We all get busy and have "stuff" going on but dear sister I pray that you will continue to be in God's word as often as you can. Set aside that special time to meet with Him and read. I get behind and catch up too so don't think you are alone out there. I am praying for you!
Joshua 14
I thought this was note worthy...Caleb was promised land when he spied out land at 40 years old. Now he is about 80 and land is being given. He has to have a voice and speak up and ask for it. Sometimes we need to speak up and ask for those promises. He was humble though and had been waiting a long time. Never is it recorded that he whined and worried if he would get his land or that he complained to anyone that he waited that long. The Lord made the promise and Caleb knew that it would come to pass.
Joshua 16
The Israelites didn't drive out the Cannanites so they became forced laborers to them. When we don't remove the sins in our lives we become a slave to it. It needs to be completely removed or it will creep back in and take over again and again.
Joshua 18-21
They are finishing dividing up the land. Also setting up the cities of refuge for those who have killed unintentionally. Jesus is our refuge always.
They then had rest on every side and no enemies stood before them. V.45 Not one of the good promises which the Lord made to Israel failed, all came to pass. Same for us not one of Gods good promises will fail, they will ALL COME TO PASS.
Joshua 22
The Reubenites, Gadities and 1/2 tribe of Manasseh were blessed and told they could go back to families on other side of Jordan. They had been faithful to stick with their brothers and fight for the rest of the land. They were warned again to observe Gods commands.
When they got by the Jordan they set up an altar as a memorial. The other Israelites thought they they had turned away and were in rebellion and were going to attack them. But the met up and realized that wasn't the case. They were ready to set their brothers straight if they had turned away from God.
Joshua 23
Be firm then to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses so that you wont turn aside from it to the right or the left. Don't associate with other nations or mention the name of their gods or swear or bow before them. Cling to the Lord your God. Take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. If you intermarry with them God wont drive out nations before you. You will perish quickly if you follow other gods.
When we follow ways of other people that are not the ways of God we will be torn away from our Lord. Don't have any part of it. They were told especially not to intermarry because then it is even more difficult. That is why we shouldn't be unequally yoked. Within a marriage, business and many other ways. Doesn't mean we don't still talk with people and tell them about the Lord though. Just means that you shouldn't have intimate relationships with the people who are serving other gods as they will try to pull you away from the Lord.
Joshua 24
A review of the history and Joshua dies at 110 years old.
Judges 1
They began to live with the people of the other countries. Big mistake. They had been warned many times.
Judges 2
Angel of the Lord came and asked why they didn't obey and they cried out. People did evil and served false gods. The Lord would raise up Judges to rule over the people and they would do well while the judge was alive, but when they died the people went back to evil ways.
It is like when you are driving your car and you see in the rear view mirror a police man behind you. You drive correctly and don't speed. Then he pulls in front of you and turns. Well do you immediately go back to speeding? Or whatever it might be. Kids may behave while the teacher is in the classroom but get silly when they step out for a minute. We need to know that God is with us always and we need to behave in a Christ-Like manner at all times. The Israelites needed a leader but they also needed to do what was right when someone wasn't watching over them 24/7.
Ruth
What a beautiful account. I never put a time line on when the book of Ruth occurred So glad to be reading in this format to see that Ruth occurred during this time period. The interesting thing is that Ruth was a Moabite, a foreigner. But she proved to be faithful. She did not pull her husband and family away from their beliefs but took them on as her own. This was proved when Naomi returned to her homeland and Ruth went with her. She was faithful and was blessed by her obedience to her mother in law and she did as she was told. It may not have been what she was used to in her culture but she trusted and was blessed because of it.
Boaz to was an upright man as he knew he needed to allow the rightful kinsman redeemer to redeem Ruth. But when that man gave his blessing to Boaz he stepped forward and redeemed her.
