1 -4 The families of Reuben and Gad had huge herds of livestock. They saw that the country of Jazer and Gilead was just the place for grazing livestock. And so they came, the families of Gad and of Reuben, and spoke to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the congregation, saying, "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—the country that God laid low before the community of Israel—is a country just right for livestock, and we have livestock." 5 They continued, "If you think we've done a good job so far, give us this country for our inheritance. Don't make us go across the Jordan."
God had a plan for His people which included the Promised Land - the tribe of Reuben had their own plan which did not inlcude crossing the Jordan. They promised to fight for Israel etc, but they were not crossing the Jordan.
How many times have I been to the banks of the Jordan - looked across and not crossed?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February 23, Numbers 28-30
These words keep jumping out at me today.
"Conclude the seventh day in holy worship; don't do any regular work on that day.
Do I really contemplate the holiness of worship in my heart as I enter into worship? Am I keeping the Sabbath holy? Do I spend the day resting in the Lord?
As a New Covenant Girl, I am not required to make sacrifices to the Lord such as drink offerings, burnt offerings, etc...but I am to make sacrifices and do so willingly, not as a martyr.
"On the tenth day of this seventh month, gather in holy worship, humble yourselves, and do no work.
Holy worship - humble myself...
"When a woman makes a vow to God and binds herself by a pledge as a young girl still living in her father's house, and her father hears of her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then she has to make good on all her vows and pledges. But if her father holds her back when he hears of what she has done, none of her vows and pledges are valid. God will release her since her father held her back.
"If she marries after she makes a vow or has made some rash promise or pledge, and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her, then she has to make good on whatever she vowed or pledged. But if her husband intervenes when he hears of it, he cancels the vow or rash promise that binds her. And God will release her.
"Any vow or pledge taken by a widow or divorced woman is binding on her.
I cannot imagine living in the old covenant, I would have been a big slop at it or been at the temple making sacrifices daily.
The Jews had a narrow road to follow, I must enter through a narrow gate.
Thank You Lord Jesus for being my Passover Lamb!
"Conclude the seventh day in holy worship; don't do any regular work on that day.
Do I really contemplate the holiness of worship in my heart as I enter into worship? Am I keeping the Sabbath holy? Do I spend the day resting in the Lord?
As a New Covenant Girl, I am not required to make sacrifices to the Lord such as drink offerings, burnt offerings, etc...but I am to make sacrifices and do so willingly, not as a martyr.
"On the tenth day of this seventh month, gather in holy worship, humble yourselves, and do no work.
Holy worship - humble myself...
"When a woman makes a vow to God and binds herself by a pledge as a young girl still living in her father's house, and her father hears of her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then she has to make good on all her vows and pledges. But if her father holds her back when he hears of what she has done, none of her vows and pledges are valid. God will release her since her father held her back.
"If she marries after she makes a vow or has made some rash promise or pledge, and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her, then she has to make good on whatever she vowed or pledged. But if her husband intervenes when he hears of it, he cancels the vow or rash promise that binds her. And God will release her.
"Any vow or pledge taken by a widow or divorced woman is binding on her.
I cannot imagine living in the old covenant, I would have been a big slop at it or been at the temple making sacrifices daily.
The Jews had a narrow road to follow, I must enter through a narrow gate.
Thank You Lord Jesus for being my Passover Lamb!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 16, Numbers 11-13
Where to begin today, there is so much here...I've murmured and complained, I've complained and whined to God about other people's whining...and I know God is not a fan of murmuring/complaining/whining!
1 -15 Moses said to God, "Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, 'Give us meat; we want meat.' I can't do this by myself—it's too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here."
Next they spread rumors about the Promised Land.
But the others said, "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it's a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers."
The people whined, Moses whined, the people wanted meat and they got meat, Miriam and Aaron grumbled and complained, the scouts began spreading rumors about the Promised Land.
Each of these situations had 2 things in common - a heart problem - their hearts were not God oriented but rather me oriented and then they all opened their mouths. I pray we live each day endeavoring to keep our hearts filled with God's love and not filled with ourselves and we keep our mouths shut when it comes to whining.
1 -15 Moses said to God, "Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, 'Give us meat; we want meat.' I can't do this by myself—it's too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here."
Next they spread rumors about the Promised Land.
But the others said, "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it's a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers."
The people whined, Moses whined, the people wanted meat and they got meat, Miriam and Aaron grumbled and complained, the scouts began spreading rumors about the Promised Land.
Each of these situations had 2 things in common - a heart problem - their hearts were not God oriented but rather me oriented and then they all opened their mouths. I pray we live each day endeavoring to keep our hearts filled with God's love and not filled with ourselves and we keep our mouths shut when it comes to whining.
Monday, February 15, 2010
February 15, Numbers 8-10
The Israelites were obedient to God, they marched when He said march and they camped when He said camp. Obedience brings life and blessings, disobedience brings death and curses. Why do I choose disobedience so often?
These verses in Chapter 10 really struck me:
1 -3 God spoke to Moses: "Make two bugles of hammered silver. Use them to call the congregation together and give marching orders to the camps. When you blow them, the whole community will meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
4 -7 "When a bugle gives a single, short blast, that's the signal for the leaders, the heads of the clans, to assemble. When it gives a long blast, that's the signal to march. At the first blast the tribes who were camped on the east set out. At the second blast the camps on the south set out. The long blasts are the signals to march. The bugle call that gathers the assembly is different from the signal to march.
