Joshua 21
43 So the LORD gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies. 45 Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.
God is a God of His Word. If God says it, we can bank on it. He fulfills His promises, both to the obedient and to the disobedient. Yeah, god granted the children of Israel their rest, just as He had promised, but the consequences of their disobedience were just around the corner. Why is it that we get lulled into this false sense of security when things appear to be going well for us despite our disobedience? Of course, the proper response to God is obedience in love. Not because we are afraid that He will punish us, but obedience because that is the loving response. I seem to be on quite the obedience kick these days in my devotional writings. Guess it is a lesson I am still learning, and that I obviously need much more teaching on to get me in the proper frame of mind with my Lord.
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Obedience & Consequences
Joshua 15
63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Joshua 16
10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
Because the children of Israel had already disobeyed God’s commands regarding the taking of the Promised Land. We see a couple of examples of them not being able to take care of business the way they should have. And we get frustrated today when we don’t seem to be able to complete the tasks we know God wants us to. Could it be because we are not COMPLETELY obedient to His Word? Hmmm…
63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Joshua 16
10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
Because the children of Israel had already disobeyed God’s commands regarding the taking of the Promised Land. We see a couple of examples of them not being able to take care of business the way they should have. And we get frustrated today when we don’t seem to be able to complete the tasks we know God wants us to. Could it be because we are not COMPLETELY obedient to His Word? Hmmm…
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Obedience & Succession
Numbers 27
12 One day the Lord said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. 13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, 14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[c] in the wilderness of Zin.)
15 Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21 When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”
22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23 Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to lead the people, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
A couple of things come to mind as I read this passage. First, Moses has confirmed, the punishment for his disobedience from striking the rock to make water come forth, when he was supposed to speak to that rock instead. Second, Moses is deeply concerned for the people of Israel and for the need to have a strong leader to keep that rebellious bunch in line. God takes care of everything. He allows Moses to see the Promised Land before Moses dies, and God establishes the successor to Moses in the person of Joshua. God is faithful and just. Moses is obedient. I would do well to follow Moses in obedience to God’s Word.
12 One day the Lord said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. 13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, 14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[c] in the wilderness of Zin.)
15 Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21 When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”
22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23 Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to lead the people, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
A couple of things come to mind as I read this passage. First, Moses has confirmed, the punishment for his disobedience from striking the rock to make water come forth, when he was supposed to speak to that rock instead. Second, Moses is deeply concerned for the people of Israel and for the need to have a strong leader to keep that rebellious bunch in line. God takes care of everything. He allows Moses to see the Promised Land before Moses dies, and God establishes the successor to Moses in the person of Joshua. God is faithful and just. Moses is obedient. I would do well to follow Moses in obedience to God’s Word.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Dumber Than A Donkey
Numbers 22
21 So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, 23 Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. 27 This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.
28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33 Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
34 Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”
This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Who is as dumb as (if not dumber than) a donkey? Balaam! Of course the same can be said of me. How many times does God clearly lay out the plans He has only to have me ignore those plans and do my own thing? How many times have I needed the sense of a donkey beaten into me to keep me from making foolish mistakes in my spiritual walk? Too many to count. How many times have I not been shocked to “hear a donkey speak” (did you notice that Balaam is not shocked when his speaks?)? Woof! Scott, you know what God desires from you (Obedience), so why not save yourself the trouble of being dumber than a donkey and just obey God?
21 So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, 23 Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. 27 This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.
28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33 Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
34 Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”
This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Who is as dumb as (if not dumber than) a donkey? Balaam! Of course the same can be said of me. How many times does God clearly lay out the plans He has only to have me ignore those plans and do my own thing? How many times have I needed the sense of a donkey beaten into me to keep me from making foolish mistakes in my spiritual walk? Too many to count. How many times have I not been shocked to “hear a donkey speak” (did you notice that Balaam is not shocked when his speaks?)? Woof! Scott, you know what God desires from you (Obedience), so why not save yourself the trouble of being dumber than a donkey and just obey God?
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Total Obedience
Numbers 20
1 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers! 4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord said to Moses, 8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord. 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
12 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!” 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.
Moses, the powerful choleric leader let his temper get the best of him, and it cost him a chance to lead the people into the Promised Land. God told Moses to “speak to the rock,” but Moses got impatient with the people and “struck the rock twice with the staff” producing the water that the whiners wanted. When following God’s instructions, it is best to follow them exactly. You cannot add your own flair to it. That’s what freaks me out with the whole “pray Jesus into your heart” movement. It is a man-made misinterpretation of God’s clear plan of salvation! If Moses wasn’t allowed to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land because he didn’t fully obey God, how much more so can it be for those who do not teach what the Gospel teaches about salvation? How much more important is it then, for those of us who know what the Bible teaches to help those who do not know the rest of the story?
1 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers! 4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord said to Moses, 8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord. 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
12 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!” 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.
Moses, the powerful choleric leader let his temper get the best of him, and it cost him a chance to lead the people into the Promised Land. God told Moses to “speak to the rock,” but Moses got impatient with the people and “struck the rock twice with the staff” producing the water that the whiners wanted. When following God’s instructions, it is best to follow them exactly. You cannot add your own flair to it. That’s what freaks me out with the whole “pray Jesus into your heart” movement. It is a man-made misinterpretation of God’s clear plan of salvation! If Moses wasn’t allowed to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land because he didn’t fully obey God, how much more so can it be for those who do not teach what the Gospel teaches about salvation? How much more important is it then, for those of us who know what the Bible teaches to help those who do not know the rest of the story?
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