Judges 4-5
Again the people did evil in the sight of the Lord and then they cried out to Lord and He helped them. A pattern that we will see again and again. A pattern that we do ourselves often. I am thankful for a mericiful God that hears my cries and picks me up again and sets me straight. Not that we can just mess up with no worries. There are always consequences to our sins but we are forgiven and He will always be there for us. Praise God!!!
Happy Reading - Jeannie
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Week 11 March 12 - March 18
Deut 29 & 30
The Lord made a covenant with the people. They had seen all that He did for them. They were told to not serve idols like the people that lived in the towns. They were to obey God's voice.
The Lord delighted in prospering them and they were to turn to God with all their heart and soul.
Turn away from serving other gods, if they were to serve them then they would perish. He said chose life-obey and hold fast to the Lord.
Deut 31
Joshua was to lead the people now since Moses would not cross over the Jordan.
V6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.
Even back in Deut. we knew that the people would go into the promise land but that they would turn away from the Lord and end up being taken captive and being slaves again. They had plenty of warning and had the information but they still did it. I can be just as guilty of some of the things I do. I know I shouldn't but I still do. I have the information. Not to fear though because we are to be strong and courageous the Lord our God goes with us too!
Deut 32
All the Lords ways are just and He created you and established you. He cared for His people and guided them. But they would grow fat off the land and forsake Him. A perverse generation. There would be hunger, plagues, pestilence and beasts against them. V.28 A nation void of counsel.
Deut 33
Moses blessed the people before he died. He went up the mountain and saw the land the Lord was giving to them and then he died.
Psalms was a nice reprieve here.
Ps 105 - Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting.
Ps 135 Praise the Lord, for He is good, sing praises to His name.
Joshua 1 - 3
Moses is gone and Joshua is in charge. Lord will be with Joshua, he is to be strong and courageous. He is to observe the law and not to turn to the right or the left. Don't let the book of the law depart from your mouth - meditate on it.
They went to spy out Jericho and Rahab ( the prostitute) hid them. She made an oath with them to spare her life and the lives of her family members. She may have had a bad past but she did what was right and she would be spared because of it. God will use all kinds of people. Even when you think that you are to bad or not good enough for God to consider you, He does.
Josh 4-6
The people cross over the Jordan on dry land. The ark went before them and then waited on dry ground till all the people were safely across. What an amazing sight! They took the 12 stones from the dry ground and made a memorial to remember what God had done. We need to make them in our lives as well. Last week I had asked about if you had a time in your life where God was so very present and showed you something amazing. Make a memorial of it. So you will always remember and you can tell your children of it. To glorify God.
Joshua is told to circumcise the men after they cross the Jordan. I think that this was an amazing thing as well because it makes them very vulnerable to their enemies. But it needed to be done before they were to go before the enemies. It was something done out of obedience to the Lord. A cutting away of the flesh, like cutting away at our fleshly desires and wants in our lives and living according to the way God wants us to.
The men then went to Jericho. They marched around 1 time per day for 6 days. Then on the 7th day they were to march around the city 7 times and then blow the trumpets and shout, and the walls came tumbling down. Only Rahab and her family was spared.
Josh 7- 8
Achan had taken some of the forbidden things that he should not have. So when the men went up to fight Ai they thought it wouldn't be a problem. But Ai prevailed against them. Joshua fell on the ground to the Lord. But God told him get up, the people have sinned that is why this had happened. They would never be able to stand up to enemies when they had done forbidden things. (Same goes for us. Repent, rid yourself of the sin before you try to stand up before the enemies in your life.) Joshua found the forbidden things just where Achan told him they were. All of Achans family was brought out and killed, even the his animals.
Because of his sin, it affected others. (Be aware that our sins affect others around us too)
Josh 10-11
They continued to move on and fight other peoples and conquered. They would always destroy the towns as well as every single person, just as they were told. It may sound cruel but it was to be done as these other people were serving other gods. If they would have spared any of them they would have pulled the Israelities away from the One and Only God. Our notes tell us this was a time period of about 7 years. Was definitely a big change from their wandering in the desert for the last 40 years. Now they are fighting and conquering.
