures,personalities…Barnabas and Paul didn’t agree on everything..May the Holy Spirit guide us to the truth.
God bless you all
Anka

======= Stef:

gossip
something to be careful of is when meeting together in a Bible study or prayer group where we discuss prayer requests and the problems of others..it is very easy for this to lead to the spreading of private facts about other people in the guise of sharing someone elses problems..not gossiping goes a far way towards building up trust in all relationships .
God bless.
stef

======= Ramona:

Numbers 22:21-23:30
Thoughts on Today’s’ Reading.
Balaam’s confrontation with his donkey happened three times, hmmm. All he saw was his inconvenience he never “thought” about what could be causing this behavior. Balaam was concerned about how he appeared to the king’s servants who were strangers to him. When the donkey asked him why he had been beaten three times (Goodness not only could the donkey talk but he could count.), Balaam’s response was, “Because you have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” (22:29 NLT)
Do we not do this with our own “loved ones?” When what we have judged in them is bad behavior, do not we jump up and demand our way by using force or manipulation so we can continue down the path despite what our spouses, children or neighbors may see? Instead of asking them what is wrong, our self-interest, our appearance in front of strangers trumps the concerns and possible spiritual insight that our loved ones may see. Then we become abusive, like Balaam and beat the ones who are watching our back.
The next think that caught my eye was the eighth verse of chapter 23,
How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I damn whom GOD has not damned? (Numbers 23:8 MSG)
Someone calls us a name, and in the United States, God forbid if someone calls an Evangelical Christian the “L” word, Liberal. Folks get all out of joint and begin to sweating bullets (Please note I’m using Hyperbole). You get “cursed” out or someone gives the “finger” and we are over the moon. It would do us well to remember this verse. Besides, If someone is not calling your name, don’t answer, and if they don’t know your name they can’t call you. So we need to stop acting a fool and getting all bent out of shape when we are called something or cursed by someone. Unless what they are calling you, is your “name” then calm down and keep smiling. Anything else would be a confirmation of what they have just called you.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Nicole:

I wanted to share a “talking donkey” experience that has recently happened in my life. This is difficult for me to do, but made somewhat easier by the anonymity of this posting, as this is still a fairly pertinent issue for me and one that I haven’t really shared with anyone. Over the past year I have become a quite avid runner, which for me has been such an enjoyment and given a great sense of accomplishment. However, recently I suffered an overuse injury that has prohibited any activity. I have always been a very active person and suddenly having this taken away has crippled me in more ways than I can say, if any of you are involved in a sport, maybe you can relate? But knowing that God uses experiences to humble the proud I think that is what has happened in my case.
Being an active person I got very used to looking a certain way. In the past I struggled with issues around body image, and I somewhat naively assumed that I (keyword being “I”) had overcome them in the past few years. I now believe God has used this injury – my talking donkey – as a wake up call that these issues are still present in my life and that if I really want to overcome them I need to bring them before him. I am ashamed to say that I have been experiencing the same issues around body image now that I have had to stop exercising that used to plague me and it is frustrating because I thought I knew better…and logically I do! But sometimes it’s hard to convince yourself – even when you know what’s right. I also often feel ashamed that there are so many important things to be concerned about in this world and lately I have been so selfish to be consumed by something as superficial as the shape of my body, which hardly defines anything about me.
I’m now praying about this daily and hoping that God will help me in this healing process so that this time I really can recover from this issue, and I think I’m making progress…slow but sure:) Thank you to anyone who has read this far – I know this is a long one and may not be entirely relavent to today’s reading – but I just felt God urging me to share this burden and ask for help, because I now realize I can’t do it on my own. I would appreciate your prayers, even just one, because I know God is the only true solution to this problem and I want to have the strength to turn this completely over to him…easier said than done. Have a blessed day everyone, thank you for listening:)
Nicole

======= Art:

Nicole, I too am a runner. I am very dedicated and run every day. Heart disease is common in my family, and at age 59 I thought it would not happen to me. I was wrong. After a long run one day, I fainted while driving home. My car crashed into a block wall and I was taken to the hospital. I needed open heart surgery…a triple bypass. Doctors say that my fitness through running actually saved my life.
This was 9 years ago. Today I am thankful that I can still run. Slower, and for shorter distances. I no longer can compete. I thank God that my health is currently excellent.
I was depressed after my operation. It looked as though I was going to have to give up running. I loved the races and the people who ran against me. I didn’t realize that there were even better times ahead.
We love you, Nicole, just the way you are. You have a very great heart for God. You are at the top of the list for the important things in life. God is with you to do great things in His name. As a fellow runner, I am with you too. Today, and always, you are in my prayers.
Art

======= Birdie:

As for talking donkey experiences, I think I’ve had a few. So far, no talking animals, but often an inconvenient phone call will cause me to start out later on my trip to work, and sometimes I will find out that there had been a horrible accident on the road where I would have been. Sometimes I have seen the aftermath of these accidents and while I pray for the people who have been injured I also have to remember to thank God for giving me an inconvenience.
Birdie

======= Duane:

Ok… why was his first reaction NOT “AAAAAAAAAAAH MY DONKEY JUST USED WORDS!!!”
And imagine the scene. If he actually is as closely accompanied as the painting suggested, then there were a few more people around to witness a) their first talking donkey and b) someone who is so flabbergasted that he actually talks back.
It’s like a puppeteer who goes around a lot. He’s actually quite good. But he always works in part of his routine where he gets an audience member talking to one of the puppets then has the puppets call them on it. “Sir… I’m not real!”
I think Linda was right on saying that it was either his greed or his coming dillema that led Balaam to be so distracted.
Duane

======= Katie:

We talked about “coincidences” last night at church; that they are , many times, more like divine appointments set up by the Lord. I guess this subject of inconveniences could apply to that too. Isn’t the Lord so awesome to tell you the same things many ways. (For slow people like myself, it’s an extra blessing lol)
I know that the Lord uses many many things to communicate to me. Talking donkeys are sometimes the only way I’ll listen ;)….
I’ve heard my husband say “If God could use a donkey (or another term for donkey- lol) to speak to Balaam, surely He can use even me….” funny….
God bless everyone here today!
Katie

======= Jenny:

ha! the donkey starts talking to him n Balaam just talks back to him like it was nothing. If i had an animal speak to me, i think i’d know something was up! poor donkey. that balak doesnt give up does he! i have met ppl like this, evil persistent men, like a guy who tried to kidnap me when i was like 13. the urgency n persistence he had sickened me!
I’m the same way tho, anytime something happens that makes me be late or inconvience me, i just think its Gods way of protecting me, like I have gone places i was delayed going to, to see an accident had happened i would have been in. once, long story short, i wouldnt been sideswiped and very hurt had not the Lord delayed me. My sister has incredible stories too! i dont have time to share, but amazing stuff. i totally trust in Gods protection.
I too have not been silent when I should have been recently and God rebuked me. I thought i had a justifiable reason, but God said, no your heart n motives are evil. yikes! great readings, wish i more time to comment.
Jenny

======= Margaret:

I had to do extra studying because I was puzzled why God was angry at Balaam for going to talk to Balak when God had allowed Balaam to go. I learned it was because God could read Balaam’s heart. I guess that means that Balaam wanted to go to reap the rewards promised him by Balak if Balaam would curse the Israelites.
Margaret

======= Skip:

The mini-stroke I had in ’96 was my “talking donkey”. It opened my eyes to the fact that God was not happy with me living with my fiance’. It showed me that I was living in sin and committing fornication. But what it really showed me was a side of my fiance’; I should say ex-fiance’ that I hadn’t seen before. She was not for me and I truly believe that because I was not listening to God about the situation, He gave me a “talking donkey”. I refer to it as God smacking me on the head to get my attention. It worked, and I avoided what most likely would have been a bad marriage. Thank you God.
Yours in Christ
Skip

======= Tracy:

I have definitely had ‘talking donkey’ experiences in my life, things have happened which delayed my departure and I avoided being involved in an accident. I always believe when inconveniences crop up that I am being protected against something, I might not ever know what it is.
Tracy

====== Keith:

I love your site. It always encouraging to run across other in depth studies of the word of God!
Keith

======== Wendy:

I have a questions with regard to Numbers 22:20 & 22. It seems that I read in verse 20: “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But be sure to do only what I tells you to do.” Then in Numbers 22 Verse 22, “But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. Why did it appear that God was ok with him going in Verse 20 but he was angered in verse 22.
Thank you for your assistance.
Wendy

======= Chris:

Wendy, I’ve struggled before with the apparent conflict here before (get permission from God in v20, then God gets mad in v22). The commentaries and comments I have read thus far have all provided some explanation, but none that brought me to terms with these verses, … but they all pretty much agree that Balaam was not one of the good guys. So, I accept that I don’t fully understand these, and I turn to other places in the Bible to see what they say about Balaam:
2 Peter 2:15-16 …forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.
Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Revelation 2:14 ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.
Besides these NT references, there are several others in the OT (Jos, Neh, Mic) … none of which paint Balaam in a good light. So for now I accept that I just don’t fully understand the words in v20&22 yet … and I’ll move on for now and dig a little more next time I read Numbers.
Here’s the Net Bible note relating to this–
sn God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out – which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.
Chris

========= Dee:

