Dec 9: Numbers 16-18
God uses all of us in different ways. Just because we aren't pastors or leaders of the church doesn't mean that he can't do great things through us.
In chapter 16, there is a Levite named Korah who leads a charge against Moses asking him why he is in charge of the Israelites and even the Levites. It seems like he's jealous that he is being told what to do by another man that has more communication with God than he does. Instead of being content with his position already which is to help out with the tabernacle, Korah seeks out more, most likely to fill his own pride. Him and 250 others feel the same way. God is angered by this and splits open the earth and swallows those men and their households.
There shouldn't be any jealousy at all while serving God's kingdom. If there is, you're not really serving God, you're serving yourself which is what it seems Korah and his followers did. God has different purposes for all of us. We can't all be leaders. God gives leaders certain qualities they need, and others different qualities that leaders may not have. If we seek Him out with a genuine heart to serve, with a heart that truly loves God, He will obviously find ways to use us and we should be thrilled that he does. I pray that God will find my strengths and give me a way to use them to glorify his name.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Day 37
Dec 7: Numbers 11-13
In these few chapters, the Israelites continue to grumble and complain and it arouses the anger of the Lord. They complain about only eating manna and not having any meat to eat and ramble on and on about it until Moses can't take it any more and finally goes to God for advice. Clearly, God is angry that he keeps providing for the Israelites, yet they keep complaining, even saying they had it better off in Egypt. So God tells them that he will provide meat for them, not just for 1 or 2, or 5 or 10 days, but for a whole month. He says they will eat meat "until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it-because you have rejected the Lord."
That's a pretty graphic image if you ask me. Obviously, we shouldn't be trying to draw the ire of God, but even though he's steaming with anger God still handles the situation with wisdom. He provides the Israelites with what they want by sending tons of quail for them to eat, but also punishes and teaches them a lesson at the same time by overproviding for them. Instead of just punishing them some other way, God provides the Israelites with a chance to learn how foolish they have been. I feel like God works like this so often in my life. So many times I look back on things that I've done, stupid things, and see how God has used those times to help me mature. A lot of times I'll make the same mistakes, but the other times I will learn and erase that stupidity from my life. Praise God for being so tolerant and merciful to us, dealing with our foolishness and immaturity, and providing us with lessons from our own life experiences that will help us draw closer and closer to Him.
In these few chapters, the Israelites continue to grumble and complain and it arouses the anger of the Lord. They complain about only eating manna and not having any meat to eat and ramble on and on about it until Moses can't take it any more and finally goes to God for advice. Clearly, God is angry that he keeps providing for the Israelites, yet they keep complaining, even saying they had it better off in Egypt. So God tells them that he will provide meat for them, not just for 1 or 2, or 5 or 10 days, but for a whole month. He says they will eat meat "until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it-because you have rejected the Lord."
That's a pretty graphic image if you ask me. Obviously, we shouldn't be trying to draw the ire of God, but even though he's steaming with anger God still handles the situation with wisdom. He provides the Israelites with what they want by sending tons of quail for them to eat, but also punishes and teaches them a lesson at the same time by overproviding for them. Instead of just punishing them some other way, God provides the Israelites with a chance to learn how foolish they have been. I feel like God works like this so often in my life. So many times I look back on things that I've done, stupid things, and see how God has used those times to help me mature. A lot of times I'll make the same mistakes, but the other times I will learn and erase that stupidity from my life. Praise God for being so tolerant and merciful to us, dealing with our foolishness and immaturity, and providing us with lessons from our own life experiences that will help us draw closer and closer to Him.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Day 36
Dec 6: Numbers 8-10
Whenever I read the old testament and see all the signs God shows his people, I wonder how they could disobey him or even worship idol Gods like the golden calf from Exodus. God parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from the Egyptians, Moses and Aaron perform all these miracles and bestow a plague over Egypt through the Lord's name and it goes on and on.
