67th Week Numbers Chapters 15-19 (Click on the Title for Video Introduction)

 

Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Numbers Chapter 15

Numbers 15

Verses 2 & 3

Tanya Ruden

Verses 2 & 3:  Speak to the Israelites and say to them, “After you enter the land I am giving you as a home and you present to the LORD offerings made by fire, from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the LORD - whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings.

THOUGHT

I love how in the chapter before this all the people were doubting God’s promise; they didn’t have confidence they would enter the land.  Some had just lost the battle.  God starts this chapter with the statement, “After you enter the land I am giving you...” He didn’t talk about His plan to make that happen or reassure the people it would happen.  He merely stated it would happen, and after it did, this is how they are to worship and continue to make sacrifices to Him. 

I love how confident God is.  I realize He is all-knowing, and there is really no reason for Him not to have confidence, but still, don’t we all wish we could be as confident in His promises as He is? It kind of reminds me how we so often trust ourselves, because we know what we will do.  However, we don’t necessarily trust those around us, including God. May the start of this chapter be a reminder that God is true to His promises, and it is wrong for us to not trust Him to fulfill them.  He will.  He always does even when our worldly mind tells us otherwise.

PRAYER

Dear God, thank You for another day to Glorify You. May we each Glorify You today in our actions, our work, our being. May we never doubt Your promises to us, and when we begin to, help us to find the strength and reminders to stand faithfully.  You so confidently state Your promises in a manner that causes no doubt.  AMEN

Tuesday, Numbers Chapter 16

Numbers 16

Verses 21 & 45

Mindy Strayer

Verse 21:  “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” But Moses and Aaron fell face down and cried out.

Verse 45:  “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell face down.

THOUGHT

Chapter 16 was an amazing story! Frightfully amazing! It tells us of the power and wrath of God on the Israelite community because of their sin. And it shows us the caring hearts of Moses and Aaron towards the Israelite people. God was so angry with His people. He was ready to destroy them all. Both times that the Lord spoke about separating from the sinners, Moses and Aaron interceded for the people and called on God to show mercy. I had two tracks of thought on these requests or commands of the Lord. 

#1 What are the things in my life that God is pointing His finger at saying, “Separate yourself. Don’t be like this group over here. I am not yet destroying that particular evil because you, whom I love dearly, have not yet separated yourself from it completely, and I don’t want to destroy you with them.” What kinds of sin do I surround myself with, that God wants to destroy immediately only He is patiently waiting, mercifully waiting for me to separate myself from it? Oh saints, what a merciful God we serve. Praise His Name. And though we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Praise the name of Jesus!!

#2 Although God has called us to separate ourselves from sin and sinful people, he does not intend for us to stop intervening for them in prayer and loving them as Christ did. We must not refuse to interact and deal with people who are sinning and refusing to obey the Lord, but we must be mindful of the attitudes of our own hearts making sure that we don’t join with them in their sin and so sin ourselves. We are called to pray for these people. We are called to stand in the gap for these people just as Aaron did when God sent the plague.

PRAYER

Oh God! God of heaven and the earth and of the entire universe, God, we worship You! God, we thank You! God, we praise You!  How abundant are Your mercies! How abundant, Lord, is Your grace! How abundant, God, is Your love for us! We don’t understand why You love us as You do, when so many times we carry around with us disobedient and sinful hearts. We don’t understand, but, Lord, we are so very grateful. Thank You for the cross You hung on for us, Jesus. Thank You for being the great sacrifice for my sin and the sin of the entire world. Lord Jesus, help us now to see the sin in our lives and give us the strength and courage to separate ourselves from it, no matter what we think we might lose out on by not being connected with it. We trust You completely. We believe in You and the plans You have made for our lives. Help us, Lord Jesus, to love as You did. Give us hearts like Moses and Aaron to fall on our faces before You in intercession for the lost of this world.  We ask these great things in the mighty name of Jesus.  AMEN

Wednesday, Numbers Chapter 17

Numbers 17

Verse 8

Mindy Strayer

Verse 8:  The next day Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

THOUGHT

The Israelites continue to grumble, and God continues to speak to them with miraculous events. In the previous chapter, they were destructive, horrible events of the power and wrath of God. In this chapter God uses a peaceful display of His miracle working power to speak to the people. I guess the earth opening up and swallowing Koran and his family and Aaron standing in between the living and the dead preventing the plague from reaching more Israelites wasn’t enough proof that God had chosen Moses as the leader and Aaron as the priest. The Bible moves straight from the plague ending, to God commanding Moses to gather the staffs. God decides to take a dead piece of wood and have it produce fruit, and He does it overnight. 

