Num 27:16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
Num 27:17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd."
Num 27:18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
Num 27:19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight.
Num 27:20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.
Moses has just been reminded of his past sin and instead of just being like watev, let them deal with it. Instead Moses asks God to provide a leader for them.
It's not clear what process that Moses went through, because at this point it is probably only going to be Joshua or Caleb. And maybe even Moses has his idea of who he thinks should take over his position, but yet he still inquires of the Lord. The Lord makes it clear that it is to be Joshua. And instructs Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and invest his authority, so that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.
This transfer of leadership is an important process, not just to God but for the nation of Israel. For they need a leader a shepherd they can follow to live according to God's laws and receive His blessings.
This transfer of leadership was bestowed upon Jesus for He is the ultimate shepherd. All authority has been given unto Him, so that we may obey and live under the blessings of God.
But it is also true that Jesus has given us all authority to act on His behalf. We have all been appointed by Christ to lead. We all have the ability to lead others to the promises of God and to be blessed through life in His son Jesus Christ.
Father, help me to fully realize the authority you have bestowed upon me and help me to show others their leadership role in Christ upon coming into relationship with Him. Amen.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
2008.02.27 Man's evil, God flips for His good! Num 22-24
Num 24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.
God used Balak's intention for evil for blessing! No matter how great Balak's intention was and how much he tried. God used the opportunity for His continued blessing upon His blessed people. Balak just did not get it. I love Balaam's discourse that nothing can influence me on this earth, it is only God that I must fulfill and obey.
We don't know much about Balaam, but He follows the Lord. Balaam knows where his gift comes from. He can only do what God tells him to do.
This makes me think of the oppression that we feel that is so oppressive over the Eugene area. Like it is this power that is too oppressive and we cannot shake it. I believe that's bull. Like God cannot navigate His way through it. God is all powerfull and even if someone has evil intentions, God can flip it for His good. We are His people and He can protect us and even more than that He can flip the enemies curses in this town and bless us even greater. We don't have to live under oppression it can have no hold over us. God's power is greater. He is our God, all powerfull. No kingdom can stand against Him. He is all in all and we are His people. We are not meant to live in fear but under His perfect love that cast out every fear.
God I ask that I would live under this truth and not under the lies and deception that Eugene is Godless. This is not true and this is not real. Father we trust you for every truth and every prompting for they are all from you. Let my actions be that of Balaam that I would only be able to do what you command. Nothing more nothing less. Amen.
God used Balak's intention for evil for blessing! No matter how great Balak's intention was and how much he tried. God used the opportunity for His continued blessing upon His blessed people. Balak just did not get it. I love Balaam's discourse that nothing can influence me on this earth, it is only God that I must fulfill and obey.
We don't know much about Balaam, but He follows the Lord. Balaam knows where his gift comes from. He can only do what God tells him to do.
This makes me think of the oppression that we feel that is so oppressive over the Eugene area. Like it is this power that is too oppressive and we cannot shake it. I believe that's bull. Like God cannot navigate His way through it. God is all powerfull and even if someone has evil intentions, God can flip it for His good. We are His people and He can protect us and even more than that He can flip the enemies curses in this town and bless us even greater. We don't have to live under oppression it can have no hold over us. God's power is greater. He is our God, all powerfull. No kingdom can stand against Him. He is all in all and we are His people. We are not meant to live in fear but under His perfect love that cast out every fear.
God I ask that I would live under this truth and not under the lies and deception that Eugene is Godless. This is not true and this is not real. Father we trust you for every truth and every prompting for they are all from you. Let my actions be that of Balaam that I would only be able to do what you command. Nothing more nothing less. Amen.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
2008.02.26. Smite Them! Ps. 28.4
Psa 28:4 Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.
This is our heart our response to evil people (our enemies) So much of where we live is in this aspect of uncompassion of give them what they deserve. The same perspective of that of Jonah. He just wanted the people of Nineveh to be smited from the face of the earth. Yet it is so simple to see the fact that God could smite us, for we are evil, we are not worthy of His mercy. And yet in His graciousness we are blind because we want others to receive condemnation.
Father I pray that you would help me to remember your perspective and your truth. That I would remember the grace that you extended unto me and in turn I would extend forgiveness to those who don't deserve it so that they would be able to experience your love and truth through me. Change me unto your ways for your glory. Amen.