In chapter 9, the tabernacle is set up and God keeps a cloud over it that looks like it's on fire. This sparked my confusion again as to how the Israelites could see all these crazy things and not have complete devotion to the one that creates them. Right as I was thinking this, I felt God speaking to me, telling me to stop being such a hypocrite. Although I'm not as exposed to these kinds of miracles and signs, God's presence is still just as strong now as it was then. I should stop judging those people, and look at my own life and how I haven't fully devoted myself to God even though he shows me his love everyday and answers my prayers all the time. I might not worship idol gods, but I know I'm still caught up with worldly things and those things probably come close to being idols in my life too. I need to ask God for more humility, more maturity and a better perspective on things like this so that rather than judging people which does nothing for me, I would learn and be able to grow instead.
Whenever I read the old testament and see all the signs God shows his people, I wonder how they could disobey him or even worship idol Gods like the golden calf from Exodus. God parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from the Egyptians, Moses and Aaron perform all these miracles and bestow a plague over Egypt through the Lord's name and it goes on and on.
In chapter 9, the tabernacle is set up and God keeps a cloud over it that looks like it's on fire. This sparked my confusion again as to how the Israelites could see all these crazy things and not have complete devotion to the one that creates them. Right as I was thinking this, I felt God speaking to me, telling me to stop being such a hypocrite. Although I'm not as exposed to these kinds of miracles and signs, God's presence is still just as strong now as it was then. I should stop judging those people, and look at my own life and how I haven't fully devoted myself to God even though he shows me his love everyday and answers my prayers all the time. I might not worship idol gods, but I know I'm still caught up with worldly things and those things probably come close to being idols in my life too. I need to ask God for more humility, more maturity and a better perspective on things like this so that rather than judging people which does nothing for me, I would learn and be able to grow instead.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Day 35
Dec 5: Numbers 7
Up to this point in the old testament, a lot of sacrifices have been made to God. There have been a ton of animals sacrificed and it's necessary for people to come before God. A lot of the scripture has also been about how to prepare the sacrifices and what exactly to do to make it just right before presenting it to the Holy Lord. There's a lot of anointing of this, consecrating of that, blood here and there and overall it just seems like a very arduous process but obviously important nonetheless.
Chapter 7 in Numbers is a long chapter that's pretty redundant overall. It lists out all the sacrifices each of the 12 tribes makes to the tabernacle that Moses sets up. A ton of animals, a lot of gold, a lot of incense and a bunch of other things are sacrificed to God. I'm pretty thankful that we don't have to go through all of this to come before God. I can't really imagine doing all of that. But, Jesus came and saved us from our sins and also saved us from bloody sacrifices. He gives us direct access to God at all times. We can come before God whenever we want and wherever we are and He actually wants us to. Although we are fortunate not to have to do all that, I don't want to just take the easy way out and feel like I'm lucky in this sense. I want to get dirty for God in other areas. I want to feel uncomfortable in certain spots that will help me to grow and mature in him. I don't know exactly when or how that will happen but I'm sure it will. I just pray that God would guide me and that I would faithfully follow.
Up to this point in the old testament, a lot of sacrifices have been made to God. There have been a ton of animals sacrificed and it's necessary for people to come before God. A lot of the scripture has also been about how to prepare the sacrifices and what exactly to do to make it just right before presenting it to the Holy Lord. There's a lot of anointing of this, consecrating of that, blood here and there and overall it just seems like a very arduous process but obviously important nonetheless.
