Make sin your friend and invite a prick in the eye - Numbers 33-36

If we fail to rid sin in our lives we will pay the consequences.  This is the truth that God told Moses about the nation of Israel and their tolerance for sin in their midst.  Note the following:

Numbers 33:55

But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.

When we engage in relationships with the world we take the chance of falling into their sin and having their sin affect us.   God has sanctified us and wants us to be pure.  However, we can't do that by allowing sin to camp at our door.   The nation of Israel will eventually fall into sin and be disciplined by God.   It starts out very simple - they allow sin to live next door.   Our ability to stat pure for God is founded in our ability to stay away from the things that will draw us into sin.  We get to comfortable and cozy with sin.   We are no longer offended by it and no longer run from it, but rather allow it to sit in our lives and befriend us.   That is the first step to falling into sin and stepping away from God.   Rid sin today.   Paul called it the "mortification of sin" in our lives (Romans 6).   We must kill sin and be kind to it.  

Is it right to skip church to help my neighbor? Acts 3-4

Acts 3:1-2

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.

Peter and John are on their way to worship. Prayer is going to be a grave essential in that worship. But, in this passage we have a great lesson for us.  On their way to worship they "notice" a man who is being "carried along."  They could have continued on their path and used the excuses that they were going to "pray" instead of stopping to "serve" God through healing this man. But, they don't.   They don't use worship as an excuse to stop service.  They use service as an additional expression of their worship. As far as we know they never got to the temple to worship and pray.  Because they were sensitive to an opportunity to use Jesus Name for good they moved into another direction.   They were so locked in to their "drive to attend church" as they were their "desire to worship and serve God."  We get so caught up in our "Form" of worship that we fail to recognized opportunities that become the "Function" of worship.   Years ago I lived close enough to church to walk.  As I did so I walked right past my neighbor who had sewer line problems and was out desperately digging a trench, by himself, with a lone shovel.   I continued on my walk to church ... I had to lead the youth group in worship.   He eventually finished his job and all was well.  He never expected me to stop; he wouldn't think that I would.   Maybe that's the issue.   I missed an opportunity to worship God through reaching out to the lost in a time of need.   Let's not be so quick to worship and forget the weightier matters like mercy and justice and humility.   

An odd place to worship - in the belly of a fish? Jonah

When Jonah was tossed into the sea and swallowed by the fish, God put him in the exact place where he could ... worship! Worship? Yes, Worship!!! Read chapter two of Jonah and you will read a marvelous prayer of worship. Jonah lifts up and acknowledges his own sin and God majesty. He acknowledges his dependance on God and God's desire to meet that need. That is worship. The belly of the well might seem like a strange worship center. It doesn't have glass stain windows, a praise team, a pulpit, coffee in the back, or a visitor's center. But, it was a worship center for Jonah. Jonah didn't want to worship God earlier from his home. Or, on his way in obedience to Ninevah.   So, God put him in the exact place he could find his worship heart and voice.   Sometimes we leave God no choice.  We attempt to live without Him and run from Him only to find ourselves in a strange place and a sudden "need" to fear God and worship.  The prodigal son did so from a pig pen (Luke 15).   David did from broken bones and broken heart (Psalm 51).   Peter had to hear a cock crow three times before he found the place to come to God in repentance and worship.   The belly of the fish was a bad place to be. But, Jonah finally did the right thing from that bad place.   Wherever you find yourself is a good place to worship.   However, if you don't do in the comfort of your own surroundings you WILL find yourself in an uncomfortable place to find the voice of praise and worship.  

Do you hear God's Word? Does He hear your Prayers? Proverbs 28

Proverbs 28:9

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,

Even his prayer is an abomination.

Some people openly reject God's Word.   They simply say it is a collection of old sayings by normal men written a thousand years ago with about that much pertinence.   They deny their inspiration and certainly are oppose to their authoritative nature.   They have truly "turned their ears" from hearing the Word.   Their are others who aren't as bold or brazen, but they ignore God's Word.  It is a book on the shelf or an heirloom handed down from a faithful grandmother ... to be cherished but not chastening.    They simply believe the Word is a good collection of sayings that, in their day, were inspirational.   The authority of God's Word is never question and, perhaps, even acknowledged in debate.  However, the Word has as much practical authority in their day-to-day lives as the owners manual to their car ... in a glove box and only used when a bulb burns out.   The above proverb gives us an amazing insight into how these types of attitudes affect our prayer life.  It destroys our prayer life.   When we fail to honor God's Word to us we should not expect Him to honor our words to Him.   But, it goes farther than just to tell us our prayers are not heard.  Solomon tell us our prayers are an abomination to Him when we reject God's Word.   An Abomination!!!   The next time you have a "bulb" go out in your life and you turn to the "Owner" and ask Him for help, you may want to remember you've rejected the "Manual" and He isn't listening.  Read and honor HIs Word and He will ear and respond to yours.  