Hi guys,
Lots happening today, I took a while this morning studying Bob Deffinbaughs illustration and indepth study of Numbers. Very interesting. Wendy, If you are listening and reading go to his link that Mike has above and you will understand everything you need to know about Balak and Balaam. I too, was wandering why the Lord commanded Balaam not to go to Balak, then allowed to go, then got furious and was about to slay him on the road to Balak and his people. Bob describes it like a parent who has a child who keeps persisting and asking and you give in and let them do it the whole while you are not happy about it but they have to learn for themselves. He did alot of things wrong and one was he thought he could manipulate God like he did the other “gods” in his life. It said that the gods of Baal, were able to easy be manipulated into the sinful acts of man, so he only told the “guests” of his home a half truth about the conversation with Yahweh, which he forgot to tell them why God said no, and then Balaam didn’t tell them that God said he would never curse those who he blessed, he has shown favor with Israel, and for that He is going to keep His promises to His people, and why Balaam would understand that no is no and kept wanting to negotiate with God is beyond me, but he was working for the other “little g” of this world, because God forbade him ‘not’ to curse them, so God didn’t deny that Balaam had some power which meant he was working for the underworld.. However what I thought was interesting was that Balak was a Midianite and was a descendent of Abraham from his second wife Keturah, who had Midian, and Moses when leaving Egypt fled to the town of Midian and marrying a midianite priest daughter, and had two sons. Also, they were related through Lot, (again, read Bobs link above) it really brought revelation to my eyes and for that I am greatful and intriqued.
Pertaining to the proverbs readings today, It struck a chord with me too because I too have been guilty of belittling a neighbor recently and am repenting now and am so sorry for that. Sometimes we don’t realize what we do before its too late and the tongue is something we just have to tame like James points out, thank you Lord for your discernment and the Holy Spirit to nudge our guilty conscience and that You Lord for the Blood that was shed for me!!
Love You Guys,
~~Be Blessed
Dee

======== Frederick:

Numbers 22 & 23
God did not allow Balaam to curse the Israelites. As seen in the OT, the Israelites often forgot God and grumbled etc.. But when it came to judgment and blessing and curses, it was within God’s own jurisdiction. God allowed no Balaam to curse the Israelites. However bad the Israelites were, they were God’s people and He loved them. Only He could do the judgment.
Frederick

======= Steve:

My apologies for yesterday’s post, I accidentally read beyond the stopping point in Numbers and then posted my comment on Balaam’s Donkey which is actually in today’s readings. Hey, when the stories are this interesting it’s easy to blow right past the stopping point.
Mike’s question: “Are there perhaps “inconveniences” in your life today that are maybe saving you from a bad situation? Or, do you recognize inconveniences in the past that saved you from a bad situation?”
Yes, immediately one came to mind that happened about five years ago. I was in a hurry and got stuck behind a really slow moving truck approaching the freeway entrance and yes I was feeling pretty impatient but had no choice but wait it out. As I got on the freeway and blew past this slow moving truck I noticed up ahead all kinds of smoke and I hit the brakes with just enough time to avoid a huge pile up of cars in a major accident. If I had not encountered the inconvenience of that slow moving truck, I would have been right in the middle of a really bad accident involving a lot of cars that weren’t so lucky. Now when I encounter delays while driving, I remember that slow moving (Balaam’s Donkey) truck and my impatience quickly evaporates.
In the today’s readings what stood out for me was Proverbs 11:12-13. Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
Today’s proverb reading said much-In just a few words. What came to mind was that God has entrusted each of us with the neighborhood and surrounding neighbors we have for a reason. We are to set an example by not grumbling, not complaining, not entering into gossip and not speaking derogatory words. Do we want to change the world? The place to start is with our own neighbors, the small flock that God has entrusted us with. Lord, give me the wisdom to be the best neighbor I can be.
Steve

======= Reuben:

What makes it hard not to hold my peace is when my flesh has reason to despise – anger, jealousy, bitterness, or self-pity. And my neighbor can be any one, although those in closest proximity (family, literal neighbors, co-workers, church members) are the ones who I seem to get in a wad about the most.
Reuben

======= Beverly:

I saw this a little different in that we should have understanding to the one we might have gossiped about. We try to please our friends because we know in our minds how happy they will be to hear this but we should be thinking about the object of gossip and what they might be going through. Also I usually only see the talking donkey after the fact, I pray that God would allow me to see the obstacles as a good thing while it is happening. Either way I thank God for the obstacles or talking donkeys that save me from sin, grief or other misfortunes.
Beverly

======= Ron:

29 And Balaam said to the donkey
And he said, “No.”
Was I the only one that noticed that Not only was the donkey “talking”
but Balaam did not hesitate to “talk Back”???
Many of us do the same thing when God is trying to speak to us. We tend
to talk back before we even notice the miracle in front of our eyes.
Ron

======= Robert:

Numbers 22
Balaam
DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!
A lot of times we think the guy delivering the message is responsible for the news. We can easily blame him for the way he looks or what he does in his time off. Even though Balaam beats his poor donkey he speaks God’s truth. Sure he is a false prophet but God uses him. Good thing to remember in today’s world.
Bob Deffinbaugh says, “As we approach Numbers 22:36-24:25, we will attempt to focus on three things: (1) the stubborn persistence of Balak; (2) the progress of Balaam; and, (3) the oracles which God had spoken through Balaam. I would remind you that while Balaam is a false prophet, the words he speaks in our text are the words of God. Just as God can speak through a donkey, He can also speak through a man like Balaam. Indeed, one of the great prophecies of the Old Testament is to be found in our text!” He speaks of Jesus Christ in 24:17,
In reading the Balaam/Balak story it points to my own personal desires to curse someone. How many times have I felt the urge to ask God to curse someone? I haven’t yet but the desire is there. I think this opens up that conversation we have to have with God about our inner dark thoughts. This story is a lead up to the cursing psalms. We read a little of that in today’s Psalm 58. We want retribution but have to let God’s justice be tempered with Jesus love.
Proverbs 11:12-13
Wonderful way of thinking that can help us understand that it is God who decides justice in his time and it’s our responsibility to control our speech and temper.
Robert

====== Mitch:

Comment Question: IMO when we get to heaven, as adopted children of God (saved), we will be surprised at the number of inconveniences (talking donkeys) that occurred in our earthly lives. Those inconveniences saved us from greater inconveniences (bad things) that would have occurred if God had not intervened in such a way.
Balaam – nowhere in Hebrew text does it say he was a prophet. Why did Balak send to Mesopotamia for this man? Well, he must have had a reputation of some sort of talking to the gods or spirits. Makes him a seer. Not sure if Balaam was surprised when he talked to God of Israel (Yahweh), but the donkey incident indicates Balaam was going to do things his way. That is when the Angel of the Lord stepped in to scare him straight.
Talking donkey – Did God open donkey’s mouth and speak through the animal or let the animal talk but controlled the message? Not sure. The Creator of the universe would have had no trouble doing either option. Either way Balaam got the message – and in first two speeches only blessed the Israelites. (Note: Balaam must not have known God’s word to Abraham – ‘cursed are those that curse you’)
Interesting that Balak moved Balaam to another place to curse the Israelites – as Yahweh might not be able to influence Balaam in a different locale. Balak assumes Yahweh is a God of limited power – and how wrong he was back then and some of us today.
Mitch

Numbers 21:1-22:20 + Luke 1:26-56 + Psalm 57:1-11 + Proverbs 11:9-11
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Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 22 we read about Balak sending for Balaam – hoping Balaam will curse the Israelites.   Balak sends messengers the 1st time and Balaam gets a message from God to not go with these messengers, as God has blessed the Israelites.  What is interesting to me are verses 15-17: “Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and gave him this message: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming. I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!”  For some reason these verses really reminded me of temptation in our lives today.  Like Balaam with the messengers on their first visit, we may realize something is not what God would want us to do – and we send the temptation away.  But…  then the temptation can come back!  In a bigger way – with more distinguished officials than before… with more allure than before…  the temptation that we resisted once so valiantly can come back.  And then, the question becomes – with the opportunity to be “paid well” by the temptation, will we still resist the temptation?  Can we resist the temptation a 2nd time?  Through Jesus, our mediator before our Heavenly Father, yes, I know we can.  If temptation has visited you once – or twice – or even many times – will you pray to God today in the name of Jesus that temptation will never overcome you?

Bible.org’s commentary on Balaam and Numbers chapter 22 is at this link.

New Testament – In Luke chapter 1 verses 46 through 55 we read an amazing hymn known as Mary’s Song or the Magnificat, which means “glorifies” in the Latin Vulgate translation. This is indeed a song from the mother of Jesus that glorifies God in a beautiful way. As you read through this song, below, please meditate upon its words. And maybe ask yourself this – are there ways in your life that you “sing songs” like this to God? Maybe it’s not through literal song – but maybe you praise God through loving others, through serving others, through art, through prayer, through your church, and this list could go on… What is your unique way of glorifying God? Do you want to glorify God with all you do in your life?  Please take a few moments to mediate upon the glorious words of Mary’s Song:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
      and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
      of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
      for the Mighty One has done great things for me–
      holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
      from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
      he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
      but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
      but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
      remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
      even as he said to our fathers.”

Bible.org’s commentary on Luke chapter 1 titled “The Worship of Two Women” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 57 verse 8 is amazing – “Wake up, my soul!”  What 4 great words. . . wake up my soul!  Do you ever feel like you need to say this to your soul?  I know that I have in my past.  There have been times in my life where I have felt spiritually asleep.  Just completely slumbering. . .  and I have begged my soul to wake up!  Fortunately, I finally learned that I could not wake up my soul on it’s own.  I needed the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to wake up my soul. . .  and the Spirit keeps it awake today.  If you feel that you need your soul to wake up, will you prayer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to indwell your soul and to wake it up?

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verse 11 today teaches us: “Upright citizens bless a city and make it prosper.”  This is a great reminder to each of us to be good citizens and to bless our cities!