*When moving forward looks to tough we need to mediate on Gods word and let Him go before us. He is with us and will fight for us. He will carry us though on dry land and deliver us.
-A good friend went to be with Jesus this morning. Please pray for the family and friends of Ron Stowers. He was a faithful, wonderful man of God and we were so very blessed to call him friend. He is now with his Lord and Savior. Praise be to Jesus!
Happy Reading - Jeannie
The Lord made a covenant with the people. They had seen all that He did for them. They were told to not serve idols like the people that lived in the towns. They were to obey God's voice.
The Lord delighted in prospering them and they were to turn to God with all their heart and soul.
Turn away from serving other gods, if they were to serve them then they would perish. He said chose life-obey and hold fast to the Lord.
Deut 31
Joshua was to lead the people now since Moses would not cross over the Jordan.
V6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.
Even back in Deut. we knew that the people would go into the promise land but that they would turn away from the Lord and end up being taken captive and being slaves again. They had plenty of warning and had the information but they still did it. I can be just as guilty of some of the things I do. I know I shouldn't but I still do. I have the information. Not to fear though because we are to be strong and courageous the Lord our God goes with us too!
Deut 32
All the Lords ways are just and He created you and established you. He cared for His people and guided them. But they would grow fat off the land and forsake Him. A perverse generation. There would be hunger, plagues, pestilence and beasts against them. V.28 A nation void of counsel.
Deut 33
Moses blessed the people before he died. He went up the mountain and saw the land the Lord was giving to them and then he died.
Psalms was a nice reprieve here.
Ps 105 - Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting.
Ps 135 Praise the Lord, for He is good, sing praises to His name.
Joshua 1 - 3
Moses is gone and Joshua is in charge. Lord will be with Joshua, he is to be strong and courageous. He is to observe the law and not to turn to the right or the left. Don't let the book of the law depart from your mouth - meditate on it.
They went to spy out Jericho and Rahab ( the prostitute) hid them. She made an oath with them to spare her life and the lives of her family members. She may have had a bad past but she did what was right and she would be spared because of it. God will use all kinds of people. Even when you think that you are to bad or not good enough for God to consider you, He does.
Josh 4-6
The people cross over the Jordan on dry land. The ark went before them and then waited on dry ground till all the people were safely across. What an amazing sight! They took the 12 stones from the dry ground and made a memorial to remember what God had done. We need to make them in our lives as well. Last week I had asked about if you had a time in your life where God was so very present and showed you something amazing. Make a memorial of it. So you will always remember and you can tell your children of it. To glorify God.
Joshua is told to circumcise the men after they cross the Jordan. I think that this was an amazing thing as well because it makes them very vulnerable to their enemies. But it needed to be done before they were to go before the enemies. It was something done out of obedience to the Lord. A cutting away of the flesh, like cutting away at our fleshly desires and wants in our lives and living according to the way God wants us to.
The men then went to Jericho. They marched around 1 time per day for 6 days. Then on the 7th day they were to march around the city 7 times and then blow the trumpets and shout, and the walls came tumbling down. Only Rahab and her family was spared.
Josh 7- 8
Achan had taken some of the forbidden things that he should not have. So when the men went up to fight Ai they thought it wouldn't be a problem. But Ai prevailed against them. Joshua fell on the ground to the Lord. But God told him get up, the people have sinned that is why this had happened. They would never be able to stand up to enemies when they had done forbidden things. (Same goes for us. Repent, rid yourself of the sin before you try to stand up before the enemies in your life.) Joshua found the forbidden things just where Achan told him they were. All of Achans family was brought out and killed, even the his animals.