Chapter 7 in Numbers is a long chapter that's pretty redundant overall. It lists out all the sacrifices each of the 12 tribes makes to the tabernacle that Moses sets up. A ton of animals, a lot of gold, a lot of incense and a bunch of other things are sacrificed to God. I'm pretty thankful that we don't have to go through all of this to come before God. I can't really imagine doing all of that. But, Jesus came and saved us from our sins and also saved us from bloody sacrifices. He gives us direct access to God at all times. We can come before God whenever we want and wherever we are and He actually wants us to. Although we are fortunate not to have to do all that, I don't want to just take the easy way out and feel like I'm lucky in this sense. I want to get dirty for God in other areas. I want to feel uncomfortable in certain spots that will help me to grow and mature in him. I don't know exactly when or how that will happen but I'm sure it will. I just pray that God would guide me and that I would faithfully follow.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day 33
Dec 3: Numbers 1-6
In the beginning of the book of Numbers, God asks Moses to take a census of the whole Israelite community by clan and family, listing every man by name, one by one who is over 20 years old and can serve in the army. The first few chapters go over the different clans, lists out the leaders of the clans, and how many people occupy that clan. The total number of Israelite men over 20 came out to 603,550. With women and children too, this number had to have been well over 1.5 million I would imagine. The only thing I could think about while reading this was how God was fulfilling his promise to Abraham, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them...so shall your offspring be." It's been many generations, but God comes through on his promises to make a nation out of Abraham and also to save that nation from Egypt.
I know we all go through hard times in our lives and may feel like there's just nothing going right. We may feel like we haven't been blessed, or have nothing to show for ourselves at times. I think that in those times, we need to try to be content as hard as that may be, because we have a greater promise that God has given us. That through the blood of his only son Jesus, we have salvation and eternal life.
In the beginning of the book of Numbers, God asks Moses to take a census of the whole Israelite community by clan and family, listing every man by name, one by one who is over 20 years old and can serve in the army. The first few chapters go over the different clans, lists out the leaders of the clans, and how many people occupy that clan. The total number of Israelite men over 20 came out to 603,550. With women and children too, this number had to have been well over 1.5 million I would imagine. The only thing I could think about while reading this was how God was fulfilling his promise to Abraham, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them...so shall your offspring be." It's been many generations, but God comes through on his promises to make a nation out of Abraham and also to save that nation from Egypt.
I know we all go through hard times in our lives and may feel like there's just nothing going right. We may feel like we haven't been blessed, or have nothing to show for ourselves at times. I think that in those times, we need to try to be content as hard as that may be, because we have a greater promise that God has given us. That through the blood of his only son Jesus, we have salvation and eternal life.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day 32
Dec 2: Leviticus 22-27
Leviticus was definitely tougher to read than Genesis and Exodus. The first two books of the bible start off exciting. There is lots of drama going on and it's really easy to read. Leviticus slows this pace down a lot though. The whole book is pretty much the Lord speaking to Moses and giving him all these rules and regulations. So much of it was about how the Israelites should be living back then; how to build the tent of meeting, how to offer all different kinds of sacrifices, what's clean and unclean and it goes on and on. Most of this doesn't directly apply to our relationship with God. Although the reading is dull and boring for the most part, God still wants us to learn something and for that reason Leviticus is in the bible. We should remember 2 Timothy 3:16 which says, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
So what else can I learn? I think the main theme is how holy God is. All these rules that are set must be followed for a reason, and thats b/c God is holy. We can't be bringing him sacrifices that aren't worthy, or breaking all his rules. We need to respect him and respect everything he has laid out for us. Even though a lot what God lays out are for the Israelites in the old testament, we can still reinforce this with all the other rules God has given us for our own relationship with him. Also, so many times throughout this book you see God ending a chapter or segment with, "I am the LORD your God." It's as if God is reminding us that HE is God, and we are nothing compared to him. If I can take anything from this book, it's that God is holy. I need to respect him and know that he is not to be messed with. At the same time, God shows us that with obedience comes rewards. Chapter 26 starts off titled "Reward for Obedience." We should fear God and all his holiness but still know that he loves us unconditionally and wants to bless us more than we know.