Worship Video: Proverbs 11:11 today reminds me of fantastic Bluetree song “God of this City:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1YECQwk1_g

Have you met the God of your city? Click here and meet Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.” Proverbs 11:11 NLT

Prayer Point: Pray for your city. Pray that you will be an upright citizen in your city. Pray against wicked talk. Pray that everyone in your city will come to know Jesus, and will enter the heavenly city of Jerusalem one day.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Proverb verse above, are you striving to be an upright citizen blessing your city and helping to make it prosper?  What are some ways that you are doing so?  Do you see spiritual issues in your city today?  How are you helping to right those spiritual wrongs in your city?  Do you pray for your city regularly?  Do you think you should?  Will you join me in praying for our cities?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
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======= Ramona:

Numbers 21:22-20
Weariness causes one to loose hope. They failed to see that their journey was near the end and they gave up hope. They had forgotten that God had told them they would wonder until the older generation, the ones over twenty years old when they left Egypt, would die off before they entered their promise (Numbers 14) It is imperative that we remember the Words of God spoken long-ago or spoken within the hour.
However,there was a glimmer of hope after several people were bitten by snakes and died, they did recognize that they had sinned and because of that they were given a deliverance from the poison of the snakes, but they still got bit.
I find it interesting that God said to Moses about King Og, the king of the Amorites, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have given you victory over Og and his entire army, giving you all his land. You will do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.” (Numbers 21:24). I am intrigued that God spoke about their victory before they fought, then they fought to get what God have given to them. How often do we pray for victory over our circumstances, God gives us the victory but we then go sit down on our “duffs” and do nothing? Are we lazy or do we expect God to fight for us while we do nothing to show that we believe what He said He will do?
I also love the story of the Talking Donkey and the rebellious false prophet, Balaam. It says to me that if God is for you, who can be against you? It shows the futility of fighting against God. You cannot bless something that God has cursed, or curse something that God has blessed. I remember finding out this little nugget of insight at the first church I joined. Sad to say I belonged to a church that had totally perverted the idea of claiming something that one didn’t have nor was the “will of God.” Like Bob Deffinbaugh’s commentary on the 22nd chapter of Numbers states, “2) Our challenge is not to “convert” God to be on our side, but to be converted, so that we may be on His side. Many people are just like Balaam in that they are seeking to get God to join them, to be on their side.”
I joined a “coven” of those seeking to remedy a situation without having the entire story. I was asked to join about five or six people for the restoration of a marriage. That sounded like a good idea so I wasted about one-hour praying for a marriage to be restored. But I didn’t know this one thing. The person had been divorced for some time and the husband in question had remarried and had three children within that marriage! That was my first realization that folks try to manipulate God to get what they want instead of manipulating themselves to confirm to what God wanted. Maybe there should have never been a divorce in the first place, but after knowing this woman for several years after I come to the realization that she was indeed a very manipulative person. I don’t know if I can back this up in the bible but I feel that manipulation is witchcraft. Minus the black hat and cauldron, manipulation is the attempt to control someone else’s will even God’s. I’m not saying that’s Bible but why else do people engage palm readers, buy “roots” to place on people, etc? They are attempted to manipulate and control others or circumstances, they are attempting to be gods.
There are a lot of Balaam’s running around and they can even be found in the church!
Luke 1:26-56
What I find fascinating about Mary’s story is that she utterly accepts what God has given her to do without question. Do I do that? No! Here we have a young girl, who many scholars believe she may have been between 13 or 15 years of age accepting an assignment that would put her life in jeopardy and I’m not talking about the “risks” involved in childbirth. Since Mary was a single young girl, although betrothed to Joseph, she was supposed to be a virgin, which she was, but how many people would believe that? Now you know the tongues wagged about her circumstances, even Joseph considered putting her away discreetly to “save face.” (Matthew 1:18-21) Jesus has a conversation with the religious leaders recorded in the 8th chapter of John that if you read between the lines, show they thought Jesus was illegitimate.
Sex outside of marriage, in those days, could get you stoned. Though they did have this thing of ignoring one-half of the command of stoning the parties involved. (Also in the 8th chapter of John).
May I be able to say, “Be it unto me according to Your Word.”
Psalm 57:1-11
What I love about this Psalm of David is that David has given his entire experience of running from Saul to the choir director to either sing or have sung before the entire congregation; something he also did after he was confronted by Nathan the prophet for committing Adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband killed (Psalm 51).
In this Psalm David lays his emotions, fears and His Praise of God before the world to see. He doesn’t pretend that he has it all together, which, I believe, will only delay or stop completely your deliverance.
Revelations 12:
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
We have to learn to be “Real” with God and stop pretending that God doesn’t know our stuff.
Proverbs 11:9-11
Three verses that compare the way and consequences of the godly to what happens to the wicked, the godless, we live in a cause and effect world and we create effects based on our choices. We choose actions based on what we believe or don’t believe about our God (our gods), which controls the way we think and how we interact with the world.
We do wrong because we believe wrong, and we believe wrong because we think wrong!
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Luch:

We have talked in previous blogs about ‘positive thinking’and some of the abuses of that practice by certain media evangelists. Here in Psalm 57 we have a beautiful example of what it means to be ‘positive’ or should we read hopeful, “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises.” vs 7 It’s in that context of our confidence being founded in WHO God is that we can ‘sing’ and wake up our soul, and even go on to ‘awaken the dawn with my/our songs.” I have a sense that David is jumping for joy as he wakes up this particular morning. What a great prayer to pray for all of us today–Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.” vs 11
Luch

======= Micah Girl:

Luch–It’s also amazing that David is praising God so heartily when he is facing such disaster in his life with all the murderous plots against him. He’s not pretending that his life is easy, but he is relying on God in the midst of the struggle and even enjoying full-out worship. Pretty cool.
Micah Girl

======= Duane:

Casting Crowns released their second album while I was overseas and it was shipped to me on a day when it seemed like the entire world was falling down around my ears. I heard their song “Now my Lifesong Sings” at the end of the album, and to this day it still stirs my emotions. It’s so simple, and yet it talks about how beautiful a song our lives are after we have accepted God’s call. And that song is dedicated to God in hearing distance of all who have ears to hear. That is our pleasant aroma that we lift to our savior, our King and our God.
Duane

======= Pam:

The city I live in is in so much need. I have been slack about praying for my own city and will be praying for it regualrly. Much of my time is spent helping young people in my area. The story of Balaam is such and interesting story, I had to read ahead and finish it. Though I have read it many times, the donkey – less stuborn than the man – is still funny to me.
It was hard to stop reading and make this comment today! God is so good! I will join you in praying for our cities. God bless you all and meet all of your needs according to His richness and grace!
Pam

======== Jenny:

Numbers is really fascinating! I thought Balaam seemed like a great guy, obeying God in v. 13. then i read the bible.org commentary, aha! not such a great guy. really good stuff, cant wait til tomorrow’s readings and the donkey!
I love the account of Mary visiting Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the baptist…i didnt realize they were related. how cute John leaped for joy in Elizabeth at the sound of Mary. Wow, what an honor to be the woman chosen to give birth to the Savior of the world…God Himself!
Yes, I agree, I cannot wake up my soul either. with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible. when i go through dry spells, i have to ask for God’s help otherwise all my efforts are fruitless.
Loved today’s readings! cant wait for tomorrow’s!
Jenny

======= Katie:

Good Morning! There are many issues in my town that I know are not right…affecting the school system here, affecting city politics.. In fact, we were talking the other day and a friend said, “Poor so-and-so is the only Christian left on the school board, she’s like a lone wolf…” I agreed “How hard, poor thing!” And then this morning, it’s been made as clear as day to me: PRAY!! Yes, Lord, I will pick up my city in prayer. Amen!
Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God.
I love this verse! Mary was a virgin and was going to have a baby! The Savior! It is so amazing to me that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with God. Nothing. Thank You Lord! No matter what I hand over to the Lord, or what obstacles I face, He can take me through and make it perfect (if I get out of the way, of course).
Hallelujah!
Katie

======= Tamra:

Prayer is a MUST for us. It’s one of our surest weapons – the Christian’s breath and native tongue… often overlooked as we meditate on the weapons of our warfare (as seen in Ephesians 6:18).
I love to “prayer-walk” my city (London, UK). As I walk and pray in my heart, the Lord shows me a lot of things. You can tell that people need the Lord by their words and actions. London is a very strange city where people are very judgmental of strangers – just based on their appearance. And they feel they must pass a loud comment about everyone they see – usually something negative and unfriendly, sometimes downright offensive… or they grab their partner for a ‘public display of affection’… Then there are the muggers, gangs, killers, pimps and prostitutes you find in nearly every city…
Only a handful fear the Lord… You will find some faithful people sharing their faith publicly in places like the Hyde Park… Please join me in praying for this city.
Tamra

======= Mae:

Great readings!!!
If temptation has visited you once – or twice – or even many times – will you pray to God today in the name of Jesus that temptation will never overcome you? ~ I always pray to God that temptation will never overcome me. The enemy is so slick and sly … he can bring the same temptation over and over again but all in different shapes. So first I won’t recognize them and through my prayers and quiet time with God, I see what they truly are. TEMPTATION!!! I have resist many temptations in the past 7 months and I’m proud of that!
Luke is really great to read! 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God”!!! Amen!!!
Mary’s song is amazing!
Glorify our heavenly Father … what an amazing thing to do! I defenitly want to glorify the Lord in all I do in my life. I’m proud to be His daughter and I want to present myself as His daughter. I want Him to be proud of me as well!
Questions of the Day ~ Oh yes, I’m striving to be an upright citizen blessing my city and helping to make it prosper. I love walk around in my city being an evangelist! Preaching the gospel, that’s just awesome! My city can use a revival, defenitly! Our baby-church in West Amsterdam still doesn’t have visitors, they started in January this year. Another city I pray for … I talk to people in my own city, but also to people in West Amsterdam. I hate the fact that several soft drugs are legal here in Holland, and the prostitution zones, 16+ are allowed to drink … it’s just TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really think I should spread some good words in this little corner of the world. It’s necessary!
Mae

======= Brandie:

I am striving to be an upright citizen in my city and trying to help it prosper I am voluneetering my time for Relay for Life here in my town, for those that have cancer or have had cancer. I see spiritual issues in my city/town today as my church is always involved in missions.
Psalm 57:8 “Wake up my soul” stands out to me. I think I needed that today. 
Brandie

====== Gina:

In Mary’s song…she sings “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
That is so big for me because it shows me that Mary also recognized the need for Jesus to be HER savior. I was taught, growing up, that Mary was equal with Jesus…our Heavenly Mother…and that we could pray to her to intercede for us, etc… Now I know that Mary is not the same as Jesus…Jesus is God in the flesh and Mary, well Mary was a wonderful, humble girl who God had favor on and chose for something very special! Maybe we won’t ever be chosen for something as amazing as being Jesus’ earthly mother, but God uses us also in amazing ways!!
I have to admit, I don’t pray for my city as much as I should. Thanks for the great reminder! Living in a city that is a huge tourist attraction…and lots and lots of “adult” type places everywhere… I do need to pray more for this area…and I will remind my friends to also pray! It is so very important!
We do have a very special ministry in our church called The Magdalene Project. There are people who, a few times each year, make beautiful gift baskets filled with home-made scarves or bags, bath stuff, cookies…all kinds of great things that women like. Then they deliver the baskets to women who dance at the adult clubs. There is always a basket for each woman and the people who deliver them always pray with the dancers. We have seen several women leave that industry and really change their lives because of this ministry! It’s been awesome!
Gina