This is our heart our response to evil people (our enemies) So much of where we live is in this aspect of uncompassion of give them what they deserve. The same perspective of that of Jonah. He just wanted the people of Nineveh to be smited from the face of the earth. Yet it is so simple to see the fact that God could smite us, for we are evil, we are not worthy of His mercy. And yet in His graciousness we are blind because we want others to receive condemnation.
Father I pray that you would help me to remember your perspective and your truth. That I would remember the grace that you extended unto me and in turn I would extend forgiveness to those who don't deserve it so that they would be able to experience your love and truth through me. Change me unto your ways for your glory. Amen.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
2008.02.19 Holy so we can reflect His glory. Num6.9-11
Num 6:9 "And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
Num 6:10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting,
Num 6:11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day
The Nazarite is a very high calling to fulfill. Even in this event it may seem unfair or of no fault to the Nazarite if someone drops dead beside them, but because of who they are they must go through this time in order to be cleansed. Because of who they now have become. They cannot be regular they must carry out these duties to reflect the image of God.
But this is similar to who we are now in the new testament. For we have the image of God within us. We reflect His full glory and yet we have this responsibility to remain pure and clean. But it is the work of Jesus Christ that we can remain clean and pure. So we look to the ultimate sacrifice for our cleanliness and holiness before God. For we are the example for all to see the glory of God.
Father, help me to rely upon your work for my ability to live a glorifying life unto you. Amen.
Num 6:10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting,
Num 6:11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day
The Nazarite is a very high calling to fulfill. Even in this event it may seem unfair or of no fault to the Nazarite if someone drops dead beside them, but because of who they are they must go through this time in order to be cleansed. Because of who they now have become. They cannot be regular they must carry out these duties to reflect the image of God.
But this is similar to who we are now in the new testament. For we have the image of God within us. We reflect His full glory and yet we have this responsibility to remain pure and clean. But it is the work of Jesus Christ that we can remain clean and pure. So we look to the ultimate sacrifice for our cleanliness and holiness before God. For we are the example for all to see the glory of God.
Father, help me to rely upon your work for my ability to live a glorifying life unto you. Amen.
Friday, February 15, 2008
2008.02.15 God always provides a way for you to obey. Lev. 25.20-22
Lev 25:20 And if you say, 'What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?'
Lev 25:21 I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.
Lev 25:22 When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.
It is so like us to want to worry about how God will provide for us if we obey Him. Because it does not make any sense to follow after God if He says to not sow or gather, how will we be able to eat any food. That is rediculous. But God knows are arguements against His ways and in this He will provide a sufficient amount of food, not only for the year that they stop planting and harvesting but until after they have planted and waited a year for the fruit of the land to come in.
That is an incredible promise. But also one that requires of them self-restraint to not just eat all of the surplus, but to save it in order to let the land rest. Because if they do just sell it or devour it they will not be able to let the land rest. It is to see the abundance as provision to accomplish His will rather than to just have a momentary gain for that particular harvest.
It is like He is saying to the Israelites, don't come up with excuses. I will provide in order for you to obey me, but you must be purposeful in your life and how you conduct yourself. It will not be easy to let the land rest, but if you do I will provide for I am the Lord your God. And if you do you will be blessed.
So much of where we live today is that it can be easy to just live according to our selfishness. Just like the Israelites we can think not how we can honor the Lord, but how much can I get away with. He is not really serious here. Just be gracious to me, I don't have to honor your ways.
And while we are not depedent upon our obedience because of the grace of Jesus Christ, His desire is that we still honor, love and cherish Him. That we not just camp on the fact that we have grace, but that we use this grace to move toward God. That we use His grace to show honor, love and cherish Him. And our obedience is not rediculous, but life. We can be totally sustained in our obedience to Him. It may not be totally physical needs being met, but spiritually, emotionally as well. His grace is sufficient for us. And in our obedience toward Him we will never lose out on any type of personal gain, but our gain will be fully for Him.
Father, help me move toward your obedience and honor of you. I often feel that my ways are better or that I don't have to fulfill the will that you have called me toward. I can procrastinate or avoid your will. Father, help me to engage lost students where they are at. Help me to obey according to your Holy Spirit that you have placed in me. That in you I may fulfill your will. Amen.
