John 3-4 = today's thoughts

John 3-4 = today's thoughts

 

I noticed something around one of the most famous verses of the bible today that I hadn’t really ever noticed before.  It is one of the things that makes re-reading scripture so enjoyable.  In John 3:18 it says that “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already,…”  Isn’t it interesting that believing in Christ opens the door to Heaven, but not believing in Christ doesn’t really change anything.  What I mean by that is without Christ we are all without hope anyhow, so since we are already with out hope deciding to reject that hope doesn’t change anything.  However, Believing in Christ changes everything.  It sounds so simple, believing is all that is required.  Yet while it seems so simple to those of us that believe, Millions and millions, tens and hundreds of millions who hear, resist and are lost. They are however, already lost and their disbelief doesn’t change their direction.  It is why we must be ever more vigilant in communicating the truth in relevant ways. The only hope people have is that they believe. 

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

John 1-2 = Today's thoughts

John 1-2 = Today's thoughts

 

Chapter 1 what an awesome introduction of who Jesus is, His authority and his History fully established in so few words.  We have all heard someone get up and introduce a speaker or a guest.  You hear the person tell of the speakers credentials, some points that lend credibility to what they are about to speak on and usually some antidotal comments about their life.  You read the first 5 verses of John and if there is any question of Christ’s authority before reading it, it should be eliminate.  He has been since the beginning, he is the word, he is the provider of life, He is light that no darkness can overcome, and He is the Creator.  Wow, a better intro couldn’t be given.  If you aren’t willing to listen to someone with these credentials, then you simply aren’t willing to listen.

 

John tells of how John the Baptist was pointing people to Christ, His effectiveness is evidenced by the fact that as people like Andrew, Phillip Nathanael encounter Christ, he simply needs to say come, or follow me and these men, aware of his authority leave their lives in pursuit of the Messiah.  Jesus wasn’t hypnotizing these men so that they would follow him, his authority had been established through prophecy and men like John point to him as the Messiah.  It was most assuredly by faith that these men went with Christ, but not Blind faith, Christ was being in part revealed to these men by connection to John the Baptist who’s role it was to point people to the coming Messiah.  These weren’t random encounters. No more than this universe is a random encounter.  These men were chosen to the work they would do by God and prepared for this moment by the man that had been sent to prepare the path. 

 

Faith is believing in an unseen God, no an unknown God.  We have many ways to know him, and we should work toward knowing him better daily.

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

 

Ephesians 5-6 = Today's Thoughts

Ephesians 5-6 = Today's Thoughts

 

These two chapters have so much to say.  Some I really like and some I really struggle with.  5:15 “look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil”  I think of all the time I waste, doing almost nothing, vegging in front of  the tv, doing mindless repetitive work that is required in daily duties and yet often seams to go nowhere, and I am convicted that I have to do better.  The time we are given is a gift and yet we leave so much of that gift unopened and unused for anything productive.  The frustrating thing is that I almost always feel most fulfilled in life when I am about the fathers business and yet I often struggle to simply get up and do it. 

 

While I also like the section on wives submitting to their husbands, (ha-haa) I am then equally reminded how far I fall short in loving my own wife as I am instructed too.  It is yet another way where I know the right answer and responses and yet struggle to make them my top priority.  And when I fail at this it isn’t just my own failure that I am causing I am taking away from her what God has set in place for her to receive. 

 

If however Ephesians 6:10-20 was truly my daily ambition all this would fall into place, if I daily put on my armor, I would be prepared, waste less and be a better example of what God has created me to be.  Now the question is what will I do to make this happen?  That is where knowledge becomes action, and yep it will likely be uncomfortable at first.

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

Ephesians 2-4 = Today's thoughts

Ephesians 2-4 = Today’s thoughts

 

Chapter four closes with an instruction that would transform the way work and live together if only it were the first action we chose.  Verse 32 says: “And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  Where are you on this direction?  Are you the type of person that starts here, ends here or never shows up here at all?  I know a few people who seem to exist in this place and I have to admit, I think they are happier, people more fulfilled, and in possession of deep and significant friendships and influence.  While those who I know who rarely show up here, seem to struggle with superficial relationships, little influence, pessimistic view of life and in general not that happy a person.”  Now sure I am generalizing here some but being a person that floats the middle leaning toward kindness, it is when I lean that way that I find greater satisfaction with my life, my ability to influence and my connection to Christ.  My struggle is almost always, am I getting walked on, am I being taken advantage of, is there any reciprocation of my kindness and my forgiveness.  But as I look through these chapters that isn’t what I am being asked to be concerned with.  I am being asked to be faithful, humble, gentle patient.  I am the recipient of Ultimate Grace. Am I going to extend it to others as well?  I am reminded that I have an old self and a new self, and the two do not co-exist.  If I truly heard and want to faithful the old self must disappear, and the new self must be my new form.  A form that is described in Eph 4:24 as: “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in the righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

 

Put on the new self and have a great day.

Rob

 

Ephesians 1 = today's thoughts

Ephesians 1 = today's thoughts

 

Well today begins a 21 month journey that I hope you will join me on.  I am taking a 21 month Discipleship training course.  During this study we work our way through the scriptures as well as some other readings.  So at least for a time till I can determine what time I have available each day, I am going to break from the chronological read through the Bible and make sure I am meeting my commitment to this course.  So for the next couple of days we will look at Ephesians, Job and I believe Timothy.  On weeks where I complete the reading early we will jump back to the Chronological study.  