======= Ramona:

Numbers 21-22:20
Thoughts from Today’s Old Testament Readings:
1) Reading this blew my mind,
They set out from Mount Hor along the Red Sea Road, a detour around the land of Edom. The people became irritable and cross as they traveled. They spoke out against God and Moses: “Why did you drag us out of Egypt to die in this godforsaken country? No decent food; no water–we can’t stomach this stuff any longer.” (Numbers 21:4-5 MSG)
Did the people forget? Did they not remember God’s promise that no one over twenty would enter the Promise Land because of their rebellion? Did they forget that the consequence of their believing the “bad” report brought back by the leaders of the tribes, except for Calab and Joshua (Num 14:29-34) was to wander in the desert for forty years? Or, perhaps they were just arrogant and thought the warning didn’t mean “them.” I am reminded of a verse from Proverbs,
The foolishness of man subverts his way [ruins his affairs]; then his heart is resentful and frets against the Lord. (Proverbs 19:3 AMP)
There wondering in the desert came by way of their own behavior yet they constantly practiced blame shifting.
2) I keep seeing myself in these people. Grumbling, complaining and just making a fool of myself, railing and shaking my fist at God for the consequences I produced by my own choices. I keep seeing the people confessing their sins, yet not repenting. I too am quick to point out where I went wrong when confronted with my errors; however, I am extremely slow in changing the lifestyles that produced the sin and Change is not Change, Until it’s Changed! Confession with out repentance or change, well…is just an explosion of words with no substance.
And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, that He may take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the people. (Numbers 21:7 AMP)
3) Idols verses God, the True God.
Balak (Chapter 22) knew that he couldn’t defeat Israel so he sent for a prophet, though it was only a false prophet, that Balaam was. People can know God but not follow God. They can hear God and discern His will but only use that knowledge for their personal gain. Balak, was use to idols that could be manipulated looked for a man he thought could manipulate God. We, after giving up our idols when we realize they are without eyes, ears and intellect, often take our controlling behavior and try to “work it” with God.
We love our idols because we can position them to do what we want and hide behind a clock of spirituality. Balaam’s intentions can be discerned in his response to the Balak’s officials in verse 13, And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your own land, for the Lord refuses to permit me to go with you. (Numbers 22:13 AMP)
He doesn’t tell them I will not go, but he puts the responsibility on God and not himself as the choice maker. His intent was, “I really want to go because I really want the money, but for God …” Many times like Balaam, we do and say the right thing for all the wrong reasons giving the appearance of “righteousness.” It’s not my fault I can’t go with you, It’s God’s. How often have we done that? Yikes!!
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Elizabeth:

Hello,
Just wanted to say that I’m “still here”—chasing the plan and trying to catch it : )
Working through Leviticus 14 right now….
Elizabeth

======= Briggs:

Lk 1:38″I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
The contrast in Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel is striking when compared to that of the Israelites in their journeys through the wilderness. It seems the Israelites were often malcontent in spite of the tremendous blessings that the Lord bestowed upon them. They seem to have taken His very presence with them for granted; the sight of the pillars of fire and cloud; the parting of the Red Sea; the plagues upon Egypt; the swallowing up of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; the consumption by fire of Aaron’s sons for their unauthorized worship; etc. They were blessed with so many tangible miracles displaying God’s power in both provision and punishment. Who could deny the presence and power of God? Yet many of them often did. Ultimately, through time, they would fail in their purpose of leading the world back to the Lord.
And yet as many miracles as the Israelites witnessed, could any of them have better revealed the love, reverence, power, and glory of God as His indwelling Holy Spirit. I wonder sometimes that we fault the Israelites for their pride and malcontent, which led them into spiritual blindness, while we all the while are blind to the planks in our own eye and yet have the better advantage of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Will we too fall short of our purpose to lead the world back to the Lord by falling into pride, malcontent, complacency, selfishness, etc. I think I do to some extent every day.
Lord, I pray that you protect and keep me and all your people from both willfully and unintentionally sinning against You.
Briggs

======= Evelyn:

The bible.org commentary link to Balak & Balaam was very helpful! Thank you Mike!
P.S. All of the music videos you post are so inspiring & uplifting! Thank you!
Evelyn

======= Chris:

John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.
These verses came alive for me in this reading of Numbers 21:7-9. Still being bitten by sin, only look to the cross and be saved.
Luke: I had not thought before of the age of Baby Jesus when Mary went to visit Elizabeth (who was in her sixth month when Mary was visited by Gabriel). “A few days later” Mary visits Elizabeth and stays with her “about three months.” So Jesus was but a few days in Mary’s womb when John leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s — and they stayed near until about the time of John’s birth. Can you imagine that household: Elizabeth, Mary, John and Jesus all under one roof!
Chris

======= Steve:

Numbers 21:1-22:20
The grumbling and complaining Israelites found it difficult to enjoy the journey, it’s always difficult to enjoy the journey when we’re grumbling and complaining. It’s easy to say to yourself I will enjoy the journey when I reach this point or when I have that thing. If we are not happy today what makes us think that we will be happy tomorrow? Grumbling and complaining is nothing more than an attempt to manipulate our circumstances. I thought the story of Balaam tied in really well with the way the Israelites were trying to manipulate Moses and Aaron through their grumbling and complaining. One of the commentaries I read included this joke discussing the story of Balaam and the Donkey to drive home a point.
“Honey,” said the preacher, “we just got an invitation to go to a bigger church in a bigger city with a bigger salary. So I’m going to go upstairs to pray about it.”
“Do you want me to pray with you?” asked his wife.
“No,” the preacher answered. “You stay down here and start packing.”
Not all grumbling, complaining and manipulation is so obvious, sometimes it’s so subtle that it sneaks up on us unnoticed and we forget about the amazing provisions God provides fresh and new every morning. The manna that the Israelites complained and grumbled about so much not only kept them super healthy but it kept their feet from swelling as they wandered 40 years in the wilderness. Makes me wonder what I’m taking for granite that God is providing and I’m not appreciating because of my own agenda.
Steve

======= Cathy:

I like this comment” “How often do we pray for victory over our circumstances, God gives us the victory but we then go sit down on our “duffs” and do nothing? Are we lazy or do we expect God to fight for us while we do nothing to show that we believe what He said He will do?”.
But the point is that, sometimes several ideas come in your mind: “A little voice and suddenly another voice” and this can be confusing.
Please let’s pray God to give each of us the sense of discernment, allowing us to make the right choice any time.
Have a blessing day.
Cathy

======= Robert:

Numbers 22
Bob Deffinbaugh gives us a nice recap of the last 40 years in the desert in his commentary. Ramona, we have another donkey story here to enjoy…the donkey even talks. I enjoyed Bob’s thoughts on false prophets. “The donkey is a better “prophet” (or “seer”) than Balaam. Let no prophet ever attempt to take credit for what he sees and says, for God can do as much through a donkey.” Any false prophets in your world….(cough)…Ravi Z.?
I look forward to comments.
Psalm 57: 8
Is my soul awake? Great reflection on where am I in relationship with God. Am I asleep right now? Yes Covid is a factor but what great hope …greater things are still to be done in the city, (Bluetree song “God of this City”)…Spiritually I believe I have to ask the Trinity to wake up my soul as Mike suggests.
Proverbs 11:11
A couple of years ago our church responded to a family in a poorer part of town that needed help in cleaning up their yard. About 20 of us went there for the afternoon and basically hauled stuff to the dump, cut the lawn and had a great time doing it. It was a good thing! This was in a place where people would criticize, demeanor, and disapprove of this community. (But the mouth of the wicked is destroyed). I felt blessed.
Robert

======= Mitch:

OT – brass serpent on pole a picture of Christ (Jesus mentioned in John 3). If you look to the bronze serpent on pole, you will live. If you look to Jesus on cross (repent, confess and believe), you will have eternal life.
Balaam compared to Moses – interesting thought.
NT – Zechariah questioned Angel and was punished; Mary questioned and no punishment. IMO Zechariah doubted God’s message. Mary did not doubt message, but wanted to know how a it was possible biologically (virgin birth).
Mitch

======= Dee:

Yes, I do pray for a better city and a city to be prosperous and God’s Will be established. I pray for a hedge of protection on my own surroundings, my home, property, kids, husband and our lives. I do believe if you sow into others lives you too will reap the benefits. We, at our church, are part of a community outreach and help most every sunday giving out clothing, food, prayer, books, bibles, shoes, support for one’s who are lost. We have had several get saved while we are out on Sundays, and I give all credit and glory to God Almighty, let His mighty works be done!
My unique way of glorifying God, which I don’t know how unique any of it is, but I just give Him my mornings, first up, get coffee ready and pray to the Lord and get on this blog and read up on His precious Word, I pray daily, I pray for others, I do outreach, and I love, love, love worship and music/praise! I really get into it at church and hop around the house me and my daughter with our worship music and just really enjoy glorifying our Lord!
About the part of Wake up, My soul! in Psalms today..there have been times I have felt my soul was asleep and it is the times when I don’t acknowledge God in mornings or throughout day like I should. I guess that is why I like this blog and I like to post things daily because it holds me accountable more to the things of God. My soul is awakened to the humbling of myself, making myself smaller so my God can grow in me and be BIGGER!!
Thanks to all of you, Joyce if you are out there, read yesterdays post, there is some good ones posted just for you.
Be Blessed
Dee

======= John:

Luke
Luke 1:32
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,”
Psalm 89:35-36
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David-
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
Acts 2:29-30
“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.”
======================================================
OK, it is a little slow, so I will set this up for further on. In prophecy there are interpretations that spiritualize the millenial kingdom, and those that maintain it will be literally fulfilled.
In Scripture – both in Hebrew and Greek the word for “throne” either refers to God’s throne, a king’s throne, someone in charge’s throne, etc. Here Gabriel, David himself, and Peter all mention a “throne”. In each case it is David’s throne – a kingship here on earth.
Since Jesus did not sit on the throne on his first trip, then it must be that He will sit on it in the future.
That is unless you spiritualize David’s throne. That is why Gabriel’s message to Mary is intriguing. Everything from Luke 1:28-31 and half of 32 can be understood literally, so I find it difficult to believe that Gabriel switched gears to a spiritualized message at the end of his greeting.
[NOTE: I said “difficult”, but that is my opinion.]
This is just an example so people know where I am coming from later, as I strive to “GET” the consistent message of the scripture.
I certainly recognize that in eschatology (prophecy) there are several viewpoints. Many good Christians disagree, so as we go through the prophets and the rest of the New Testament, I will just be pointing out my interpretaion, and give the reasons for my view – as different passages come up.
As Cory mentioned “let the reader understand” – You need to make up your own mind and attach whatever significance you want to prophecy. I will not be arguing or debating prophecy, because of all the Bible it is the subject most open to differing interpretations. I will present from a straightforward perspective, and others will (I am sure) present different views.
With thousands of people signed up, perhaps the presentation of different viewpoints will be helpful – especially to those who have never studied the Bible before this blog.
John

======= John:

Numbers 21 – Bronze snake
The symbolism of the bronnze serpent being the foreshadowing of Christ on the cross is better understand, since Christ mentioned it to Nicodemus.
John 3:14-15
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life”
Bronze is the metal of Judgment, the pole is the cross, snakes doing the biting represent Satan or “the world” (for the nebulous evil people :), the dying person can look to the bronze snake and live – and the implication being “not to look” is to die.
Pretty much what our choice is today – as the wages of sin are death – we can look to the Cross and live (eternally) or not look to the Cross and spiritually die and answer to God at judgment.
John

Numbers 19:1-20:29 + Luke 1:1-25 + Psalm 56:1-13 + Proverbs 11:8
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 20 verse 12 we read about God pronouncing that Moses & Aaron would not enter the Promised Land – “But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!””  Why did this happen?  Well, it’s best to stick with Scripture – God says that Moses & Aaron did not trust God enough.  They did not trust God enough to demonstrate his holiness to the people of Israel.  Thus they will not lead them into the Promised Land.  Where was the lack of trust?   Go back to verse 8 and you’ll see God tell Moses to “command the rock” for water – command meaning verbally… then in verse 11 we see Moses strike the rock twice – not using the verbal command God instructed him on, but using an action.   There also may have been a pride issue when Moses in verse 10 says “must we bring you water from this rock?”  You’ll notice the little word WE – We being Moses & Aaron? -this is probably not the way to best recognize God for God bringing water out of the rock…  It looks like Moses is taking credit.   How about us in our lives today?  Are there times when we disobey God’s direct commands to us?  Are there times when we take credit for God’s work?  Even if we generally follow God’s instructions – as Moses clearly does for the majority of his life – should we be on constant watch that we do not disobey God?

New Testament – Today we begin the Gospel of Luke!

Author: Luke
Place: Perhaps Caesarea
Date: A.D. 60-65
Content: Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. He wrote his Gospel for a cultured Greek named Theophilus in order to show the true humanity of Jesus and his place in history. For this reason Luke was careful to examine all the evidence very carefully and give precise dates for the events that took place. He begins with an account of Jesus’ virgin birth, giving many details not found elsewhere. Jesus’ Galilean ministry is described, followed by a lengthy account of Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the disciples are left rejoicing, waiting for the promised power of God from heaven to fill them.
Theme: Whereas Matthew shows Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah and Mark shows Jesus as the servant of God, Luke depicts Jesus as the perfect God-man whose genealogy may be traced back to Adam. Jesus is the greatest man in history and is placed within the flow of world events by Luke. He is the greatest man because of what he taught, what he did, why he died – and because he rose again from the dead. For this reason we ought to accept him as our Lord. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” p. 22) More commentary on the Gospel of Luke is at this link.  Below is “Saint Luke” from an illuminated manuscript, circa 1130:

Bible Project: Here is a great video overview of the Gospel of Luke!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIb_dCIxzr0

In today’s readings in Luke chapter 1 we read about the birth of John the Baptist being foretold by the angel Gabriel.   Gabriel shares with Zechariah this powerful message about John in verses 16 & 17 – “He will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom.””  This is a message for us to consider today – do we need to be persuaded to turn to God?  Do we need our disobedient minds changed to accept godly wisdom?  Can we open our ears to the message of John the Baptist some 2,000 years later?  Will we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord?  One interesting side note – only two angels are mentioned by name in the Bible – Michael and Gabriel.  And here is Gabriel delivering the message from today’s readings to Zechariah:

Psalms – Psalm 56 verse 10 makes a One Year Bible blogger quite happy 🙂 “O God, I praise your word. Yes, LORD, I praise your word.”  Does this verse make you happy?  Do you praise God for the gift of the Bible?  Do you praise God’s very Word, the Bible?

Proverbs – Proverbs Chapter 11 verse 8 today teaches us: “The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.” This is a great reminder that God rescues those who trust in Him! 

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Numbers 19 reminded me of Nicole Nordeman’s song “Holy:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6a80TfszMU

Are you pursuing holiness in your life? Click here and cry Holy!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:16-17 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you, like John the Baptist, will live a life that brings many people back to the Lord. Pray that you will be as zealous for God as John the Baptist was zealous for God.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Proverb today, has God ever rescued you?  More than once?  Are you willing to share with us in the Comments section below a time that without a doubt God rescued you?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Numbers 19:1-20:29
Numbers chapter 19 has given me a new perspective on Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. Although it isn’t mentioned in this section of today’s readings, it was mentioned previously and I didn’t “Get It,” then but I get it now, I think.
That teaching began with a question (Luke 10): 29 “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (The complete Parable is Luke 10:30-37)
I’ve always looked at this Parable as a rebuke to the Priests and Levites and a praising of the Samaritan, but I now think this was an expansion of who the Jews’ neighbors were not a rebuke. Based on the Laws given by Moses to Israel, both the Priests and the Levites were not to touch or be in the same room or place as a “dead” body because they were to be undefiled (Lev 5, 6; 10) Since the man may have appeared to be dead to them they obeyed the law of Moses. Now one could argue that their duty to a human being took precedent over God’s command, but I’m not sure if that argument could be won and if won would it be correct? Jesus could touch a leper, the dead the blind and lame because He had life within in, not life like we have but life that made things whole again. I’m really going to have to look and ponder this Parable under new light.
Ah, chapter 20 and rebellion, again: complaining and murmuring against God again. In this chapter we are told that because Moses struck the “Rock” twice he would not take Israel into the Promise Land. We are also told in this chapter that Miriam dies, then Aaron because he along with Moses struck the “Rock” when they were told to speak to it. What’s the Big Deal! Could never figure that one out; however, notice that I put rock in quotes and capitalized the letter R. I just realized whom that “Rock” represented, Jesus Christ. In Genesis the forty-ninth chapter, while Israel (Jacob) is blessing Joseph, this statement is made, 24 “Yet his bow remained steady, and his strong arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, …”
When they began their journey in the desert they cried out for water the first time for water and complained against God at Mount Horeb (Sinai) where Moses was told the first time to “Strike the Rock,” (Exodus 17:6) also a reference to Jesus. If I am right and I could be wrong, the first striking of the Rock foretold Jesus being struck for our sins, which would only happen once. After Jesus’ death burial and resurrection we would only have to “Speak the Word!” This was not only a violation of God’s Word, striking the rock twice; it was a perversion of the soon coming work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For all those who haven’t heard me state this before, I’ve been reading through the entire Bible for over twenty years and each and every time the Word speaks to me, reveals to me things I have never seen before. The more I read the more I know that I don’t know.
Luke 1:1-25
Hmm, I’m intrigued by Kurt’s comment about Elizabeth’s seclusion once she became pregnant. Her seclusion may have been because she had complications but remember there were no fetal monitors or sonograms to give us pictures of the health of the baby. Besides God ordained this pregnancy and I’m betting that God, the great physician that He is kept every cell in Elizabeth and John’s body working perfectly.
Tradition during that time in Judaism, and maybe even today in some orthodox sects said that if a woman was barren she was under a curse from some sin. So this pregnancy would have caused a lot of talk and speculation amongst the town’s folk. Also John was suppose to be raised a Nazirite which meant separation from a lot of things going on in the world (Read Numbers 6). Since she had to take on that oath because he was suppose to be a Nazirite before birth, she may have only been protecting him.
Then there is that other thing that people do, gossip and speculation. Again, she was past the age of childbirth by man’s understanding, but not God’s. Have you ever heard the talk that goes on when a woman who is in her fifties and or sixties gives birth? It hits the news and there are discussions all over the place on whether woman (it’s never about men) should have babies at THAT age. Well, obviously they never took the question to God. Elizabeth may have wanted to forego the drama. There is nothing new under the sun and folks like to run off at the mouth now and they did back then.
Come to think about it Elizabeth’s seclusion was a voluntary being shutting of the mouth that God did, through the Angel Gabriel, to her husband Zechariah involuntary. Our words create our world (Proverbs 18:21) and maybe Elizabeth didn’t want other people’s words constructing a world she didn’t want to live in.
Psalm 56:1-13
When it seems that the enemy has surrounded you, surrounded me this is the Psalm to pull out, study and pray.
Proverbs 11:8
This Proverb is a great companion to today’s Psalm. Ain’t God Good!!
8 God rescues the godly from danger, but he lets the wicked fall into trouble.
Grace and peace, and a whole lot of love,
Ramona

======= Kurt:

I found Luke 1:19,20,24 interesting verses. Zechariah doesn’t believe the angel, which in and of itself I find interesting. If an angel were to appear to me and tell me something that’s going to happen, would I not believe him? I also think verse 24 is interesting in that after Elizabeth gets pregnant, she goes into seclusion for 5 months. Makes you wonder if she was having problems in her pregnancy that demanded bedrest.
Kurt