Because of his sin, it affected others. (Be aware that our sins affect others around us too)
Josh 10-11
They continued to move on and fight other peoples and conquered. They would always destroy the towns as well as every single person, just as they were told. It may sound cruel but it was to be done as these other people were serving other gods. If they would have spared any of them they would have pulled the Israelities away from the One and Only God. Our notes tell us this was a time period of about 7 years. Was definitely a big change from their wandering in the desert for the last 40 years. Now they are fighting and conquering.
*When moving forward looks to tough we need to mediate on Gods word and let Him go before us. He is with us and will fight for us. He will carry us though on dry land and deliver us.
-A good friend went to be with Jesus this morning. Please pray for the family and friends of Ron Stowers. He was a faithful, wonderful man of God and we were so very blessed to call him friend. He is now with his Lord and Savior. Praise be to Jesus!
Happy Reading - Jeannie
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Week 10 March 5th - March 11th
Deut. 8
Be careful to observe Gods commandments. Remember what you went through and how God provided.
v. 3 Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
For 40 years they traveled and their garments didn't wear out and feet didn't swell.
I don't know about your families but our garments don't last for 40 days sometimes before they are worn out. And the feet....no swelling. WOW!!
The Israelities were told, "Don't forget" V.19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
Life away from God equals death. Plain and Simple.
Deut 9
Israel will cross the Jordan and drive out the people. God will go before them. It wasn't because of their righteousness but because of the wickedness within the people living in the land.
They were told don't forget how you provoked the Lord. When they made the molten image of the calf. God wanted to destroy them. Moses interceded for them on so many occasions. Moses was like Jesus, he interceded for them, fell on his face and cried out for them that God wouldn't destroy them. He could only love them and do this for them because God put that compassion in him. It wasn't just a compassion for the people but for God. He didn't want God to destroy them because also of what people would think of the Lord if He did.
Deut 10:12 Lord requires you to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and keep commandments and statutes.
God of gods, Lord of lords Great God-Mighty and Awesome
v.20 Fear Him, Serve Him, Hold fast to Him.
Deut 11 - 13
God told them the land that they would enter would be blessed. But to beware that their hearts were not deceived by other gods. They were to impress these words on their heart and soul, bind them as a sign on their hands, and on frontals on their foreheads. To teach them to their children always.
We looked up what a frontal was and it is truly a box on the forehead that held Gods word in it. Some still wear them on their foreheads today. They could open it up and put out the papers of scripture and read.
If a person tried to persuade you to follow another god that person was to be killed. We are only to serve the Lord our God. The One and only!!!
Deut 28
Diligently obey voice of the Lord, observe carefully. They were going to the promised land and would be blessed it they did what was right. If they didn't then they would be cursed if they forsake the Lord. There would be confusion, cursing, plagues, sickness, blindness, madness and confusion of the heart. Things would be taken from them right before their eyes. v.28 Because they didn't serve the Lord with joy and gladness of heart - distress and desperate plagues and sickness occurred They would be scattered and have no rest and enemies will take them back to Egypt.
Moses gives them a foreshadow of what is to come.
Throughout the reading this week we are told that the people were reminded on how they should live. How they needed to only worship and serve the Lord God only. They were shown miracles and experienced God in an awesome way.
We too have the word of God and are reminded by reading it how we should live and have no other gods either. A god could be anything that we serve or worship more than the Lord. Pray about it and ask the Lord to show you if there is something that takes up the time that you should be spending with Him. Believe me it isn't easy. We live in a time with soooooo many distractions that it can be hard to sit and read and pray. But as much as we know this the enemy thrives on it. If he can distract us away from the things of God then he knows we aren't in communion with our Savior. He will pull us away slowly and before you know it you haven't been reading for a few days or praying. I know I have those days as well. But hold fast and firm to Jesus!! I will be praying for you all as well as if you would pray too. Lord keep our focus on You!
The Israelites saw Gods hand and how he did miracles in front of their eyes. They knew beyond a doubt that the Lord was in the cloud guiding them and that He parted the sea.