 

So today is just Ephesians 1 – and there is so much in just this one chapter.  Paul cannot be accused of writing fluff, each chapter has so much to give and so we will just give it a good glance. 

          Verses: 3-15

          3:  we are blessed by God with Spiritual blessings in Christ

          4:  God chooses us before the foundation of the world is even set

          5:  We are adopted through Christ as sons and daughters of God

          6:  Grace is extended to us because he loves us

          7:  We are redeemed by Christ’s blood

          8:  We have his wisdom poured out on us

          9 & 10:  God makes his will known to us

          11:  We have received an inheritance

          12:  We have hope in Christ

          13:  Believers are sealed with Him

          14:  We have the pledge of being given the Holy Spirit

 

What a promise this is, what an encouragement for believers.  We have been on Gods mind since he formed this world and he formed this world that we might be able to choose to have an eternal relationship with him.  That should put our time here in some stark perspective.  We truly are but a blink of an eye in scope of God’s existence and yet look at all the lengths he has gone through to make sure we know we are truly significant to Him. 

 

Be encouraged today that you are not ever alone and you have been part of Gods plan and his blessing for a very long time.

 

Have a great day

Rob

 

Joshua 11-12 = today's thoughts

Joshua 11-12 = today's thoughts

 

One of the things that have always been difficult to understand was the sheer brutality with which the people of Israel conquered the Promised Land.  We know that the people who were living there had no chance; their leader’s hearts were hardened by God to want to wage war against Israel and in the end had no chance to defeat her.  While I don’t claim to understand God’s actions at times, I have to remind myself this was a different covenant.  Anything less than this would have been a contradiction of what God had promised, He specifically promised them this land.  It was a promise that had been made long ago and now it was coming to fruition.  In keeping this promise, he was also protecting his chosen people.  He knew how fickle their hearts were and how easy they turned away.  If those other people groups had been left in that region the Israelites would likely have turned from God faster and fallen into worshiping their Gods.  We already know of God’s jealous nature.  His promise was to protect and provide for his people, he knew that he could only do that if they are in right relationship with him, so he eliminated their distractions, their pitfalls.  He provided great resources to them through conquering their foes, he very quickly and firmly established them as a great nation. Once again, while in no way knowing the full mind of God, it sure looks this way to me.  While barbaric on one hand, quite loving on the other.  It also goes to demonstrate that God goes to every extreme to fulfill his promises to his people. These are tough verses to read if you only see God as a loving Grandfather sitting in heaven on a pure white throne.  While that aspect of God exists, it is not a full picture of God.  Another reason why scripture can’t be cherry picked and understood.  The whole of scripture is to help us have a full understanding and relationship with God.  While we won’t get it all we can’t even begin to truly know God if we don’t learn about who he is over all of time.

 

Have a great day.

Rob

Joshua 7-10 = today's thoughts

Joshua 7-10 = today's thoughts

 

The sins of one affect the many.  It is an uncomfortable thought that our personal sins could have severe consequences on those we surround ourselves with, but that is exactly what happened to the entire nation of Israel.  Achan, broke covenant with Israel and with God,  he acted for himself in stark contrast to the orders he had been given by his leader and by his God.  As a result dozens of men lost their lives because that sin separated the people of Israel from their God and his watchful hand was not on them as they went into battle.  But look what happens when that that relationship is restored.  Achan received God’s justice for his transgression.  And when God’s justice had been metered out, the people of Israel were unstoppable.  They conquered nation after nation, they expanded their land, and reaped tremendous wealth and reward.  They were established in the Promise land as the nation to fear and respect.  This was a direct result of their faithfulness. 

 

Let this be our example, unrepentant sin leads straight to destruction.  Don’t let other things of this world rob you of your relationship with the King.  His justice will be metered out on those who are unrepentant, he is a constant God and the story shows this to be true.  Seek after him, be obedient to him, and relish the blessing he pours out on his faithful.  While we are all going to sin, and we are all going to fall short, make sure that you aren’t dwelling there.  Turn from that sin, replace it with something that brings honor to you life and to your God. 

 

Joshua 3-6 = Today's Thoughts

Joshua 3-6 = Today's Thoughts

 

God’s plan for our lives is often developing long before we are ever aware of it. Joshua, who had mentored under Moses, like I am sure many others had done, was now being tasked to lead.   But how do you follow someone like Moses, how will a people who have seen the Power displayed by God through his servant Moses now be willing to follow the understudy.  It wasn’t likely going to be a smooth transition. After all we have seen the fickle nature of the people of Israel and their followership doesn’t have the cleanest record.  Once again, God’s plan prevails.  God knew that Joshua needed the credibility, the divine thumbs up if you will and so he in essence endorsed Joshua’s leadership in a way that he had already demonstrated His support of his predecessor Moses.  As Joshua led the people out to the Promised Land Joshua gave the command and the waters of the Jordan River rolled up and allowed the people to cross on DRY land.  An endorsement that was indisputably clear and confirming.  I wonder however if there was that group of people that weren’t sure of Joshua and his leading.  I wonder if as they were walking across the Jordan talking about this miracle if anyone of them said,  oh sure this is impressive, but it’s no red sea…  you have to wonder, there always seems to be that guy in the crowd somewhere.