Lev 25:21 I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.
Lev 25:22 When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.
It is so like us to want to worry about how God will provide for us if we obey Him. Because it does not make any sense to follow after God if He says to not sow or gather, how will we be able to eat any food. That is rediculous. But God knows are arguements against His ways and in this He will provide a sufficient amount of food, not only for the year that they stop planting and harvesting but until after they have planted and waited a year for the fruit of the land to come in.
That is an incredible promise. But also one that requires of them self-restraint to not just eat all of the surplus, but to save it in order to let the land rest. Because if they do just sell it or devour it they will not be able to let the land rest. It is to see the abundance as provision to accomplish His will rather than to just have a momentary gain for that particular harvest.
It is like He is saying to the Israelites, don't come up with excuses. I will provide in order for you to obey me, but you must be purposeful in your life and how you conduct yourself. It will not be easy to let the land rest, but if you do I will provide for I am the Lord your God. And if you do you will be blessed.
So much of where we live today is that it can be easy to just live according to our selfishness. Just like the Israelites we can think not how we can honor the Lord, but how much can I get away with. He is not really serious here. Just be gracious to me, I don't have to honor your ways.
And while we are not depedent upon our obedience because of the grace of Jesus Christ, His desire is that we still honor, love and cherish Him. That we not just camp on the fact that we have grace, but that we use this grace to move toward God. That we use His grace to show honor, love and cherish Him. And our obedience is not rediculous, but life. We can be totally sustained in our obedience to Him. It may not be totally physical needs being met, but spiritually, emotionally as well. His grace is sufficient for us. And in our obedience toward Him we will never lose out on any type of personal gain, but our gain will be fully for Him.
Father, help me move toward your obedience and honor of you. I often feel that my ways are better or that I don't have to fulfill the will that you have called me toward. I can procrastinate or avoid your will. Father, help me to engage lost students where they are at. Help me to obey according to your Holy Spirit that you have placed in me. That in you I may fulfill your will. Amen.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
2008.02.14 Your Way or the Highway! Acts 21:14
Act 21:14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
Does Agabus' prophecy help the believers at this point. In some sense it put them into a state of fear for Paul's life, but it simply tells of what will hapen. It is the believers who assume this outcome will be bad and should be avoided.
But paul has a different understanding of this prophecy, it seems to almost prepare him or even strengthen his desire to go. For he knows that he is ready to go for the name of Jesus. He would not back down simply because of death or imprisonment.
The body of believers than conceded their persuading and asked that God's will would be done. We don't know what they end up doing, but it doesn't seem like that ask God that Paul would not go anymore or that he would not be imprisoned.
Let the will of the Lord be done. That must have been really difficult for the body to swallow. They have been close with Paul and they love him so much, but their love for God has to be greater in order to believe and trust that even if their dear friend's death or imprisonment is okay.
Father, I pray that you would give me the wisdom to distinguish between my own selfishness and what your will may be. For it can appear that doing your will is foolishness, but help me see it as life. Amen.
Does Agabus' prophecy help the believers at this point. In some sense it put them into a state of fear for Paul's life, but it simply tells of what will hapen. It is the believers who assume this outcome will be bad and should be avoided.
But paul has a different understanding of this prophecy, it seems to almost prepare him or even strengthen his desire to go. For he knows that he is ready to go for the name of Jesus. He would not back down simply because of death or imprisonment.
The body of believers than conceded their persuading and asked that God's will would be done. We don't know what they end up doing, but it doesn't seem like that ask God that Paul would not go anymore or that he would not be imprisoned.
Let the will of the Lord be done. That must have been really difficult for the body to swallow. They have been close with Paul and they love him so much, but their love for God has to be greater in order to believe and trust that even if their dear friend's death or imprisonment is okay.
Father, I pray that you would give me the wisdom to distinguish between my own selfishness and what your will may be. For it can appear that doing your will is foolishness, but help me see it as life. Amen.
Monday, February 11, 2008
2008.02.11 The true scapegoat. Ex 16.21-22
Lev 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
Lev 16:22 The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.