Where do you go for security? Psalm 117-118

Psalms 118:8-9

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in princes.

In Proverbs 29 we read that the "fear of man" is a snare ... traps us and holds us captive. In this passage of Psalm 118 we read something similar. Instead of taking refuge (looking for a place of safety) we are to find it in our relationship with the God of the universe. Even though we have wickedness around us and everyone has forsaken us, we need to find our peace and refuge in Him. Think of Joseph as he as in that pit ... calling out to his brothers for deliverance I would imagine. Yet, refuge didn't come from his brothers but rather in the truth that what God had intended for him was far better. God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20). When we turn our eyes to trust in men we fail. Yesterday in our reading in 2 Chronicles we read about King Asa and his finding refuge in a wicked king.  When the prophet came to him to warn him of this mistake in leadership and follower-ship of God he tossed the prophet into prison.   God struck him and his leadership as a result.   God wants to be our refuge and demands to be our refuge and deserves to be our refuge.   We seek our jobs as the ultimate safety net when in reality the loss of a job actually deepens our faith walk with God.   We trust in bank accounts but the fall of the finance world strengthens our trust in God to care for us.  Why did Christ tell us to no worry about clothes and shelter and to seek our "daily" food.   That kind of dependance is lost in our world today of cupboards, long term contracts and large investments.   God wants us to daily seek His help.   Why? See above ...  It is better!

God might not want offense but He doesn't prevent defense - 2 Chronicles 11-16

The division of the kingdom of Israel into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah) is a great study in leadership, team building, conflict management, labor relations and much more. God's Word, in this story, has given us a plethora of insight into human behavior in the midst of conflict. Rehoboam wanted to go up against the rebel Jeroboam and fight him. But, because they were actually brothers, God comes to Rehoboam and instructs him to "not" attack his brother. Brothers should not fight brothers, seems to be the lesson in that section. However, note 2 Chronicles 11:5 and see what Rehoboam's response is:

2 Chronicles 11:5

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

God may have told him "not" to attack his brother but God didn't prevent him from protecting himself against his brother. Just because we don't attack and fight our brother doesn't mean he will also listen to God and cease from attacking us. We see a similar line of defense in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph had been tossed in a pit by his brothers and sold into slavery. Although he rose to the second most powerful man in the land he still didn't trust his brothers. When they came to ask for food and didn't recognize him, he wasn't unkind, but he was in a defensive and protective mode. He actually kept one of the brothers in prison to see and test and verify the hearts of his other brothers ... would they leave this brother in captivity as they had left him? God does not expect us to fight our brothers, but the scripture says, "as much as in you live at peace with all men" (This is a quote from Romans 12:18. Romans 12 is the most important chapter of how to handle conflict in your life.) Sometimes we can live at peace with all men because they don't want peace they want war (Psalm 120:7). Preparing defense is wisdom from God not fear of man. God expects us to defend ourselves and prepare that defense. Faith is not walking aimlessly through this world ... it is walking prudently through this world.

Give an informed response, not a quick judgment - Numbers 29-32

We all, from time-to-time, jump to conclusions.  We tend to not take in enough information and make a judgment prior to adequate data.   In this story in chapter 32 of Moses and the 2 1/2 tribes we have a perfect picture of speaking before proper analyzing.   The leaders of these families came to Moses and asked to camp on the opposite side of the Jordan River.   Before Moses had heard them out He immediately starts to compare them to the generation prior, that God condemned to death in the wilderness.    Moses jumped to judgement before he asked enough questions.  He attempted to "condemn" rather than "clarify."   If you see his words after they ask, the sentences are filled more with exclamation points and periods than it is question marks.   He was so busy condemning he failed to listen.  They did have a plan and they weren't like their fathers.   But, Moses, as the leader was in full leadership mode rather than a listening and evaluation mode.   We can all jump to conclusions.  We ought to spend more time listening than condemning.   It makes for richer and balanced responses.