 

It is clear beyond doubt to the people that God was still with them, Moses was gone, but God is still near, he has passed the mantle to Joshua and now like it says in Chapter 4:14 “That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel: and they revered him all the days of his life, just as thy had revered Moses.”  Joshua’s new leadership was fully established, his years of preparation now transitioned to leadership, not by his own might, but by the might of the Living God.  Joshua was given the title before he was given the reverence, he was given the reverence when he acted on God’s instruction and acted faithfully.  Preparation and title are of little value if it isn’t coupled with action.  And action without authority is of little value, but when it is coupled together in Gods, plan in timing, it can literally move a nation and stop a river.  While much is outside the scope of our doing, nothing is outside Gods.  What amazing thing is God preparing you for and when the time comes will you step and act?

 

 

Psalm 90, Deuteronomy 31-34 = Today's Thoughts

Psalm 90, Deuteronomy 31-34 = Today's Thoughts

 

In Moses final preparation of the people for their crossing into the Promised Land as well as Moses personal final prep to pass the mantle to Joshua, Moses blesses the people of Israel. Additionally Moses gives them a song and a psalm to remind them of their relationship with God and what God had brought them through.  These works are to not only to help preserve the story they are likely given as a way to constantly remind the people that they serve a jealous God.  A God that wants their full devotion and will settle for nothing less.  Moses then 120 years old and still full of life and energy climbs to the top of Mt. Nebo and God shows him all of the promise land.  As we look back over Moses life.  From the time he is about 40 to the climb on Mount Nebo, Moses faithfulness to God is without question. Deuteronomy's last paragraph closes with "since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,...."  and even with that being said God still did not let Moses enter the Promised Land.  This is further proof and evidence that God follows through on the justice he delivers.  While Moses was able to change God's mind and spare the people of Israel for their disobedience, God's punishment for Moses and Aaron's departure from Gods plan with the water and the rock was unwavering.  Sure Moses was obedient, and possibly the closest person to God of anyone in history except Christ, and yet for his own benefit hew wasn't able to change God's mind.  Closeness doesn't merit favor, faithfulness does.  Moses was close to God all his life, an actual friend of God, but it wasn't the friendship that brought blessing to Moses it was his faithfulness that did, and while almost all of his life was marked by his faithfulness it wasn't perfect and that imperfection had consequence.

 

Having said that, strive for a close relationship with God, but more so strive for a faithful relationship to what God has called us to do.  They are different and they mean two very different things.

 

Have  a great day.

Rob

 

Deuteronomy 27 -28 = Today's Thought

Deuteronomy 27 -28 = Today's Thought

 

Chapters 27 and 28 could have been termed the if you do’s and if you don’t chapters.  Moses has just finished giving the people instruction on how to conduct their lives as they enter the Promised Land and now he is giving them both and an encouragement and a warning about following these instructions.  Chapter 28 starts off saying “if you fully obey….”  It could have said if you obey… and communicated the point, but this is one of those places where the inclusion of a word really means something specific.  God isn’t asking for partial obedience.  He wants their full obedience, after all look at what he is promising them.  The first 13 verses paint an incredible blessing if the people remain faithful.  Faithfulness yields, the defeat of enemies, blessings on your barns, on your fields, on your womb, on your livestock, on your finances, etc…..  Obedience to God in this case is directly linked to the blessing that is promised.  However there is the flip side of the coin here as well.  While the first 13 verses deal with the blessings for obedience, verses 15-68 deal with the curse for disobedience. Why so much more on the curse.  My guess is because we too quickly forget about the reason for the blessing, complacency, and entitlement.  After a time the blessing for obedience may seem deserved, earned or even owed.  God is clearly communicating that with obedience comes the blessing.  His gift, his choice, his way, just as with disobedience has its own set of circumstance.  Why all the detail, maybe God just wants his people to have every opportunity to recognize their failure and have a chance to return.  While no one complains about a blessing, the curse if not identifiable isn’t so easy to overcome.  Therefore, God has said, if this is happening in your life, chances are we are out of sync, and if we are out of sync, it isn’t me that has changed. 

 

While we are under a new covenant with new relationship parameters, this is still so very true.  Those who obediently follow the will of God in their life are blessed.  Countless stories can be told, endless examples of God’s love poured out his faithful.  Obedience isn’t a get out of jail free card life will always have its hurdles and trials, but disobedience is guaranteed to distance you from God, (much worse than, jail and losing your $200.00 for passing go)  and when you are distant from God, you are the one that has to step in his direction.  He is constant and always there, but we have to make the effort to seek him and stay in his will.

 

Be obedient, be blessed,

Rob

 

Deuteronomy 23 - 26 = Today's Thought

Deuteronomy 23 - 26 = Today's Thought

 

Chapter 26 wraps up Mosses’ commands from God to the Israelites before they prepare to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land.  One of the things that stood out in these chapters is how very different God’s relationship is from the old covenant to the new, and how much difference Christ makes.  I am referencing where at the beginning of Chapter 23 God is forbidding the Israelites to have interaction with multiple people groups and for others restricting their access to the assembly of the Lord for as long as 10 generations of time.  While I’m not sure what length of time a generation was in Moses day, today it is around 25 years.  So here we find people that because of the actions of their ancestors they are restricted in their access and relationship with God for potentially 250 years.  In contrast to the new covenant that was established through Christ’s sacrifice that allows someone access to God at any point through belief in Christ.  Where the Israelites were commanded to avoid certain cultures today we are commanded to enter those cultures.  God didn’t change, Christ entered the equation, with out Him no new Covenant could exist and with out a new covenant, nothing in our world would look the way it does, Christ not only established a new covenant he transformed society. Pre Christ many of the punishments for actions of the people were God given as a way to restore that relationship.  Post Christ punishment is a reaction of society’s rules rather than a mandate by God.  Christ has changed that relationship, he has paid the price.  Everything about the relationship changes, it is so hard to fathom the community of life among the Israelites at the time of Moses simply because it is so far from our own experience. (Old law, nomadic, recent post slavery, visibly and physically connected to God)  And yet we find ourselves inextricably connected to them, because of a God that is universally constant, loving and just.  God more than permeates our society he set it in motion, it is built on the covenant he established with us.  For thousands of years people and society have shaped their communities based on this new covenant. Try as some may to keep God out of a society that is full of his believers; I think you will find that to be an effort in futility.  Where God’s people are He will be recognized.