Symbolically this was necessary for the atonement of the nation. How would it be to see the sins being confessed by the peoples and to see the priest confessing all the sins onto this goat. It must have been somewhat humiliating as well, because it seemed like people new each other's sins. There wasn't much of a filter as far as what people knew.
But what a relief to see the sin leave the camp, to no longer be seen or reminded of it again. And yet now we have in Christ a true scapegoat that in this same way we can see our sins depart us and we have no connection to them whatsoever.
Father, help me to realize my forgiveness in you and this free gift that is offered to so many. May I live in truth of your sons work on my behalf. Amen.
Lev 16:22 The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.
Symbolically this was necessary for the atonement of the nation. How would it be to see the sins being confessed by the peoples and to see the priest confessing all the sins onto this goat. It must have been somewhat humiliating as well, because it seemed like people new each other's sins. There wasn't much of a filter as far as what people knew.
But what a relief to see the sin leave the camp, to no longer be seen or reminded of it again. And yet now we have in Christ a true scapegoat that in this same way we can see our sins depart us and we have no connection to them whatsoever.
Father, help me to realize my forgiveness in you and this free gift that is offered to so many. May I live in truth of your sons work on my behalf. Amen.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
2008.02.10 Why do I have to check myself? Lev 13-14
Lev 13:2 "When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests,
Important that this is discovered not just for the person with the leprosy, but for the nation. Because if this is not contained then the rest of the people will be infected.
this is just like the person who wanted to travel. He had a case of tuberculosus or some other airborne disease. He wanted so bad to do his agenda that he endagered many people not only on the flight, but the people that he came into contact with after he landed. He only thought about himself.
God has his best for everyone and that may conflict with your own plans, your own desires. It maybe inconvenient, but best all around. But it is so difficult to see when we are in the midst of being disruppted.
Father, help me to trust you even if I don't understand why I must go through what I do. I pray that you would lead me and that I would be able to see with your Kingdom eyes. Amen.
Important that this is discovered not just for the person with the leprosy, but for the nation. Because if this is not contained then the rest of the people will be infected.
this is just like the person who wanted to travel. He had a case of tuberculosus or some other airborne disease. He wanted so bad to do his agenda that he endagered many people not only on the flight, but the people that he came into contact with after he landed. He only thought about himself.
God has his best for everyone and that may conflict with your own plans, your own desires. It maybe inconvenient, but best all around. But it is so difficult to see when we are in the midst of being disruppted.
Father, help me to trust you even if I don't understand why I must go through what I do. I pray that you would lead me and that I would be able to see with your Kingdom eyes. Amen.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
2008.02.05 First things first. Acts 12.5
Act 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
It is not clear what the church prayed for. It is assumed that they prayed for Peter's release, according to the outcome. But the fact that they earnestly prayed for him, makes it seems like it was just habitual. If there was a problem, they didn't fight the power, they prayed. They went to God, the one who had the power to help. They didn't turn inward they turned upward.
I love the fact that it says that prayer was made by the church. It wasn't made by individuals, but the collective body of believers. How powerful. I wonder if the spread of Christianity was most accomplished through the prayers of the church rather than the actual people who went to tell others. There are no unimportant people, it was all necessary ofcourse, but I believe the first mode of action was prayer that instigated it all.
Father, help me to operate under your M.O. Help me to first come to you for every situation. And help me to join the body in prayer. I feel as if I am a lone ranger, but help me to join with the entire body to pray for your will to come about on this earth. Amen.
It is not clear what the church prayed for. It is assumed that they prayed for Peter's release, according to the outcome. But the fact that they earnestly prayed for him, makes it seems like it was just habitual. If there was a problem, they didn't fight the power, they prayed. They went to God, the one who had the power to help. They didn't turn inward they turned upward.
I love the fact that it says that prayer was made by the church. It wasn't made by individuals, but the collective body of believers. How powerful. I wonder if the spread of Christianity was most accomplished through the prayers of the church rather than the actual people who went to tell others. There are no unimportant people, it was all necessary ofcourse, but I believe the first mode of action was prayer that instigated it all.
Father, help me to operate under your M.O. Help me to first come to you for every situation. And help me to join the body in prayer. I feel as if I am a lone ranger, but help me to join with the entire body to pray for your will to come about on this earth. Amen.
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