Leviticus was definitely tougher to read than Genesis and Exodus. The first two books of the bible start off exciting. There is lots of drama going on and it's really easy to read. Leviticus slows this pace down a lot though. The whole book is pretty much the Lord speaking to Moses and giving him all these rules and regulations. So much of it was about how the Israelites should be living back then; how to build the tent of meeting, how to offer all different kinds of sacrifices, what's clean and unclean and it goes on and on. Most of this doesn't directly apply to our relationship with God. Although the reading is dull and boring for the most part, God still wants us to learn something and for that reason Leviticus is in the bible. We should remember 2 Timothy 3:16 which says, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
So what else can I learn? I think the main theme is how holy God is. All these rules that are set must be followed for a reason, and thats b/c God is holy. We can't be bringing him sacrifices that aren't worthy, or breaking all his rules. We need to respect him and respect everything he has laid out for us. Even though a lot what God lays out are for the Israelites in the old testament, we can still reinforce this with all the other rules God has given us for our own relationship with him. Also, so many times throughout this book you see God ending a chapter or segment with, "I am the LORD your God." It's as if God is reminding us that HE is God, and we are nothing compared to him. If I can take anything from this book, it's that God is holy. I need to respect him and know that he is not to be messed with. At the same time, God shows us that with obedience comes rewards. Chapter 26 starts off titled "Reward for Obedience." We should fear God and all his holiness but still know that he loves us unconditionally and wants to bless us more than we know.
Day 31
December 1: Leviticus 16-21
One of the hardest things about Christianity has to be this, "love your neighbor as yourself," which God directs us to do in Leviticus. Well just how do we go about accomplishing this? I think C.S. Lewis has great perspective of this in Mere Christianity so I'll take a lot of what I say from him.
If we're to love our neighbors as ourselves, we need to know what that means first. Loving our neighbors doesn't mean we need to think they're nice or even that they're good people. We can hate the things our neighbors do but not hate the person. Hate the sin, not the sinner as a lot of people say. It may seem impossible to do this, to distinguish the sin from the sinner, but we do this all the time with ourselves. We hate that sometimes we do such nasty things but we'll go on loving ourselves just fine.
It's easy to love our friends, they're usually people that you'll find easy to get along with. It's not easy though to love your enemies, who are still considered to be our neighbors. We should try to start off small, by forgiving them of smaller things and learning to love them that way first. Once we get into those people that we really hate or the ones that really annoy us though, we need God. We need to see that this is exactly how God loves us. We need to see how God first forgives us even though we're all sinners and do terrible things against him. Whenever we think that we can't forgive someone or that we can't love someone, we should know that Jesus came and did it first for us. He came and set the example and all we need to do is follow him. How can we ask God to forgive us, when we can't forgive others? I pray that God can put more love in my heart, even for those people that really bother and annoy me because God still loves me even for all the sin I commit against him.
One of the hardest things about Christianity has to be this, "love your neighbor as yourself," which God directs us to do in Leviticus. Well just how do we go about accomplishing this? I think C.S. Lewis has great perspective of this in Mere Christianity so I'll take a lot of what I say from him.
If we're to love our neighbors as ourselves, we need to know what that means first. Loving our neighbors doesn't mean we need to think they're nice or even that they're good people. We can hate the things our neighbors do but not hate the person. Hate the sin, not the sinner as a lot of people say. It may seem impossible to do this, to distinguish the sin from the sinner, but we do this all the time with ourselves. We hate that sometimes we do such nasty things but we'll go on loving ourselves just fine.
It's easy to love our friends, they're usually people that you'll find easy to get along with. It's not easy though to love your enemies, who are still considered to be our neighbors. We should try to start off small, by forgiving them of smaller things and learning to love them that way first. Once we get into those people that we really hate or the ones that really annoy us though, we need God. We need to see that this is exactly how God loves us. We need to see how God first forgives us even though we're all sinners and do terrible things against him. Whenever we think that we can't forgive someone or that we can't love someone, we should know that Jesus came and did it first for us. He came and set the example and all we need to do is follow him. How can we ask God to forgive us, when we can't forgive others? I pray that God can put more love in my heart, even for those people that really bother and annoy me because God still loves me even for all the sin I commit against him.
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