 

Represent Him well today.

Rob

Deuteronomy 15-22 Today's thought

Deuteronomy 15-22 Today's thought

 

What a collection of verses this is, from canceling debt to cities of refuge to punishment for rape.  Moses continues to lay out God’s plan for His people.  It seams as though these people have lived with no rules no morality no understanding of permanent community.  It is as if everything is having to be told to them for the first time.  Well it’s kind of true.  The people who Moses is addressing have lived their whole life as wanders, a nomadic community with God literally in front of them.  Taking their daily actions based on the decree of Moses and his interactions with their God.  This is about to change, they are about to become a people of a region, territories divided among their tribes.  Life will be different for them from this point forward, the will be separated as a whole and autonomous as cities and regions.  No one living among them has experienced this and this has not been part of their culture for more than 400 years (pre slavery in Egypt) God, being the responsible God that he is, he is preparing them with all they will need to know.  It seems laborious and repetitive to see these rules laid out over and over, with only minute differences for many of them.  Yet that is who we know God to be.  A God that is concerned with the details, and a God that is concerned that his people have a right relationship with him. He knows that to have that relationship His people have to live within His will,  for his people to have a reasonable shot at this they have to be able to fully understand God’s will for them.  It may be difficult for us to grasp, but then again we have the luxury of printed law, hundreds of years of community development, and leaders that have been led themselves by those who paved the way.  They weren’t just learning how to be good followers of a God who desperately wanted to have relationship with them, they were learning how to be an established nation in a hostile land.  God had a plan and victory in store for them, but only on his conditions.  This is what Moses was trying to prepare them for.

 

Have a great day

Rob

 

Deuteronomy 12-15 = today's thought

Deuteronomy 12-15 = today's thought

 

God wants His people to be faithful, he wants them to succeed, he wants a right relationship with them.  He has instructed Moses to communicate His expectations.  So Moses continues on in his preparations of the people.  As you look over these last several chapters we are covering a lot of ground.  God knows how easily the people turn from following Him, he has seen their fickle hearts while wandering the last 40 years and he is leaving little room for misunderstanding of His expectations.  The specificity of some of these instructions is interesting, God is listing specific animals that are clean and unclean, specific forms of giving, specific instructions when overtaking their enemies.  Not general concepts but specific instructions.  He is a God who is most definitely involved in the details.  And if God is the same God today, and we know that he is, how have we come so far from specifically following God’s instruction.  As I think about the way we live our lives we often live our lives and our faith in the general realm and not in detailed intentional following.  We generally live as a Christian should live, but how is that evidenced different than just being good.  We may read the word, pray, etc… but is that study changing us, and is that change leading to action, and does our action communicate who Christ is to others.  With tens of millions of people professing to be followers of Christ, how come society doesn’t see us more distinctly different than they are.  We have concerned ourselves so much with being accessible we have in many ways made our beliefs irrelevant.  God was specific so his people would stand out.  He abhorred the following of other Gods, to the point he required in many circumstances their utter annihilation.  Moses instructions in chapters 12 and 13 to the Israelites were to fully destroy these places that worshiped false gods and to keep nothing that could lead them to be curious or interested in other Gods.  How different is that from the church today,  where tolerance is touted as enlightenment. Not only do we allow room for other gods, work, wealth, family, false gods, cults, false teaching, etc….we have made them part of our belief system in many ways, we even have a hard time agreeing much of the basics.  How come we are separated by the trivial rather than united around the core.  God’s desire for our lives is pretty specific,  He has a desire for us to know Him, seek Him, worship Him, share him with others.  And yet the things we concern ourselves with most of our days are not these things, but rather the things that he told us not to be concerned with, food, shelter, etc….  What would happen if tens of millions of people stopped focusing on our mortgages, our careers, our status, and all focused on sharing Christ.  It sounds ridiculous because it is so far from where we currently are, but isn’t it really who we are supposed to be and what we were created to do.  We will never arrive at the relationship we were created to have with God if we never set out on the journey.

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

Deuteronomy 9-11 = Today's thought

Deuteronomy 9-11 = Today's thought

 

Moses continues to give direction to Israel, preparing them for their entrance into the Promised Land. Moses is quick to remind them however that as they proceed into the Promised Land that they not become arrogant as they see the miraculous victories that they witness God do before them.  Moses reminds them that they are a wicked people, undeserving of what the Lord has done for them and if they turn from God they will face certain consequence and destruction.  In chapter 11 Moses reaffirms what he instructed in chapter 6 that is that the Israelites must be careful not to be enticed by other gods,  he tells them again the way to do this is to : Fix the words of God upon their hearts and minds, tie them on their hands and forehead, teach them when you sit at home, when you travel, when you chat, when you lie down, when you get up (getting the picture here) put them on your homes and on your doorposts.  He says this so the days of their children will be many in the land that God is giving them.  Their faithfulness is a condition of this blessing, not of their relationship with God but definitely with the blessing of the Promised Land being a place of blessing and prosperity. 