Do you know of a time that they Lords hand was in your life? Would you like to share it and encourage your sisters? Please comment on this page or email it to me and I will post it for you. God is so good and lets encourage one another to grow closer to Him everyday.
-Happy Reading Jeannie
Be careful to observe Gods commandments. Remember what you went through and how God provided.
v. 3 Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
For 40 years they traveled and their garments didn't wear out and feet didn't swell.
I don't know about your families but our garments don't last for 40 days sometimes before they are worn out. And the feet....no swelling. WOW!!
The Israelities were told, "Don't forget" V.19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
Life away from God equals death. Plain and Simple.
Deut 9
Israel will cross the Jordan and drive out the people. God will go before them. It wasn't because of their righteousness but because of the wickedness within the people living in the land.
They were told don't forget how you provoked the Lord. When they made the molten image of the calf. God wanted to destroy them. Moses interceded for them on so many occasions. Moses was like Jesus, he interceded for them, fell on his face and cried out for them that God wouldn't destroy them. He could only love them and do this for them because God put that compassion in him. It wasn't just a compassion for the people but for God. He didn't want God to destroy them because also of what people would think of the Lord if He did.
Deut 10:12 Lord requires you to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and keep commandments and statutes.
God of gods, Lord of lords Great God-Mighty and Awesome
v.20 Fear Him, Serve Him, Hold fast to Him.
Deut 11 - 13
God told them the land that they would enter would be blessed. But to beware that their hearts were not deceived by other gods. They were to impress these words on their heart and soul, bind them as a sign on their hands, and on frontals on their foreheads. To teach them to their children always.
We looked up what a frontal was and it is truly a box on the forehead that held Gods word in it. Some still wear them on their foreheads today. They could open it up and put out the papers of scripture and read.
If a person tried to persuade you to follow another god that person was to be killed. We are only to serve the Lord our God. The One and only!!!
Deut 28
Diligently obey voice of the Lord, observe carefully. They were going to the promised land and would be blessed it they did what was right. If they didn't then they would be cursed if they forsake the Lord. There would be confusion, cursing, plagues, sickness, blindness, madness and confusion of the heart. Things would be taken from them right before their eyes. v.28 Because they didn't serve the Lord with joy and gladness of heart - distress and desperate plagues and sickness occurred They would be scattered and have no rest and enemies will take them back to Egypt.
Moses gives them a foreshadow of what is to come.
Throughout the reading this week we are told that the people were reminded on how they should live. How they needed to only worship and serve the Lord God only. They were shown miracles and experienced God in an awesome way.
We too have the word of God and are reminded by reading it how we should live and have no other gods either. A god could be anything that we serve or worship more than the Lord. Pray about it and ask the Lord to show you if there is something that takes up the time that you should be spending with Him. Believe me it isn't easy. We live in a time with soooooo many distractions that it can be hard to sit and read and pray. But as much as we know this the enemy thrives on it. If he can distract us away from the things of God then he knows we aren't in communion with our Savior. He will pull us away slowly and before you know it you haven't been reading for a few days or praying. I know I have those days as well. But hold fast and firm to Jesus!! I will be praying for you all as well as if you would pray too. Lord keep our focus on You!
The Israelites saw Gods hand and how he did miracles in front of their eyes. They knew beyond a doubt that the Lord was in the cloud guiding them and that He parted the sea.
Do you know of a time that they Lords hand was in your life? Would you like to share it and encourage your sisters? Please comment on this page or email it to me and I will post it for you. God is so good and lets encourage one another to grow closer to Him everyday.
-Happy Reading Jeannie
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Week 9 February 26 - March 4
Numbers 20
Miriam Dies
There is no water and the people complain. So Moses and Aaron go before the Lord and He tells them that there will be water coming from the rock. Moses gathers the assembly and tells them. "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice.