======= Emily:

Yes, Numbers is just striking where God clearly tells Moses and Aaron that they will not lead Israelites into the promised land. How can we expect to win if we wont give credit to God for the strength and grace he provided all the way to the victory ?
In fact this theme clearly unites with 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 , ” But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’.Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
This is just a beautiful theme. The truth of God. I put the smile of God’s grace upon my weakness. And I lift my hands to receive the power of God to fight every battle and win every war. Hallelujah!!!
Emily

======= Kate:

I wonder if it was pride because the Bible does say that Moses was the most humble man? I’m thinking it might have been just frustration at the people and their unbelief, but his act showed his unbelief and the way he did it showed his dishonor of God in front of all the people. Just a thought….
Kate

======= Jan:

All I can say is this: As Job once said, “Though He slay me, I will yet praise Him.”
We can be positive & filled with faith & believe His Word about having what we beleive we can, IF we have no doubt in our heart…but ultimately it is always up to Him…He is always still in control.
Jan

======= Luch:

Further to the discussion re ‘positivity’ and ‘success’ gospel, I am reminded of something Karl barth said when it comes to theology. Barth said, “All theology is a matter of EMPAHSIS!” And apparently those who heard him say this made the point that he strongly emphasized the word “EMPHASIS”. Isn’t it true that we tend to emphasize those parts of theology that we want to emphasize? I know I do. In the past I have given lip service to the poor because in the spiritual culture I was raised what was emphasized was ‘discipleship, one to one mentoring’ and so forth for which I am thankful, but there was little said about the poor and about social injustice. Then God in in His wonderful way gives me a son who loves the poor and wants to serve the poor and cares about injustice, and that’s what he sees as he reads the scriptures. Who is right? We both are! I love Ecclesiastes 7:18 that says, “It is good that you grasp one thing and not let go of the other. For the person who fears God avoids all extremes.” I like that piece of wisdom. The truth is rarely in the extreme. God calls us to live in the tension. That’s good for us.
For example I don’t know how one can read these chapters throughout Numbers and see a lot of ‘positive thinking’. I see a lot of judgment, pain, disobedience, complaining, arguing, and contentiousness. How many exhortations are there in the Bible that tell us to take our ‘happy pills.’ To be sure we exhorted to “think on these things,’ ‘to rejoice always IN THE LORD”, not in our circumstances.
Our psalm readings take us on a roller coaster ride of positive and negative feelings. That’s what I find, and that’s what is true of my life.
My wife has a strong belief in God, but she also has breast cancer. There are times the only thing we believe in is the will to live, but we CHOOSE to believe in God and His Sovereignty. I think those who teach the health and wealth emphasis of the gospel do a lot of damage to people who love God, are obedient to Him, but like Job have no idea why they have to suffer as they do.
I don’t doubt that Schuller and Olsteen and others like them have good intentions. I liken them to taking a happy pep pill. It lasts for a little while but it isn’t enough. Only True Truth sets one free. Psalm 34:6 speaks to me about what is really true, “I cried ouit to the LORD in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears.”
Luch

======= Emily:

Luch, thanks for your thoughts. Yes, actually Bible is so diverse in theology that it must be taken in its entirety. Its so easy to prove two contradictory things from one Bible.
I personally, find it a matter of extreme interest as well as confusion how in the OT God is always bestowing upon believers gifts, money, sheep, servants, heaps children, silver and gold and other wealth etc. But in the NT Jesus says it is so hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. I have met many Christians who are middle class and are so happy with their lives and they consider much money as evil.
I find these are conflicting themes…?… I personally, believe much money can be a good thing for Christians. But then I also know that much philanthropic work in this world, coming from the rich and famous folks like Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie, Bono etc. is not necessarily done by Christians.
But behind all this very vast design I see God working. That’s why I believe people must have the freedom to have their own life and determine their own purse size. And at the same time we Must love God with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind. When we do that, it will be impossible not to love others…
Emily

======= Luch:

Emily,
very well said!!!
Luch

======= John:

Emily
“Its so easy to prove two contradictory things from one Bible.”
I spent quite a bit of time trying to find contradictions in the Bible. I couldn’t do it. My failure in this self-imposed task is what led me to salvation.
I don’t see the contradiction in your example. Yes, believers in the Old Testament were often blessed materially. I imagine they always thanked the Lord, and offered some portion back.
A “rich man” outside the kingdom of God would find it difficult to gain entry because, in his heart, the rich man probably is focused on his material possessions and not focusing on God. Until he releases that “love of his heart” for riches, the rich man would be hard pressed to be truly seeking the Lord.
I think that is why Jesus said it is “hard” – Jesus never said it was impossible. Joseph of Arimethea as one example.
John

======= Emily:

Hey John, if you see no contradictions in Bible then you sure are blessed! On the other hand we are all so subjective and also its so easy to put same thing in different contexts. Isnt it interesting, different denominations from Super conservative Baptist to Liberal Presbyterian and Methodist churches use the same Bible? Yet their theology is so different.
I once wrote an extensive email to Beliefnet (www.beliefnet.com) telling them if some people want to have a homosexual lifestyle, its ok. It’s their personal choice but at least they should not imply that Bible does not condemn homosexuality (when it clearly does condemn it in Leviticus and Paul’s epistles). And I got a reply back. To my utter disbelief the writer quoted Bible many times and tried to prove that Bible does not condemn homosexuality. He or she even pointed that relationship between David and Jonathan was possibly homosexual! Of course I trash this but the writer truly believed in it all.
Truth is there are heaps subjects where people can use Bible to prove their point such as in issues concerning marriage, divorce, abortion, money, theology, baptism and so on.
But as I said, if we trust God we will never be misled and if we do get lost we will be forgiven and be brought back on track. Because God is good, merciful, loving and we are selfish, weak, imperfect, sinful, fallible.
Emily

======= John:

Emily,
“Truth is there are heaps subjects where people can use Bible to prove their point such as in issues concerning marriage, divorce, abortion, money, theology, baptism and so on.”
Yes, different people can interpret the Bible differently in an attempt to give validity to their position.
If it is consistent throughout the Bible, and I disagree, then I respectfully disagree. If it is not consistent throughout the Bible, nor bears up under scrutiny, then they are incorrect.
“Of course I trash this but the writer truly believed in it all.”
Sincere belief does not make it truth. I am sure there were sincere believers amongst the terrorists in the 9/11 planes, I am sure David Koresh had sincere believers, and I am sure some Satanists, wiccans, Scientologists, etc. are sincere in their belief.
Sincerity has never been a test for the truth. It is an emotional attribute.
John

======= Ann:

We should praise God and God alone. I don’t think praising his inspired Word may be scripturally sound.
Ann

======= John:

Ann,
I have not seen anyone here talk about “praising” the Bible. It is what it is – “God’s Word”. It is to be studied (not just read) and used as a tool for Christian Growth.
If you admit it is “inspired” then it certainly is to be respected. Not sure where you got the idea of “praising” the “inspired Word -referred to by you in your post.
John

======= Ramona:

Numbers 19-20:29
Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much–most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did–“First the people partied, then they threw a dance.” We must not be sexually promiscuous–they paid for that, remember, with twenty-three thousand deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. These are all warning markers–DANGER!–in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel–they at the beginning, we at the end–and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. (1 Corinthians 10:1-11 MSG)
What we are reading in Numbers can be explained in the first 1/3 of the tenth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. Numbers and the rest of the Old Testament were written for us as examples. God loves me enough, you enough to have provided real live examples for us NOT TO follow.
Moses was to speak to the “Rock” who was Christ and not to strike the Rock, especially not two consecutive times, actually the last two times totaled three because the “Rock” was struck previously (Exodus 17:6). Christ was only struck ONCE and because everything written in the Old points to Christ, hitting the Rock instead of speaking to the Rock, perverted the image of Christ.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7 KJVR)
Jesus would only be struck down once, on the cross, we don’t need to continually crucify Him over and over again. He died ONCE for all. Moses and Aaron gave the Children of Israel a tainted image of Christ when they struck the Rock twice.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
P.S. God being Holy can only fellowship with a Holy People. Anything that is corrupt is sin, anything that is not alive is sin because there is no death in God. Death is a sign of corruption, it is a distortion from “In the Beginning …” When we take our clothes to be washed/dry cleaned the purpose is to have the dirt removed. When God provided a way for His people to be Holy so they could commune with a Holy God, removal of the corruption, the sin and degradation that man fell into is a given. When you place detergent into the wash to get your clothes clean do you get upset when the dirt flows down the drain? Think about it.
Ramona

======= Peter:

Way back, in 1968, I was involved and indeed about to become engaged to an unbeliever.I was also about to celebrate my 21st birthday…I should have been very happy…but I actually felt very miserable and unhappy. I was a backslidden believer and I cried out to God..”If you’re there please deal with this unhappiness, please meet with me” The next day, my (about to be) fiance broke off our relationship!! God intervened in a wonderful immediate way. It should have been the beginning of turning back to God but strangely it was’nt. Subsequently however I did come back to God, met a lovely christian girl, who has been my wife for nearly 37 years. Praise God for his amazing mercy & faithfulness
Peter

======= Alan:

In the Spring of 2005 I was involved in a car wreck that if it had happened a fraction of a second later, I probably would be dead or seriously injured. My Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ was watching over me, & I was unhurt.
From this incident I have come a lot closer to Him.
This is my first time reading through the Bible, but definately won’t be my last.
Thank you Jesus.
Alan

======= Johnnie:

More and more I am realizing how much God does rescue me. This past December I was driving down the road and two Christmas trees came off of someone’s car. I hit one of them, but if it had been just one more inch higher it would have gone through my front windshield. I praise God that it only injured the car and not me! God is faithful.
Johnnie

======= Jason:

Yes, the Lord has rescued me, time and time again – from many situations… but mainly from myself! In the end, I find I have been my own worst enemy – but the Lord has been kind and gracious!
I remember the greatest rescue like it was yesterday – one time when He restored me back to faith after I had backslidden from Him for five whole years. When I tell my testimony now, I often fail to mention this (I don’t know why… it seems ‘long’ – as my teenage kids would say) – and just tell it like November 1979 was the first time… In truth I was saved first as a teenager (at 16) but I squandered it after just three or four months because the Word had no real root in me. I failed to read my Bible (only read it as a textbook for the O level exams) and fell by the wayside again – and became an atheist, of all things, so that I could indulge in evil things without feeling bad!
By the grace of God, the Lord send me two tenacious Christian brothers from the local Christian Pentecostal Mission who would not give up until they had delivered the message of God’s love and willingness to forgive me – no matter what I had done. I laughed at them and scoffed, but a week later, on my own, I poured out desperate prayers to God asking Him to give me a new life in Christ, and He did!
Since then there have been other times when I have not overtly strayed but have been a bit far from the Lord, but He would gently bring me back again! I do not deserve anything from His hands, but He keeps loving me anyway!
The Lord is just too good, and I cannot praise Him enough. He is the best ever! His word is the greatest, and everything in it is true – even my children are proving it for themselves … He reveals His truth to every generation!!!
Praise the Lord God, the Most High!
Jason

======= Jenny:

wow, to be honest, i had to read through the Numbers verses a couple times and get out my study Bible, i couldnt see what Moses and Aaron did wrong. It sounded to me like they just messed up on a minor detail, and God was kinda harsh…yikes, sorry, I’m only being honest here. but my study Bible explained it more. heres part of what my study Bible says:
“Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses spoke to the ppl, accusing them of being rebels against God. By his actions, Moses joined the ppl in rebellion against God.
The Lord’s evaluation of Moses was that he failed to take God at His word and thus to treat Him as holy to the ppl. Moses here failed in the same way as Israel had at Kadesh 38 yrs prior.
God’s judgment upon Moses for his sin of striking the rock was that he would not take Israel into the land of Canaan. The inclusion of Aaron demonstrated his partnership with Moses in the actin against the Lord.”
i’m taking it, it was more the attitude in his heart. yikes, if i had been in that wilderness, i know myself, i’d be one of the first ppl struck down by God. The death of Aaron made me sad, i know he didnt perish eternally. but he’s always been one of my favorites in the Bible, this is weird, but I had a crush on him as a kid or teen, haha. i dont know, i guess it carries over still. ok, yes thats weird.
Aha! I’ve been looking for the story of John the B’s birth and his father Zech. being mute. I knew it but couldnt remember where in the Bible I had read it. I greatly look forward to Luke!
I love Ps v 3, a beautiful song sings these words, i’m sure we all know it, one of my faves. “whenever i am afraid i will trust in You, i will trust in You. Let the weak say I am strong, in the strength of the Lord, You are my hiding place, You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance, whenever I am afraid i will trust in You….” i love it! (and part from Ps. 32:7)
as for the Q, yes, God saves me daily! I cant possibly put it all down, but i have put a lot down in former comments the past 6 months.
Jenny

======= Katie:

The Lord has rescued me many times, physically, emotionally, and mostly spiritually. The latest is I was irritated and angry with someone I’m very close to (who is a Christian) and I was deciding to take it out on God…. to keep it brief….. the Lord opened my eyes to the fact that I was in heading for some very bad stuff and offered me rescue from it.
I praise the Lord for His mercy and grace, His rescue and forgiveness.
Psalm 56:10″O God, I praise your word. Yes, LORD, I praise your word.” Isn’t the Lord so awesome for the roadmap He has offered us, wrapped in love, in the Word? I’m falling in love all over again with the wonderful Word of God. (That is part of the above-mentioned rescue)
Katie

======= Eileen:

I started to fast and pray with someone today, and I was praying that I could be totally faithful in what God wants me to fast and pray about. When I read the verses in numbers , I realize that when we are faithful in what we promise to do, God is faithful to fullfill His promise to us. When He does fullfill His promise, I don’t want to be proud and take credit for the miracles God will do I will give God all of the Glory! I am nervous about doing this right. Ps 56 was such an encouragement! Thank you Lord, because when I am fearful I will read your Word and I will not be afraid. Thank you for rescuing those who trust you!
Eileen

======= Anka:

I can’t help wondering why Moses slipped and Aaron followed.Both had been through alot with the Isaelites.During their journey,they saw God protect and provide for them yet once again Israel rebelled.Discontentment is deadly,so is pride.Moses had an intimate relationship with God,he spoke to Him face to face,he knew God would provide,surely Israel should have realized that too after all their experiences from Egypt.Did Moses have to deal with their discontentment and disbelief over and over…they should have known better…but they didn’t.
Moses’s relationship with God gave him a lot more to be accountable to God for.Just like we change diapers for a baby but would frown at 3year old who still has problems using a potty,God expects more from us as we mature in Him.
Moses may have been a humble man but he was human,and when he and Aaron said “we” instead of “God”…and presumed to get angry when God wasn’t…they put themselves above God’s word.
The Lord has rescued me from being ignorant of His ways,has opened my eyes to the dangers of lawlessness by His grace and mercy.I pray that we all may walk in the way of the Lord and that the book of law may not depart from our eyes,that we may meditate on it day and night.
God bless you all
Anka

======= Mae:

How about us in our lives today? Are there times when we disobey God’s direct commands to us? ~ I have to admit that I don’t recognize God’s direct commands all the time. Sometimes it’s waaaaaaaaay after the actual thing that I think “Ohhhhhhh right … that was God!”. Our pastor had a good point Sunday, he said: “The sweetest voice with the easiest command is MOSTLY NOT God. God is the one who wants you to take the hard way and learn a good and valuable lesson”. I’ll remember this forever!!!
I’m very excited about reading Luke! However I thought it was very odd that Zechariah didn’t believe Gabriel! I mean, there’s an angel, right in front of you!!! How did it happen that Zechariah didn’t believe him? If there’s an angel in church, telling me I’d have a baby within 9 months, I’ll believe him!
Hmmm … I can’t give one specific thing where God saved me. He just saved my entire life! He showed me the way to His house when I was at the lowest point in my life. Since I accepted Jesus in my life, it has been such a wonderful journey! I’ve become a better person! A better wife, a better mother, a better daughter, a better friend … I was alone before I was saved. I fought with everybody out of selfpity. God just saved me in a big way! He gave me a new life, I could start over again and I really needed that, cause I messed up my old life so bad. I praise and thank Him every day! I’m so happy now, I’ve never been so happy!
Mae

======== Kathleen:

Are there times when we disobey God’s direct commands to us?
There was a time when I disobeyed God’s direct command for myself but he kept commanding me all day to do it and finally I went over to my grandparents and said “Goodbye” to my poppa. I never said “Goodbye” in my life and I knew right then and there that I would never see him again. They were going on a fishing trip and he had been ill all summer and God wanted to make sure that I was there to say Goodbye. My poppa also knew that God sent me that day to tell him Goodbye. It was wierd that connection that we both had. I had spent everyday that summer with my poppa. That was in 1995. He passed away on July 5, 1995. Crazy how God speaks to us.
Psalms makes me happy just to know that God makes us happy. How awesome that we have the Bible to read. I don’t know what I would do if my ancestors wouldn’t of introduced me to Jesus and God. I have no idea where I would be today. : )
God has rescued me more then once. Both times I was depressed and didn’t want to go on. I just wanted life to end. I thought I could handle the fact that my poppa was gone and then he wasn’t here anymore and I couldn’t feel him or see him and life sucked. My heart was broke, I didn’t have a buddy to sit by in church to hold my hand in church. I didn’t have anyone to take me fishing. To let me know that I didn’t have my fishing rod up or down. Or anyone to say pull my finger ..hehe…the worst part is I lived alone and I didn’t really have any close friends so life really sucked. Then I met Darin and it was like life didn’t suck anymore I started to go back to church it took some time to get over the Amazing Grace and How great thou Art song but life was getting back to a normal for me. Now life is better. God is definitly good!!
Kathleen

======= Debra:

Thank you so much for this very informative and spirit fulfilling blog. May God continue to bless you as you spread his word.
Debra

======= Helen:

God had provided water from the rock before for His people. They still hadn’t learnt to trust Him as they grumbled again against Moses, just as they did before.This reminds me to thank God for what He has done in the past for me and others.
By remembering what He has done helps me to trust Him for now and the future.
Of course He may choose to do things in a slightly different way to the way He did things before. However by thankfully remembering what He has done it helps keep me in the right attitude towards Him and the situations/circumstances around me now.
Helen

======= Jo:

I remember reading your commentary on today’s New Testament story last year and it struck me profoundly both years. That and some other Bible studies that I read today reminded me to pray and that moment I did pray for something that has been bothering me for some time but that I have neglected to pray for seriously. A few minutes later I realized my prayer had been answered! I feel so foolish after seeing Him, He’s so great, gosh I can’t even say enough about it. Thank you Lord!
Jo

======= Tim:

God has rescued me physically and literally so many times in my half-century life, I’ve lost count. The most notable perhaps was in preventing me from being shot twice on different occasions, when I lived in a country village here in N. Ireland, in the worst of the early years of “The Troubles”. I know absolutely He protected me as on both occasions everyone marvelled that I hadn’t been hit but at the time I wasn’t a Christian and didn’t appreciate the events as I perhaps could have done and certainly have ever since coming to faith in the Lord 2 years later. There are, however, those times when you want rescued and He doesn’t come to your aid, but later you can see how providential that act has been, and how perhaps had He done so, you could have been in worse circumstances spiritually rather than better. I’ve learnt that He is absolutely close to those who are in trouble, but His Sovereign Will dictates the outcome more than our personal desires, because we cannot see the end from the beginning as He does. Blessings
Tim

======= Joyce:

I enjoy reading the comments, especially from learned people. However, I wish that more of the comments answered the question that was posed – today asking if God had ever rescued you. Since I’m going through a particularly tough time right now, with my husband’s unemployment, the recent death of my mother and difficulty selling her house, my job difficulties, the death of my son several years ago, not to mention mental illness in several members of my family, I look forward to someone who will post instances where God has rescued them unmistakably. I’m sure He has rescued me, but I can’t remember those times at the moment. Thank you.
Joyce