 

Think of this application in our own lives, Where are our other gods, what do we teach in our homes, as we sit, chat, watch TV, travel.  What do we adorn our homes with, our bodies with,  is Gods word taught in the way we live our lives.  Is watching us making it easier for our children (those watching us) to see a people living in a right relationship with their God. It is easy to read these stories and be critical.  Introspection based on these stories however often has some sobering realities of its own.

 

What is on your life, your home, what are you communicating through your life and actions.  Is God able to bless the life you are living?

 

Have a great day,

Rob

 

Deuteronomy 6-8 = Today's Thoughts

Deuteronomy 6-8 = Today's Thoughts

 

As the people of Israel prepare to enter into the Promised Land, Moses knowing that he will not be going with them is trying to prepare them for what they will encounter.  Moses, like a concerned parent releasing their children to another’s care as they go on without him, he wants them to know their potential pitfalls, the struggles, the expectations, give them hope, and give them warning, he wants the best for them and wants them to succeed. Moses, a man who knows God unlike maybe anyone before him truly understands the nature of God, he is a friend of God, a person who has walked with him and been face to face with him.  Moses knows that God is a jealous God wanting the faithfulness of the people.  Moses tries to communicate here how the people are to respond to God as he leads them and blesses them into the Land that they have been promised for so long.  40 years he has prepared them for this jouney and now he must let them go ahead without him.  Moses has seen them succeed and seen them fail, he knows how they can be swayed and knows their humanity.  He tries to protect them so they will remain holy before the Lord. 

 

Passing a mantle is rarely without struggle, and here we have Moses setting up Joshua in such a profoundly powerful way.  Preparing the people, encouraging them, disciplining them and informing them.  So that when the time comes under Joshua’s leadership for there to be fear, doubt, excitement and rejoicing, they will be able to look back and know that he is the right man because the one who prepared him foretold their situations, and they know what their response should be and the will know that Joshua is leading as God wants him to lead.  Moses, a friend of God, while flawed as any man is, was a truly humble and servant like leader. 

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

 

Deuteronomy 3-5 = Today's Thought

Deuteronomy 3-5 = Today's Thought

 

Well after about a month of slacking let’s see if I can get back on track,  No good excuse, just slackness.  So I am going to try and be recommitted.  While I have done some reading in this time, not enough, it seems my best reading happens when I share my thoughts, so here we go again.

 

A couple points really stood out here, probably the most significant was the simple truth that no god in recorded time interacted with a people the way God did. (Probably has something to do with the fact that He is the one true God) but this is massive for the people of Israel and really for us.  No where had any large grouping of people been able to claim legitimate interaction with their god’s, until now.  Here not one, but thousands and thousands of people had multiple shared interactions with The God of the universe.  It was no longer believing the word of some profit, or one person with a convincing story it was a real shared experience of the masses. Some thing for the nation of Israel to cherish and something all other nations would tremble from.  For no other nation had this interaction with their gods.  Their recent victory, directly connected to their experience of being with God.  Their liberation, God ordained and led.  We see that even their protection and sustainment in the wilderness, is through God’s great provision.  Now as God prepares to lead them into the Promised Land, there is a review of history and a review of expectation.  God doesn’t leave room for misinterpretation here,  he reviews His commandments, he further trains Moses, he sets up the succession for Moses and Joshua.  His expectation of the people and their faithful following of His clearly communicated.  He is a God that plans, and has a purpose in his plan.

 

What desert have you crossed? At the foot of what mountain have you stood?  Did God help you cross the desert, did you hear his voice at the foot of the mountain.  If you are a believer and a follower, I have to believe he tried,  Did you accept the help or listen to his direction or did you try it your own way.  It is so easy to leave God out of life and ministry.  But when that happens, that is putting something, your plan, your resources, your hope, in something other than God. (Idol worship) It really is that simple, if your not trusting in God, your trusting in another god.  You already know what outcome that leads to. As believers we are often asked to be patient in God’s time, something almost all of us struggle with.  One thing is clear however, for those that have been patient and waited on the Lord, Their life, their story and their legacy have been truly amazing.

 

Have a great day

Rob

 

 

Numbers 19-21 = Today's Thoughts

Today’s thoughts from Numbers 19-21

 

How concerned is God with our obedience.  Well lets look back over the last several chapter and what do we see.  God has given specific instructions on nearly every aspect of life.  In many of the cases failure to obediently follow his plan is met with swift consequence and often resulting in death, not just the death of one or two but in many cases of disobedience the death of thousands was the consequence. Who is exempt, in our world today we often recognize that there are rules but often feel exempt for one reason or another, well look at Moses.  Moses quite possibly had the most unique of all relationships with God.  He has regular and familiar conversation, he is taken into God’s presence for regular interaction probably more so than any other individual in scripture less Christ himself.  And yet even when Moses is disobedient to God’s will he is not spared from severe punishment.  But don’t confuse punishment with abandonment.  God never abandoned his people even when they were  severely punished,  for example they didn’t trust him…Lost out on promise land for 40 years….he provides for their daily sustenance while they are wandering….people rise up against Moses and Aaron….God wipes those people out…..then helps them win specific battles against their enemies….Moses doesn’t follow God’s plan….Water is still provided to sustain them.   On and on the examples go of God’s provision in an atmosphere of correction.  The Israelites just as we are today, were a terribly flawed group of followers.  At times belligerent, ungrateful, self-serving, prideful, insolent children, and while God punished them because that’s what was right in their relationship too him he also never stopped providing for them, and caring for their well being.  Don’t confuse punishment and correction for abandonment.  Make sure that you learn from it and work toward restoration of relationship with the father.