I don’t know about you guys but I know I would feel relieved to see a peaceful miracle from God as opposed to the miracles of destruction. Somehow I get a sense that this event and all the miracles, signs and wonders God had already done to reveal Himself won’t stop the Israelites from grumbling. Jesus Himself said that it didn’t matter how many miracles He performed on earth, some people would still not believe that He was God. It is a matter of the hardness of our hearts. It’s like a stubbornness that exists within us all that wants to have things our own way, and we are prone to grumble when our way doesn’t work out. God is amidst us and is working in our lives because He loves us and wants to bless us with His presence. So many times in my life I have ideas of what I think should happen, and God does not allow it. I praise and thank Him for that, for his ideas are much more wise and grand than anything I could ever come up with.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for all of the signs and miracles that You have displayed for Your people to know You and know Your ways. Though at times we are about as useful as that dead wood, we know that with the powerful work of Your Spirit within us we too can be fruitful. Search our hearts, Holy Spirit, we pray and soften any hardness that You find. May we be a people who refuse to grumble, but choose to trust You and have hearts of gratitude and thanksgiving. Thank You for loving us.  We ask this in Jesus Name. AMEN

Thursday, Numbers Chapter 18

Numbers 18

Verse 32

Mindy Strayer

Verse 32:  You will bear no sin by reason of it when you have offered the best of it. But you shall not profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, or you will die.

THOUGHT

Tithing is a commandment of the Lord. We are to give a portion of what the Lord has given to us back to Him. Not just a portion, but the first and best. Not only does this honor the Lord, but the Bible says that we will not be in sin or possess feelings of guilt when we follow this command.

There is much found freedom when we as God’s people tithe. I believe it releases us from lots of doubting about whether or not to spend money here or there. God’s blessing will cover you, and I believe we become wiser in our decision makings about money and the resources that God gives us.

Important to remember that we are commanded not to profane the financial resources that the Lord gives us, or rather we are not to use it irresponsibly or for things that go against the Word of God.  Prayer is key in all of this. When we keep ourselves in prayer with the Lord about our finances, He will help us make the right decisions.

PRAYER

Thank You, God, You are our Jehovah! We thank You for providing all that we need! Help us to continue to give back to You with grateful hearts Your portion. Bless the tithes and offerings that are given back to You and use them to advance Your Kingdom. We ask this in Jesus Name.  AMEN

Friday, Numbers Chapter 19

Numbers 19

Jeanie Boldt

THOUGHT

As a holy and separated people, the Jews had to avoid ritual uncleanliness of all kinds, especially contamination from dead bodies. No doubt there were hygienic purposes behind this law, but it also reminded the people to avoid sin because of the defilement it brings. God dwelt in the camp and no one was to defile it. God made provision for restoring persons who became unclean.  Water for washing is a picture of the Word of God. The Word promises us cleansing because the blood of God’s Son was shed for us on the cross. The Word also provides cleansing for the inner person as we read it, meditate on it, and apply it to our lives.

I was blessed to travel to Des Moines yesterday to enjoy Mother’s Day with Tanya and the kids. We worshipped in her Lutheran Church of HOPE. How marvelous it was!!! One of the things that I totally loved was the water fall at the front. On one side of the altar was a brick wall with a beautiful cross on it. On the other side of the altar was the same likeness of the brick wall with a constant water fall going down it. Jesus is our living water!!! Now that is the kind of water I want to be washed with.

ELEAZAR: Son of Aaron, who was made High Priest as his father was dying. He was very responsible and learned from Moses, his father and Joshua. He completed his father’s work by helping lead the people into the Promised Land as he teamed up with Joshua.

PRAYER

Father God, You are a precise God who provides for us in so many ways. From the days of Moses to the present time, You know just what we need and help guide us and accomplish it. Thank You for this weeks’ time to be in Your Word and study from the book of Numbers. Help us to be like living water to those we come in contact with. May the Holy Spirit direct me as I prepare devotions this week. AMEN