Moses, no doubt, was frustrated with the people. But he did things his way. Shall "we" bring forth water for you? No God brought forth the water. He was using Moses but God still did it. Also Moses stuck the rock twice. It wasn't necessarily to strike it twice.
Because of this Moses wouldn't be allowed to enter into the promise land. We will read this at the end of our reading for this week.
Aaron dies.
Numbers 21:5-11
The people spoke against God and Moses,'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water and we loathe this miserable food."
I read this and thought hmmmm. Sounds like my kids sometimes.
"Mom, I'm hungry."
"Well get something to eat"
"There's nothing to eat"
"Yes, there is. I just went to the store yesterday, there is fruit on the counter or snacks in the pantry"
"Well I don't like that, we have nothing to eat"
Not just kids but us as adults too.... Nothing to eat. I have never starved but have been guilty of saying there is nothing to eat. God always provides, not just food but all things, sometimes we get so spoiled that we don't accept what we have and want more.
Baalam and Balak
Baalam said even if he were offered a house full of silver and gold he couldn't say anything that God didn't tell him to say. He knew he had to say what God wanted him to. He did that right, however he kept waiting to see if God would say something different. Then he got on the donkey to meet with Balak and 3 times the donkey stopped and was diverted because of the angel of the Lord. I love the part where the donkey's mouth is opened and he says why have you struck me 3 times. I have been faithful. I would definitively listen if my horse opened up his mouth and told me a thing or two. Baalam continues to bless the Isrealites. Balak kept trying to make Baalam go to a different place to curse them. I am surprised that Baalam kept going. But he finally realized that the Isrealites were a blessed people.
Numbers 30 Making a vow
I liked this, how when you made a vow it was to be carried out. Don't violate word - do according to all that proceeds out of your mouth. If a daughter made vow it would be binding unless her father thought that it wasn't reasonable. How many times have we said something that maybe wasn't reasonable. This would also apply after she was married. How awesome is that for the women to be protected. I want my husband to have my back. If I mess up or need help with a situation he is there for me. That is how Christ is for us too. He has our back and He gives us His word so that when we speak we can speak with love and kindness and not speak hastily and rash.
Numbers 33
God tells the Israelites that when they take over a land that they need to drive out all people and completely destroy the figured stones, images, and high places. If they didn't those things would become like pricks in their eyes, thorns in sides, and they will trouble you. If we don't remove all the sin then we will face the same problems. Not just a little irritation but something in your eye will bug you till no end and cause great pain after a while. Sin may start out small but it will grow and become a great trouble if we don't completely remove it.
The men were not to fear the inhabitants of the lands that they would overtake. God fought for them. They needed to hold fast to the Lord their God. Keep their souls diligent that they didn't forget the things they saw so that those things didn't depart from their hearts all the days of their lives. Make those things known to their sons and grandsons. (Duet 4:9)
No other people had experienced God in the same way that the Isrealities had. They lacked nothing and God showed them the way to go. They were to obey God and they would prosper.
Duet 6
Hear O Isreal the Lord your God is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might. Teach these things diligently to your sons always, bind them on your hand/forehead and write on doorposts. They were told not to forget these things once they were in the promised land.
We need to be reminded that when things are good to not forget the reason why they are good. God gives us everything. If we are prospering then praise Him as well as pray to Him when times are tough.
Again and again when the people obeyed the Lord it was good, when they disobeyed things went bad.
We are blessed when we are walking in the will of the Lord. But sometimes bad things happen and don't go the way we thought they should. We just need to continue to be obedient follow the Lord. Bad things do happen sometimes it is because we aren't following the way the Lord wants us to. Sometimes they just happen and it is out of our control. We need to be in constant fellowship with Him. What a better way to know His will then to be reading His word everyday! Keep up the good work!
Happy Reading - Jeannie
Miriam Dies
There is no water and the people complain. So Moses and Aaron go before the Lord and He tells them that there will be water coming from the rock. Moses gathers the assembly and tells them. "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice.