 

Have a great day.

Rob

 

 

 

Numbers 14-18 = Today's Thoughts

Today's thoughts from Numbers 14-18

 

If I were to titles these chapters as a group it might be called, “Not a good day to be an Israelite”  God has just shown them their inheritance (the promise land), a land flowing with milk and honey.  A land he has not only promised them, but led them to, overcoming enormous obstacle and adversity along the way.  All along the way he demonstrates with myriads of miracles His power his authority and his passion for these people.  All for them to take one look at the land see hurdles and immediately crumble, defeated and disillusioned.  How frustrated God was with his chosen people.  It isn’t different today though.  We see God working all around us and yet fall defeated at the sight of perceived hurdles and obstacles.   We have opportunity placed before us and often we see only the pitfalls.  We fail to remember the enormous blessing that brought us to the point we are at in our relationship and we only see the potential failure.  We forget that God can work all things out for his Glory.  Just like the promise land look so foreboding God had a plan to succeed,  it only required the faith of his people.  And while the promise land looked like a tough road, look at what a lack of faith provided the Israelites.  God didn’t abandon them in either option and we can be assured that he isn’t going to abandon us either, but which track will we as believes follow.  The one that requires a supernatural faith in a God that has proven his devotion, or little faith and a road that while may be consistent, who really wants to wander aimlessly in their journey with God.  He was with the people in the desert for 40 years, but how much greater would their lives been had they stepped in faith and followed God where he was providing them direction.

 

God didn’t ask the Israelites to step blindly, he asked them to follow where he was leading because they knew where he had led them from.  Where are you headed in your relationship, the Desert or the promise land?

 

Have a great day

Rob

 

Numbers 7 - 13 Today's Thoughts

Today’s Thoughts from Numbers 7-13

 

God knows our hearts, good or bad, he knows our thoughts and the motivations of our lives as if we had clearly articulated it to his face.  When the people of Israel grumbled against God, he knew their heart, their motives and their justifications.  When Miriam and Aaron were resentful and jealous of Moses and his authority, God knew the destructive nature of their thoughts.  When the 12 spies came back with their reports, God knew of their overwhelming lack of faith in Him and his power to prevail.   Talking to God daily is for our benefit, not his; he already knows our thoughts and our heart.  He does however long for that relationship and when we seek him is when we can find him.  Regardless of how busy you get, make sure you take time to spend part of it with the Lord.

Rob

 

 

 

Numbers 4-6 = today's thoughts

Numbers 4-6 = today's thoughts

 

Do you want to be a Nazirite?  The term "nazirite" comes from the Hebrew word nazir meaning "consecrated" or "separated"  To be a Nazirite was to set yourself aside for a period of time to be separate to the Lord.  During this period of time you take specific precautions and steps to make sure that you are holy unto the lord.  This wasn’t like a day of fasting, this was for periods of time greater than a month usually. I’m curious as to what this really looked like, did the daily life of this individual change during this vow, what did it mean.  Going to have to do some more searching. But the bottom line question for the day is, how often do we make a conscious effort to set ourselves apart, holy and unto the Lord for a period of time to honor God and strengthen our relationship with him.  I can’t say that I would win any special achievement award in this area.  Something I should probably consider.

Rob

 

 

Numbers 3-4 = today's thought

Numbers 3-4 = today's thought

 

Who in the story do you most closely relate to today?  We are reading about the Role of the Levites in caring for the tabernacle and the things that have been set aside for God and the worship of God.  The story has 4 primary groups of people, the priests, the Gershonite, the Kohathites, and the Merarites.  The Priests (Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons Eleazar and Ithamar) in this story are responsible for the care of the temple on behalf of all the people of Israel, specifically the care of the sanctuary, only they could approach the sanctuary anyone else was to be put to death.  The Kohathites were responsible for the most holy things, the care of things like the ark, the alter, the furnishings, Eleazar was responsible for their work. The Gershonite were responsible for the coverings of the Tabernacle, the outer coverings, the curtains, and Ithamar was responsible for their work.  The Merarites were responsible for the structure, the poles, the crossbars, the bases, and they were also led by Ithamar.  Each group had their responsibilities and while not equal or the same they were all important and reliant on one another for the whole to be accomplished.  Some with great responsibility and some with less, some with authority and some with action.  Some of the jobs were sacred and had the fear of death if improperly performed, while some were as common as carrying a pole.  Being in the direct service of the King looks very different for each of us.  Some roles seem more significant that others and some seem remedial and insignificant.  Whether performing the seemingly significant or insignificant, if you have been called by God your labor is significant, not necessarily glorious but none the less significant.  This cannot be more evidenced than in modern team ministry, the ranges of skills, talents, roles and responsibilities are wide reaching, and yet when any single component of the team is unable to complete their role satisfactorily the whole is burdened.  I am certain that God has brought us together as the Body to demonstrate his awesome ability but also to edify, encourage and support one another.  While roles may not be equal or often even similar, when working as the Body of Christ, none are insignificant.  What role will you play today?