======== Dee:

Joyce,
you precious sweet woman of God! He hears and He listens to your situations and is and always will be there for you and me. God rescued me and is continuing to be such a present help in my time of hurt and trouble currently right now. I had a dream about a month ago concerning my eyes. It was a quirky dream, one of those you wake up, realize everything is as it should be and go back to sleep and not think about it again until it confirms or affirmates your suspicions or the thought becomes a reality, just like my dream, as silly or wierd as it could be became the reality or warning God was giving me. I went to an annual checkup with my spouse. He checked out fine, my eyes were the ones in question, I was sent to a retina specialist with a concern of possible retina schisis or retina detachment. I saw one specialist at the office, he thought the same as my opthomologist, and recommended me to his colleague who was more current and learned on this type thing, and it confirmed I had retina detachment, the same term and dream I had month or so ago, it took three “specialists” to see and confirm what the master physician knew all along. I have surgery next week to get it fixed and to get a little work on the other eye to prevent it from causing same problem. I was warned and I almost didn’t heed the warning. I was rescued by the hands of God and it let me know that I am loved by Him and as long as I trust in Him and put my cares in His hands He will guide my steps and my ways and come to my rescue everytime. So, you see Joyce, we all struggle and have trials go on in our life but it is what you do with the trials you receive, that make you who you are today. He said there would be trials and we would go “through” the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid, for thou art with me. (Ps 23) He is with us and He cares for us. Read your 91st Psalm and meditate on it alittle, He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. 91:2 He will cover you with His feathers, He will shelter you with His wings. 91:4 and verse 7 is wonderful: Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, those evils will not touch you., Verse 14 talks about rescuing in Psalm 91: The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in My name. 15, when they call on me, I will answer them, I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
Bless you and keep you In Him all the days of Your Life, Joyce, know God loves You, He Cares, I Love You and the ministry of this blog cares and loves you sweetie!!
Be Blessed
Dee

======= Chris:

Joyce,
I’m in the midst of a rescue right now, and the blog is a part of it. After five or so years of great growth as a Christian, I have been in a very stagnant phase for about a year — very little time in the Word or in prayer, praise times that became rituals and entertainment, lots of wasted time playing Sudoku for hours on end, wondering if I was now retired because our business has been so slow for the past year or so, and more. Late last fall, in the midst of a Sudoku game, I heard my ice maker drop a few cubes into the tray. Say what? Well, my ice maker has not dropped ice for years [except once in a blue moon], and as part of a longer story, I’ll just say when I hear it, I immediately think of God, smile big time, and know He is with me. That’s my time to listen. I decided then and there that my stagnation would end. I prayed and I listened. I quit the Sudoku game and started searching for different reading plans. That’s when I happened upon the blog and knew immediately that I would do it this year. As you’ve seen, as it is a blessing to so many, it is a blessing to me.
Next, I visited a men’s prayer group at a neighboring church. I could tell immediately this was not for me, and I had no intention of going back — except that in my quiet times, I kept getting the message to go back. That was in December, and now it is another major blessing for me–to be with men of similar faith, praying for one another, for the church, and more. This was not a desire I had: it is definitely God’s hand in my life. Also in December, through a series of not-too-probable circumstances and a few closed doors, I was led to contact the chaplain at a local hospital. Came to be they were just about to start an orientation for volunteers to visit and pray with patients — and they had one more opening. I’m now a part of that team, being blessed week after week by patients in the oncology wing as they open their doors to me and together, and across faith borders, we pray together for their needs and desires. Time and time again, there are no words adequate for what need to be said, yet the words are always there — and they can only be coming from the Holy Spirit.
So it this a rescue? It’s surrendering to God, desiring to draw near to Him … and having Him lead me in ways I never would have gone on my own. My path was not a good one. It is now. May I never stray far.
God bless you Joyce, and may always know and rejoice in the mercy, grace, power, strength and comfort of Jesus.
Chris

======= Lily:

Numbers 19:1-20:29
Thanks Mike & Ramona for the insight on why Moses & Aaron did not get to see the promise land. That was one question I had while reading this chapter. It reminds me that sometimes we think (assume) that we are following God’s commands when in reality, it is our own wishes that we are following. In this busy & noisy world it is difficult to hear God’s voice nor see that God already answered our prayers. I remember the country song that I am paraphrasing “God’s answer to our prayers are unanswered prayers which means “No” is the answer. Like children it is hard to accept that sometimes “No” is the answer which is good for us and the people around us. I maybe going away from the message today.
Luke 1:1-25
With God, everything is possible.
Proverbs 11:8
I pray that God rescues not only the righteous from danger but those who are weak. I have a long way in my walk with God, and thus as I pray for myself, I pray for others too especially those who are separated from God to see God’s mercy and love.
God bless.
Lily

======= Steve:

Numbers 19:1-20:29
Moses strikes the rock twice instead of once and God punishes him by not allowing him to enter the promise land. Yes, this looks harsh at first glance because Moses has been faithful and humble consistently over the test of time. So what’s the big deal about striking the rock twice? The rock is Jesus and striking the rock twice angered God because Jesus died “ONCE” and for all, for our sins. Jesus is everywhere in the Old Testament, the more we study the word of God the more evident this becomes to us.
Do we sometimes (metaphorically speaking) strike the rock twice? Basically there are two types of anger, righteous anger and any other type of anger. Moses anger when striking the rock was not the righteous anger Jesus displayed when he turned over the tables of the money changers.
When Moses lost his temper, he momentarily lost sight of the big picture (God’s plan) and his pride overpowered his humility. Boy, can I relate to that one! Before losing my temper, my humility always goes AWOL first. It’s very hard to see humility evaporate and slowly be replaced with pride. Sometimes when doing the Lord’s work, maybe leading a loved one to Christ, we can put a fly in the ointment with our own pride and see our witness turn ineffective.
Steve

======= Bobbie:

Numbers 19:1-20:29
As I read this chapter ,I’d look at myself because of my condition w/ the hypertension but continue to ask God to be meek and lowly coz it always reminded me the impulsive Peter. We need to be eye open to what had happened in Japan. We must be vigilant in prayer and ask forgiveness for the unrighteous things we did. Prepare yourself to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 24 is already happening.We must have to wake up, get rid of what was happening and draw nigh to the Lord. He’s coming, He’s really coming get out from the worldly pleasures and go before the Lord. Do His Will and turn from the wicked ways. God’s Words is very, very, very true.Be jealous to God not to the world.
Bobbie

======= Chad:

Trust…Moses and Aaron had trust issues, and it resulted in them being forbidden from entering the “promised land.”
Trust…Zechariah had a problem with a trust issue when the angel, Gabriel, told him about John. He was unable to speak …
Trust…I’ll be thinking about this a lot today…
Chad

======= Dawn:

@Ramona – wow, nailed it! Your words hit home with me today – not sure why they resonated so much so, will go back and dive in to see what He was pointing me to
Dawn

======= Mitch:

OT – Ramona is correct regarding Moses striking rock instead of speaking to Rock.
Jesus is referred to as “the” Rock in dozens of Bible verses. Ex. 1 Cor 10:4.
Striking Rock in Exodus 17 is a picture of Jesus being smitten for our sins (Isaiah 53). The second picture – Because he died for us we get the living water of Christ.
Should have spoken to Rock in Numbers 20 as after Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have only to speak to Him to receive the Living Water of Eternal Life.
Moses did not obey God, messed up picture and lesson of Christ, and was punished. To those given much; much is expected.
NT – Zechariah was punished by God because He did not believe God’s Word, To those who know and are given much; much is expected.
Mitch

======= Dee:

Numbers 19:1-20:29
The Water for Purification
Now we start seeing some of the leadership and skills of Eleazer, Aarons son, and see some of the roles that are given to a high priest-He had to be given a clean, pure red heifer, take away from camp and watch it being slaughtered and the start the steps for purification process-dip finger in blood and sprinkle “7” times toward front of Tabernacle-then we come back to the stick of cedar, hyssop branch, and scarlet yarn-those are significant throughout Numbers in purification and cleansing-each atoning for the sin, the covering of blood (scarlet yarn) and all of our sins and defilement-its pretty neat but also a very in depth process in Old Testament, and I thank God for Jesus-the last sacrificial Lamb of God. It is neat though the significant numbers of seven and even three used over and over in the bible, the blood covering the door frames, the furniture, the people, sprinkled seven times, seven being the completion and on seventh day God rested(Gen..) three being the times the people had to be purified, on third and seventh and third day Christ death and buriel and resurrection took place on the third day. On third day, Lazarus rose from the dead..such neat tying in of God’s word and the perfection of these numbers and significance of what a number means in Gods eyes.
Chapter 20 of Numbers–
The thing that stood out to me was the response of the King of Edom, the no entry allowed-it made me think, “Why didn’t the Lord go ahead of them, and allow the entry to be made”, but then, I look at the verses in land of Kadesh, where Aaron and Moses both didn’t trust God and worked on their own might and not God’s so, therefore God stood back and is letting them learn the hard way-When we get in the way and take credit for God’s work, He will leave us to ourselves and His annointing at that time will leave also, so Moses and Aaron had to turn around and go another way.
in Luke–
awesome verse concerning John 1:15b He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
How great is that! interesting findings on meaning of John and Jesus names..
The word John means, “the Lord is gracious”
The word Jesus means, “the Lord saves”
Both prescribed by God-not chosen by human parents.
Throughout the Gospels, God acts graciously and saves His people. He will not withhold salvation from anyone who sincerely comes to Him.
Ps 56 verse 4, and verse 11
bears repeating,
I trust in God so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
Matthew 10:28-in reference to these verses above..
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body;they cannot touch your soul.” Instead fear God, who controls this life and next.
Proverbs 11:8a, “The Godly are rescued from trouble”
–Even if good people suffer (goes back to Ps 56) -they can be sure they wil ultimately be rescued from eternal death. 
This should be a reassurance for the Godly–Cast cares upon the Lord, for He careth for You!!
Be blessed
Dee