Moses, no doubt, was frustrated with the people. But he did things his way. Shall "we" bring forth water for you? No God brought forth the water. He was using Moses but God still did it. Also Moses stuck the rock twice. It wasn't necessarily to strike it twice.
Because of this Moses wouldn't be allowed to enter into the promise land. We will read this at the end of our reading for this week.
Aaron dies.
Numbers 21:5-11
The people spoke against God and Moses,'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water and we loathe this miserable food."
I read this and thought hmmmm. Sounds like my kids sometimes.
"Mom, I'm hungry."
"Well get something to eat"
"There's nothing to eat"
"Yes, there is. I just went to the store yesterday, there is fruit on the counter or snacks in the pantry"
"Well I don't like that, we have nothing to eat"
Not just kids but us as adults too.... Nothing to eat. I have never starved but have been guilty of saying there is nothing to eat. God always provides, not just food but all things, sometimes we get so spoiled that we don't accept what we have and want more.
Baalam and Balak
Baalam said even if he were offered a house full of silver and gold he couldn't say anything that God didn't tell him to say. He knew he had to say what God wanted him to. He did that right, however he kept waiting to see if God would say something different. Then he got on the donkey to meet with Balak and 3 times the donkey stopped and was diverted because of the angel of the Lord. I love the part where the donkey's mouth is opened and he says why have you struck me 3 times. I have been faithful. I would definitively listen if my horse opened up his mouth and told me a thing or two. Baalam continues to bless the Isrealites. Balak kept trying to make Baalam go to a different place to curse them. I am surprised that Baalam kept going. But he finally realized that the Isrealites were a blessed people.
Numbers 30 Making a vow
I liked this, how when you made a vow it was to be carried out. Don't violate word - do according to all that proceeds out of your mouth. If a daughter made vow it would be binding unless her father thought that it wasn't reasonable. How many times have we said something that maybe wasn't reasonable. This would also apply after she was married. How awesome is that for the women to be protected. I want my husband to have my back. If I mess up or need help with a situation he is there for me. That is how Christ is for us too. He has our back and He gives us His word so that when we speak we can speak with love and kindness and not speak hastily and rash.
Numbers 33
God tells the Israelites that when they take over a land that they need to drive out all people and completely destroy the figured stones, images, and high places. If they didn't those things would become like pricks in their eyes, thorns in sides, and they will trouble you. If we don't remove all the sin then we will face the same problems. Not just a little irritation but something in your eye will bug you till no end and cause great pain after a while. Sin may start out small but it will grow and become a great trouble if we don't completely remove it.
The men were not to fear the inhabitants of the lands that they would overtake. God fought for them. They needed to hold fast to the Lord their God. Keep their souls diligent that they didn't forget the things they saw so that those things didn't depart from their hearts all the days of their lives. Make those things known to their sons and grandsons. (Duet 4:9)
No other people had experienced God in the same way that the Isrealities had. They lacked nothing and God showed them the way to go. They were to obey God and they would prosper.
Duet 6
Hear O Isreal the Lord your God is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might. Teach these things diligently to your sons always, bind them on your hand/forehead and write on doorposts. They were told not to forget these things once they were in the promised land.
We need to be reminded that when things are good to not forget the reason why they are good. God gives us everything. If we are prospering then praise Him as well as pray to Him when times are tough.
Again and again when the people obeyed the Lord it was good, when they disobeyed things went bad.
We are blessed when we are walking in the will of the Lord. But sometimes bad things happen and don't go the way we thought they should. We just need to continue to be obedient follow the Lord. Bad things do happen sometimes it is because we aren't following the way the Lord wants us to. Sometimes they just happen and it is out of our control. We need to be in constant fellowship with Him. What a better way to know His will then to be reading His word everyday! Keep up the good work!
Happy Reading - Jeannie
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