Rob

 

Numbers 1-2 = Today's thoughts

Numbers 1-2  = Today's thoughts

It is often easy to forget that the God of the Universe is interested in our daily lives.  But he is down to some of the smallest of details.  The Israelites we learn are still camped at the base of Mt. Sinai as this new book opens; they are two years, one month and fifteen days since God led them out of Egypt. God calls for a census, he is about to establish his peoples army as well as redefine them as a people out of the covenant he made with Abraham.  God isn’t simply asking for a show of hands either, he wants people names written down, he wants them divided into their clans; he wants to know who his people are.  Sure he already knows the info but in this manner he is demonstrating to his people that as he establishes their nation they are individually significant, as well as significant as a tribe of Abraham.   Furthermore, he divides them into their tribes and reaffirms their subset identity as a small community within the whole; he gave them instruction on where to live and how to establish their camp/community.  While we aren’t really explained why here, you can be assured that if God has taken the time to develop the plan, there was a reason for it and it had their best interest in mind.  Remember, had he only wanted an army there would be no need for this detail, this segregation, this community planning.  God is in the details of our lives when we listen to what he is directing us to do.  The end of chapter one ends the same as chapter two, “The Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses”.  These weren’t requests, they weren’t open to interpretation, and they were commands given to produce a relational outcome that God was setting in motion for his people.  Today is no different, we don’t get to cherry pick the portions of the relationship we want to be a part.   The more I strive to be in relationship with him the less I am convinced of coincidence when I look at the circumstances of my life and I am honest with myself, it is orchestrated in a way that probably isn’t really me. Humbling and reassuring all at the same time.  Thanks be to God, he wants to be personally related to me, my family, my community, and my country.  Now we need to listen and follow.

 

Rob   

 

 

Leviticus 26-27 = today's thought

Today’s thought is from Leviticus 26-27

 

We are in a series at church about living life and serving God as more than just a fan of Christ.  But rather whole hearted sold out committed living to the Lord.  These two chapters deal with this same topic today.  If you look in Chapter 26 you will find about 10 verses that explain how God cares for the faithful, the ones who do as they say and are living within the covenant that was established between God and the people of Israel through Moses on the mountain.  But then there are around 32 more verses that deal with what happens to the people if they are unfaithful and live outside the relationship and the covenant with God. Three times as much space is dedicated to the consequences of being unfaithful as there is to being faithful. 

 

I think there are some simple yet often missed realities here.  For the faithful person living out their faith within the will of the father, there is little that needs to be explained, there will be relationship that includes communication and therefore much is understood.  Blessings make sense, trials are able to be endured, life has purpose, and external relationships are deeper and have greater significance than the moment.  Read verses 3 – 13 and it is clear that those abiding in the will of God are going to know peace, prosperity and the joy of being in a right relationship with their creator.

 

Then read ahead. To the end of chapter 26, it turns bleak fast and future looks fully depressing.  The only consolation in the rest of this chapter is that there is hope that those outside the will of God will find their way back in, because living life out there is death.  I think that there is significantly great time devoted to this because when we live outside the will of God, we will make every excuse for our circumstances that we can muster.  Anything and everything will be to blame, except usually the fact that we are living outside God’s will.  Therefore God is trying to show us with many different illustrations that living outside the will of God is only going to lead to one thing, there are many ways to get there but the end is still death and separation from Him for all those choosing to ignore Covenant and reject His relationship.

 

Chapter 27 then goes back to the faithful and shows ways in which the faithful can demonstrate their commitment and give back to the Lord. Chapter 27 says nothing about the unfaithful group that was so focused on in 26 because there is no room for them in chapter 27,  27 is only for the believer and not just any believer but a committed believer that wants to demonstrate his/her faithfulness to the Lord.   I pray that for my life and the life of my family we are exemplify the opening of Chapter 26 and chapter 27, the alternative is misery without understanding, and that is a tragedy when hope abounds in living within the covenant.

 

Rob

 

Leviticus 24-25 = Today's thoughts

Today’s thoughts from Leviticus 24-25

 

It is so often fascinating to me that so much of our modern system is based on principles of business and life that were established thousands of years ago and have retained a place still directing our lives and our actions.  While we may not celebrate the year of Jubilee and everyone get their land back, many of the principles in here about letting fields rest, interest, repayment of debt, etc… have basis going back to God’s very direction.

 

In a world that seems to ready to discount the teachings of God I wonder if these same people understand how much of our society is actually guided and directed by these very teachings.  Even when the world seems to be in such chaos with debt, war, etc… take comfort in knowing that the rules we live by for the most part were established millennia ago and have seen their way through some very trying times of history.  Gods laws are timeless.

Rob

 

 

Rob Minton
3231 Ruckriegel Parkway
Suite 111
Louisville, KY  40299

502-299-8986 cell - (best option)
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www.crossroadsmissions.com

 

Leviticus 21-23 = Today's Thoughts

Today’s Thoughts from Leviticus 21-23

 

Now that Aidan is older and attending his own classes on Sunday morning we are back in the main worship auditorium.  That is something that I have missed for the last many months.  Being in the cry room or one of the rooms where the service is broadcast is always ok but it isn’t the same as being there with all the other believers, singing, listening and engaging in the service. Today’s reading was on the feasts and the seasons, and while I am sure the feasts and festivals that took place were great, I am so glad that those times are readily available to us at any moment today.  We don’t have to have a specific date to worship the Lord; there isn’t a prescribed method, rules and restrictions about the methodology of how we must worship the Lord.  We have at our discretion the opportunity to worship him as one or as many, as often as we choose in nearly a limitless way.  What an opportunity we have, to present our sacrifice and worship freely and without the required intersession of another.  Show God how much you appreciate and love him this week.