God was giving them instructions on how to communicate - it reminded me as New Covenant Girls, we must know the Voice of our Shepherd! Then we read in verse 29:
29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We're marching to the place about which God promised, 'I'll give it to you.' Come with us; we'll treat you well. God has promised good things for Israel." 30 But Hobab said, "I'm not coming; I'm going back home to my own country, to my own family."
Hobab was hurt is some way, home looked better than where he was going. How often does the old look better than the new. The familiar whether it's a rut or all the way back to bondage in Egypt - we know what to expect, we've been there done that. The Promised Land is new, it's different, we must live and hope and go for it...
These verses in Chapter 10 really struck me:
1 -3 God spoke to Moses: "Make two bugles of hammered silver. Use them to call the congregation together and give marching orders to the camps. When you blow them, the whole community will meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
4 -7 "When a bugle gives a single, short blast, that's the signal for the leaders, the heads of the clans, to assemble. When it gives a long blast, that's the signal to march. At the first blast the tribes who were camped on the east set out. At the second blast the camps on the south set out. The long blasts are the signals to march. The bugle call that gathers the assembly is different from the signal to march.
God was giving them instructions on how to communicate - it reminded me as New Covenant Girls, we must know the Voice of our Shepherd! Then we read in verse 29:
29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We're marching to the place about which God promised, 'I'll give it to you.' Come with us; we'll treat you well. God has promised good things for Israel." 30 But Hobab said, "I'm not coming; I'm going back home to my own country, to my own family."
Hobab was hurt is some way, home looked better than where he was going. How often does the old look better than the new. The familiar whether it's a rut or all the way back to bondage in Egypt - we know what to expect, we've been there done that. The Promised Land is new, it's different, we must live and hope and go for it...
Friday, February 12, 2010
February 12, Numbers 3-4
In today's reading we see how God divides the work among the Levites. He does the same thing today, we must be careful not to do it all ourselves.
As I read through the details of this census, I think ahead to Augustus' census and Mary and Joseph.
As I read through the details of this census, I think ahead to Augustus' census and Mary and Joseph.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
February 11, Numbers 1-2
As we read the details of the census, part of my brain wants to shut down, I immediately think math and spread sheets, the other part of my brain kicks in and says God is in the details.
The people have been out of Egypt (free) for 2 years. The following verses struck me today:
Numbers 1:54 The people of Israel did everything God commanded Moses. They did it all.
Numbers 2: 34 The people of Israel did everything the way God commanded: They camped under their respective flags; they marched by tribe with their ancestral tribes.
Life was good, they were obedient to God.
I have to ask myself: Am I camping under a heavenly atmosphere, under the canopy of God or am I camped in the world/wilderness? Do I have God's banner waving outside my tent? Is my banner truly Jehovah Nisi or is it the flag of discontent, disappoitment, anger, selfishness etc?
The people have been out of Egypt (free) for 2 years. The following verses struck me today:
Numbers 1:54 The people of Israel did everything God commanded Moses. They did it all.
Numbers 2: 34 The people of Israel did everything the way God commanded: They camped under their respective flags; they marched by tribe with their ancestral tribes.
Life was good, they were obedient to God.
I have to ask myself: Am I camping under a heavenly atmosphere, under the canopy of God or am I camped in the world/wilderness? Do I have God's banner waving outside my tent? Is my banner truly Jehovah Nisi or is it the flag of discontent, disappoitment, anger, selfishness etc?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Feb. 10, Lev 26-27
There are so many verses which really spoke to me in Chapter 26. As I began chapter 26, the words
1 "Don't make idols for yourselves; don't set up an image or a sacred pillar for yourselves, and don't place a carved stone in your land that you can bow down to in worship. I am God, your God.
2 "Keep my Sabbaths; treat my Sanctuary with reverence. I am God are the 1st words I read.
I need to examine my heart, mind and life - have I opened the door wide to sin and let idols in, have I left the door cracked and let the creep in? My dad was ill from 2005-2009, critically ill from the end of 2007 until his death a year ago. In some areas of my walk with God, I HELD His hand tight, in other areas - I became slip shop. My prayer life is still not as intense as it was. I want to get back to where and I was and go even deeper with Him.
Do I treat His sanctuary with reverence? In regards to myself being a temple of the Holy Spirit, the most honest answer I can give is - Sometimes.
Verse 13 is so powerful: I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely. I've never thought of the imagery of a harness and slavery before.
Verse 14 - But if you refuse, Verse 40 - on the other hand if you confess...there it is in black and white for us - choose life or death, blessings or curses, obedience or disobedience...
1 "Don't make idols for yourselves; don't set up an image or a sacred pillar for yourselves, and don't place a carved stone in your land that you can bow down to in worship. I am God, your God.
2 "Keep my Sabbaths; treat my Sanctuary with reverence. I am God are the 1st words I read.
I need to examine my heart, mind and life - have I opened the door wide to sin and let idols in, have I left the door cracked and let the creep in? My dad was ill from 2005-2009, critically ill from the end of 2007 until his death a year ago. In some areas of my walk with God, I HELD His hand tight, in other areas - I became slip shop. My prayer life is still not as intense as it was. I want to get back to where and I was and go even deeper with Him.
Do I treat His sanctuary with reverence? In regards to myself being a temple of the Holy Spirit, the most honest answer I can give is - Sometimes.
Verse 13 is so powerful: I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely. I've never thought of the imagery of a harness and slavery before.
Verse 14 - But if you refuse, Verse 40 - on the other hand if you confess...there it is in black and white for us - choose life or death, blessings or curses, obedience or disobedience...
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