What lasting purpose exists for us with life so terribly short? Is there any value to our daily tasks that we repetitively complete? When we look at all that we accomplish from day to day, week to week, year to year and culminating in our life we tend to feel infinitely small because we truly make little to no lasting impact. It is only when we focus upon God and His working throughout time that we can see our true purpose. “For all our days have declined in Your fury; we have finished our years like a sigh. As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger and Your fury, according to the fear that is due to You? Do teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:9-12 Continue Reading…
Pressing on with excellence through the doubt and fear: Psalm 90
For His lovingkindness is everlasting: 2 Chronicles 7 and 8
The promised blessing for the people of Israel if they seek out God wholeheartedly. “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I sen pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13,14 What is the hope here? When we turn back to God and seek Him out no matter where our sin has carried us we can find restoration.
The promised curse for the people of Israel if they turn away from God. “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and will make it a proverb and a by word among all peoples.” 2 Chronicles 7:19,20 When the people of Israel forsook following God they were uprooted and taken away in exile. When you are given a warning about a consequence for your actions do you move in such a way to avoid the bad outcome? Continue Reading…
Disobedience kindles God’s anger towards Israel: Judges 1 and 2
In Judges 1 we see the first key to the falling away of the Israelites which was mentioned in Joshua. The Israelites conquered many areas of the promised land and drove out many inhabitants. Why did some of the sons of Israel not drive out all the inhabitants of the lands of their inheritance? The people did not follow God’s command to drive out the inhabitants of the land. What stands out to me is how both Moses and Joshua told the Israelites that this would be a problem for them. Continue Reading…
Strong spiritual leadership a catalyst for success: Joshua 17 and 18
Dividing the inheritance of each tribe is continuing in Joshua chapters 17 and 18. It was easy for me to think that the division of land was a simple task that would be accomplished quickly and easily. I forgot that there were many thousands of people within each tribe that needed to move all their families, livestock, and belongings into the lands of their inheritance. That would be a major undertaking. What did people think then they moved to take their inheritance? As the tribes moved to the land they inherited was there a sense of loss as they left the camp around the Tabernacle? I would think that this time was bitter sweet because they were inheriting the promised land but everyone encamping around the Tabernacle was ending. Continue Reading…
Remembering God, the antithesis of pride in Deuteronomy 7 and 8
Do you find your desires are affected by your surroundings, property, or the people you surround yourself with? Straying from our faith and dependance upon God is nothing new because thousands of years ago the people of Israel were fighting against the fleshly desires which sought to pull them away from God. What is the solution to this problem of having our devotion to God pulled away? Deuteronomy chapters 7 and 8 continue with God exhorting the people of Israel through Moses in his final speech to the people before the leadership transitioned to Joseph and the entry into the promised land began. Continue Reading…
Foundation upon remembering Agape Love: Deuteronomy 5 and 6
The foundations of life for the Israel are being repeated by Moses to all the people. Why is it necessary to repeat what had been told and recorded previously? God knows the hearts of men and through mans every act of unfaithfulness and rebellions God proved Himself faithful to us. The reservoir of God’s faithfulness is infinite and His love for the people of Israel is being expressed as He reminds the people of how to live their life. Continue Reading…
Words of encouragement to a generation: Deuteronomy 3 and 4
What words of wisdom would you impart to a troubled soul? What charge do you give to people who are continually given over to straying from the commands of God? How do you encourage a people who you have represented before God? How do you sum up God’s desires for a people who are no longer going to be shepherded by you? This is the story seen in Deuteronomy chapters 3 and 4. Moses is forbidden by God to enter the promised land and he now gives last words of advice. Continue Reading…
Obedience an expression of love in Deuteronomy 1 and 2
The book of Deuteronomy retells the stories found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. The book is the last of the Pentateuch authored by Moses. In chapter 1 Moses reviews the journey of the Israelites from Horeb. Why repeat all of the stories again? How does this profit the people? I think it was absolutely necessary for the people to remember God’s faithfulness and their consistent failure. If the people of Israel were not reminded of where God had brought them from would they have been more inclined to stray from Him? The story of the peoples lack of faith and rebellion before the 40 years in the wilderness must have been a vivid reminder to obey God. The importance of obeying God in all areas of life has been repeated to me many times today. Continue Reading…
Hope in a High Priest of a new order: Numbers 19 and 20
In Numbers 19 gives greater detail about how a person who is unclean becomes clean. I am amazed at how much death, sacrifice, and blood are apart of cleansing. Eleazar, a priest and Aaron’s son, was to watch the killing and burned of an unblemished red heifer outside the camp. Cedar wood was added to the burning heifer and the ash was collected in a clean spot outside. This ash was mixed with water and an unclean person would wash themselves with the water to become clean. It sounds a little savage to wash yourself with water containing ash from a burnt heifer. It makes sense to me because in Hebrews 9:22 states, “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and with out the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Continue Reading…
Lack of faith in God’s daily provision shown in Numbers 11 and 12
How easily it is to fail to see God for who He truly is. The Israelites consistently grumbled against God. In adversity what do you do? Is God’s anger kindled against you when you lack faith to trust in His provision? Do you think that God can do all things one moment and then you try to solve all your problems your way? In Numbers chapter 11 the people were grumbling to God and he burned up the outskirts of the camp. How amazing is that. God doesn’t change so when we grumble He is not pleased. I would imagine that the people would stop grumbling but they started up again complaining about the food that God was providing. How crazy is that! God was supplying what they needed but they were not thankful for that. The lie that freedom was found in their bondage in Egypt and not in God had poisoned the peoples thoughts so they didn’t see the truth that their freedom was through and in God. Continue Reading…