Rob

 

Leviticus 18-20 = Today's thoughts

Today’s thoughts from Leviticus 18-20

 

In this portion of scripture we are looking at how to deal with our neighbors.  One of the interesting aspects of this passage is that these statements are followed up by God restating over and over, I am the Lord.  It is full of You shall’s and you shall not statements, and God is making it clear that these are his statutes and not whomever is delivering them.  God even states in 19:19 You shall keep my statutes.  These aren’t suggestions they are the one right way that God had chosen to communicate love for others by his people.  One section struck me humorously when reading this, it says you shall not curse the deaf or put stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.  I instantly thought of all those crazy warning labels we see on things today, (like.. don’t use this hair dryer in the shower)  you see those things and you are like, really, we really need to say this to people.   But God knowing human nature knows that even the most obvious of wrongs that can be done to one another will in fact be done by someone wanting to take advantage of their neighbor.  I think that is why he includes teaching like this.  Human nature can be an ugly thing and the ways in which people often exploit one anther is unconscionable.  God is making it clear through extreme example that his people are to be better than this.  This is taken even further under the new covenant with Christ.  We as believers trying to transform the lives of others by demonstrating the Body of Christ in action, must go beyond the obvious and truly serve those we come in contact with.

 

Serve one another with gladness.

Rob

 

Leviticus 14-17 = Today's thoughtue;;ed ot

Today’s thought from Leviticus 14-17

 

 

Today’s thought was a tough one, while plenty of ground, somewhat strange ground. Lots of seemingly disconnected verses.  But ultimately it remains further evidence of how difficult it was to stay in a right relationship with the Lord.  And when you weren’t or you had gone through a period of uncleanness, it outlines the various steps that were necessary to make yourself presentable before Him.  This law this code of living and requirement, seems to have an impact that more likely added to the separation rather than added to closeness.  Hopefully tomorrows read will be a little less disconnected for me.

 

 

Leviticus 11-13 = Today's thoughts

Today’s Thoughts Come from Leviticus 11-13

 

Today is one of those days where I more fully appreciate not being under the old covenant,  No pork (surely that can’t mean Barbeque) , no shrimp, no crawfish;  no wonder the Pharisees were so hard to get along with. (Ha-haa)  You look at the regulations and for the most part they are completely understandable, they actually make good community health policy.  Isolate the infected, don’t eat scavengers from the land or from the sea, avoid birds of prey and those that consume the dead.  All of these things have the potential to cause great community harm and illness, God obviously knowing this, is likely one of the reasons these restrictions were in place.  Once again however access to the relationship is dictated by right action rather than right heart. And there has to be more to it than just community health protection.  Because if that was the major reason for the restrictions, why remove this ever, even when Christ came back and fulfilled the law there was no great advancement in medical care, disease prevention and long term food storage. So why make the unclean clean and why let these detestable items become fine for consumption.   While I don’t claim to know the full answer I think the partial answer is this.  Sure it was good for community health to do these things, but that wasn’t what the underling goal of the rule. The goal of the rule was to create a pathway for relationship and Community health was just a tag along benefit.  When Christ fulfilled the law it didn’t change the fact that leaving these foods alone or not isolating the diseased was still a good idea, it just no longer had a bearing on whether or not you could be in a right relationship with the creator.  Before Christ, keeping the law was required for relationship, after Christ, it is simply a set of rules, some beneficial for secondary reasons but rules and not divinely instituted requirement for a relationship with the creator of the Universe.  Thank goodness,  because while I agree that carrying around dead animal carcasses will make me unclean, and most likely prevent me from being allowed in my own home, not being able to eat Barbeque with friends and family well that would just be ridiculous.  Regardless of secondary results, we must always be aware that God is working towards a relationship with us, that is His objective that we would all know Him, Love Him and want to spend our eternity with Him.  Everything else is secondary and most likely only a priority to us.  Don’t be consumed with law and miss the reason for it. 

Have a great day

Rob

 

Leviticus 8-10 = Today's Thought

Today’s Thoughts from Leviticus 8-10

 

My father in law (Jim) is one of the people who get my daily thoughts and he shared a comment with me yesterday that I would like to pass on to you. Jim wrote “I think all of these laws, rules, for sin of all types are recorded for us in the post resurrection era to see that it is impossible to please God by being “good” and following all the rules.  It just can’t be done.” This statement Jim made yesterday is given even greater support in today’s reading.  As Chapter 10 opens we see the destruction of two of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu.  Why? Nadab and Abihu made an error in their offerings.  There were very specific measures that were to be taken when making offerings to the Lord, The fire that they offered was unauthorized and their punishment was death, not by man but by the very God they were serving.  Under the old law the law was final and failure to abide in the law often had immediate and very dire consequence.  If the very men who were being consecrated to serve as the keepers of the Law and intercede for the people as an emissary before the Lord, didn’t understand the law and miss followed its application, how would the general public ever have the opportunity to have close relationship with their God. As we look at this section of scripture Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy there is a lot to digest, rule after rule, ceremony after ceremony, and so many restrictions and guidelines.  It is not hard to understand why people look at religion and see it as some legalistic checklist of do’s and don’ts, that is after all how the relationship is defined at this point in history. Not how it was intended but how it was at the time of Moses and Aaron.  But it changed; it became more about relationship than about the rules.  Again be thankful that you live under the New Covenant with immediate and personal access to the Father.  Thank Him today.

 

Rob