69th Week Numbers Chapters 25-29 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

 Click on the Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Numbers Chapter 25

Numbers 25

Heather Proehl

THOUGHT

Okay, so the Israelites majorly mess up here. First the men indulge in sexual immorality and then that leads to worshiping false gods. Pretty bad things to get into if you ask me. This reminds me of how easy it is to get off the right path. We can hang around with our non-Christian friends (or maybe even Christian friends) and slip into some bad habits or bad situations. We probably find a justification for doing this and are having fun. However, one small thing leads to another small thing and so on and so on.

Do you ever relax your standards in order to justify your desires? I know one example for me is when I’m around people who swear.  I pick it up easily. However, I hate that habit (and so does David). It starts out simple with just a word or two and then it builds and builds. We need to be careful. We need to continue to stay on the right path and in our spiritual commitment.

PRAYER

Father God, help us to stay committed to You. Our commitment to You is not one to be taken lightly. Help us to stay on the straight and narrow path and not get misled or distracted by things of this world. Help us to be in the world and not of the world. Help us to fight off those evil desires that may tempt us. AMEN

Tuesday, Numbers Chapter 26

Numbers 26

Heather Proehl

THOUGHT

Okay, so this chapter was a bit of a challenge for me. The thing that stuck with me was all these clans and descendants being listed. It made me think of my family and legacy. I’m proud to be a part of our family. How will you be remembered? What will your legacy look like? The thing is that how we live our lives today not only affects us and affects us now, but it affects the future members of our family and their future. That’s a big responsibility.  Are you living a life and creating a legacy you’d be proud of? This reminds me of a couple of songs.

Here are the lyrics for Nicole Nordeman’s song “Legacy”

I don’t mind if you’ve got something nice to say about me

And I enjoy an accolade like the rest

You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery

Of all who’s who and so-n-so’s that used to be the best

At such’n’such ... it wouldn’t matter much

Don’t lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights

We all need an ‘Atta boy’ or ‘Atta girl’

But in the end I’d like to hang my hat on more besides

The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things?

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace who

blessed your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don’t have to look too far or too long awhile

To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy

It’s an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile

Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well-bred

Just want to hear instead, “Well Done” good and faithful one...

PRAYER

Father God, we thank You for our families. I’m so very thankful for the family that I was born in to. I’m very proud of them. Lord, I pray that each of us would live today knowing that we are passing on a legacy to the next generation.  Help us be mindful of that. Help us to live our lives today to be someone that our future family members would be proud of and that You would be proud of. Help us keep into perspective what is most important, You. Thank You for all that You are doing in our lives. We love.  AMEN 

Wednesday, Numbers Chapter 27

Numbers 27

Verses 12-13

Delores Little

THOUGHT

This chapter tells two different lessons for us.

1. The first is about women getting an inheritance if their father has no sons.  Moses took it to the Lord, and He said “Yes, only if they marry within their tribe.” (You will find that in another place in the Bible.) Numbers 36:5-12

2. From our Verses 12-13:  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was.”

Moses got to see the land from the mountain top, but was not to go into it because of what he did at the waters in the Desert of Zin. He was to SPEAK to the rock, and instead he hit the rock and disobeyed the Lord. I read in a devotion one time that the first time he STRUCK the rock was when they came out of Egypt in Ex. 17:1-7. In Numbers 20: 7-12 he disobeyed God as he was to SPEAK to it.  By hitting it, it was like crucifying our Lord Jesus as He is our Rock. So these two stories are all about Christ and what happened to Him on the Cross.

This is what He is telling us about our sins. Quit doing the same sins over & over but repent and know you are forgiven and go on. When I read that Paul thought he was the worse sinner, I said, “Move over, Paul, I am a sinner too.”   We can thank Jesus for what He did for us.  We can call on Him day and night and know we are forgiven.  Let go of it and move on.

PRAYER

Father, forgive us when we fall so short of Your glory every day. Only through You do we have the grace and forgiveness we need every day.  Comfort the ones who have lost loved ones and let us remember them today. Let us be Your Light in this dark world and the Salt of the Earth for this world wherever we live. In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Thursday, Numbers Chapter 28

Numbers 28

Delores Little

THOUGHT

In this chapter we have 5 different offerings: DAILY, SABBATH, MONTHLY, PASSOVER, and FEAST OF WEEKS. Now I do not know about any of you, but I remember when I was growing up, before I ever was married, all I heard from my family was that the Pastor was always asking for money. Funny thing is that they didn’t go to church enough to realize what it was really being used for. After I became a Christian, this was on my mind, and if they asked for money, it really did make me kind of mad. Then God got ahold of me.  In Malachi 3:8 it says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” But I ask, ”How do I rob our God?’”   We rob Him in our tithes and offerings.  

Willie and I were doing that. I prayed to God and asked forgiveness and said we would give 10% of what Willie made.  The next month we had many bills and had to pay for car licenses also.  I didn’t think we would have enough for God.  Well, Willie brought the check home and asked what we gave to church. I said, “10%”, and he said, “Great.”  With God’s help we made it that month.  We not only paid all the bills but had money left over. Never again did I doubt God on our giving to Him.

Our Daily Offering can be prayers for those in need on a daily basis.

Our Sabbath Offering is one we give when we worship our Lord in church. 

Our Monthly Offering is one where we give to the church over and above our tithe.   

Our Passover Offering is the extra giving we give in either money or time to those in need.  

Our Feast of Weeks Offering is one where we cannot out give God. 

He will provide for our every need in our lives if we just trust and obey Him. Now be thankful that we no longer have to sacrifice lambs, bulls, rams, etc.  Jesus did it all for us.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, forgive us if we complain about giving offerings to You. Help us do it always unto You and rejoice in it.  Be with all the Salt Shakers.  AMEN

Friday, Numbers Chapter 29

Numbers 29

Delores Little

THOUGHT 

In this chapter we have the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of the Tabernacles. These were done in the 7th month. For the first feast they were to do no work but hold this sacred assembly.  They were to sound the trumpets and give their offerings which were in addition to the monthly ones they gave.

I thought of two things.  One was that we meet on Sunday and sing praises unto the Lord in worship.  We give of our time and money to His service and work that needs to be done for His glory.  Secondly, I thought of His coming back in I Thess. 4:13-18 and how God had the trumpet call us forth out of the graves to live with Him.

For Day of Atonement, we are to deny ourselves and do no work.  I think of our prayer time with the Lord. We need to get right with Him if we have something wrong with us or with our fellow believers or nonbelievers.  We need to truly get into the Holy Place with Him to hear Him speak to us, listen and do it.

Feast of Tabernacles means time of no work and celebration with the Lord. How do we do it? Well, we don’t have to kill animals anymore.  He has given us time, prayers, praise, thanksgiving, rejoicing and giving to Him. It is a time to be ready to do all He has in store for us. Sometimes we do not take time to spend with Him as we should.  We put Him to the side and try to do things our way. We only get into trouble doing that, and the Lord could truly tell you how badly I have done that all my life.  It is one day at a time. 

Let us trust and obey what He says in His Holy Word for us and take the time to truly know Him as we should. Num. 29:40 says that Moses told the Israelites all the things the Lord commanded him.  Isn’t that what we are to do also?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us what we are to do to follow You every day. Help us to do just that.  Bless all the Salt Shakers.  May all their prayers be heard on high.  In Jesus Name. AMEN