Good Not Great: Numbers 32

This is a passage where 2 1/2 tribes ask Moses to settle on the east side of the Jordan opposite from the Promise Land that God had swore to give them. The land where they desired to stay looked good to them for livestock. Their livestock prevented them from dwelling in the promise of God. These include their women and children. So their families would have to deal with settling for man's best, not God's best. Livestock would separate them geographically from the rest of their nation/family. Third, their livestock would make them more vulnerable to attack later on. They would not have natural border protection such as the Jordan River or the Mediterranean Sea.

To summarize, they would not be living in God's best, separated from their family and nation, and they would be more vulnerable to enemies in the future. So, was this a great choice? NO! It may have looked good to the eye. But, they made their decision solely on what seemed good to them. Not only them, but more specifically a bunch of cattle! Are materials and possessions something that should be formulating our decision making? NO! Not for believers. Our decision making and direction should be from the Lord, not based upon what looks good for us or what will be most convenient. We should long to be in the place that God wants us to be. As believers the best place to be (although maybe not the most convenient place or even comfortable place) is in the center of where God would have us be. In order to find that place or arrive at that place, we need to know the heart of God which is found in His word. We need to listen to His word and do what it says. This will assure that we will be directly where God would have us to be.

Lazy or Diligent? Proverbs 24:30-34

I am convicted many times at the way I coast in life. Now, I don't coast all the time, but many times I do. In other words, when I coast, I become a little lazy. I slack and am not as diligent as I once was. Areas that I become slack in are evangelism, intentionally looking for ways to engage people, spiritually leading my family, reading, and learning. As I was reading Proverbs this morning I came across some verses that speak to lazy and slack people. Look at what it says,

"I passed by the field of a sluggard by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man."

This man's vineyard was overgrown with weeds and thorns because he did not take the time or effort or energy to tend to it. Therefore, the field brought him no profit. All this happened as a result of this man sleeping, slumbering, and folding his hands just a little. In other words, weeds and thorns came as a result of him not being diligent in looking after his field. Whatever the area in our life, whether it be family, bible study, people, leading, sinful tendencies, or evangelism, let us make sure that we stay diligent all the time. Because as we see here, all it takes is the small amounts of time that we become slack to allow the weeds and the thorns to come in. What areas do you have weeds and thorns growing? Choose today to take out your spiritual weed-eater and go to work and stay diligent!

Lots of Blood and Offerings: Numbers 28-29

Over the span of these two chapters we see the Lord's instruction on offerings the children of Israel were to make to Him. We see Daily, Weekly (Sabbath), Monthly Offerings. Also we see instructions for the special days and feast like the Passover, the Feast of Weeks (or Firstfruits), Feast of Trumpets (The New Year), the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Booths). The priests were to sacrifice everyday on behalf of the nation of Israel to God. I read on person who tallied up how many animals in a year just the priests would go through

113 Bulls

32 Rams

1,086 Lambs

Over 20 Goats

On top of the animals they would have sacrificed over a ton of flour and thousands of bottles of oil and wine.

Couple on points really stick out to me:

1) The Perpetual Offerings were presented to the Lord on a Daily Basis. This speaks to me in the New Covenant that we are to daily offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. Just as daily the nation of Israel offered up offerings to God, so are we to offer up offerings unto our God and Savior. This will keep our lives in proper perspective of who we are and whose we are.

2) The Abundance of Sacrifices that were Made to God. Some days they would have had to double the sacrifices that were made. For instance on the Sabbath they had to offer the daily offerings as well as the Sabbath offerings. One the monthly offerings they had to sacrifice the daily offerings as well. And then when they celebrate the special days, they would again have to sacrifice the daily offerings on top of the offerings for that particular celebration. That is why large quantities of animals and flour, oil, and wine were used in a given year.

This reminds me of the passage in the New Testament where the adulterous woman pours expensive perfume on Jesus. When that occurred there were those that said she wasted that expensive perfume. But, who was she pouring it on? Jesus. Is Jesus worth expensive perfume being poured on Him? I would say so. Is God worth all these sacrifices and offerings? Yes indeed! He is the one that provided it for them anyway. Think about it. God is the one that instituted the sacrificial system. Don't you think that He knows that the nation has to be blessed with lots of animals in order to sacrifice them. So God blesses, but the people have to trust in order to obey and continue to receive the blessings of God.

Today in our own life, what we give to God, although it may be extravagant, will never go to waste. That is why we should by nature, as believers, givers and people who are very generous. Because we have such a good God who blesses us beyond what we deserve. We can give our time, our talents, and our treasures. What time, what talents, and what treasures our we offering daily, weekly, and monthly to our great God?

3) There was crazy amounts of blood that was shed. It amazes me that Jesus died once and for all for the sins of the world, so we no longer have to sacrifice the blood of bulls and goats, but now we just have to surrender to Him and offering to Him our lives as pleasing aromas to Him. Aren't you grateful that we don't have to sacrifice as they did in the Old Testament. Sin is awful! Sin causes death! Sin is not pretty! Sin does not smell good! Sin is gruesome! That is the picture we see in this sacrificial system. And Jesus comes and fulfills the sacrificial system by becoming the perfect sacrifice! Amen!

Blessing or Curse? Deuteronomy 28

Yesterday we talked about the fall of Adam and Eve and where sin entered the picture. Their sin was in their disobedience to the Word of God. What God told them to do, they did the opposite. Therefore God issued out curses for the snake, humanity, and even creation. Just think: if they would have fully obeyed the Lord and not have eaten from the tree, they would have enjoyed paradise and the full effects of God's blessing. If they only!

In Deuteronomy 28 we see God talking with the nation Israel. God basically tells them you can either obey me and all my commands and be blessed, or you can choose to disobey me and bring the full effects of my curses.

"And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord you God will set you hight above the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field...." (Deut 28:1-3)

"But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your god or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field...(Deut 28:15-16)

As you can see, God is serious about His children obeying His voice and His commands. I get so tired of people blaming their issues and negative issues on God as if He is to blame. The God we serve is a good and gracious and loving God! We just happen to live in a world that has been tainted by sin and evil. And God is gracious and not willing for anyone to perish, but desiring that all would come to reach repentance. Let us hold fast to the anchor of our soul. Let us hold fast to the Words of God with our lips and our life. Let us live out what it means to be part of God's family. Either blessings or curses will be the result. Which one do you want? Let us all choose blessing!

Can We Change God's Mind?

Numbers 14:20, "Then the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to your word..." Moses has just finished interceding on behalf of complaining Israel, whom God wanted to completely annihilate.

Numbers 21:3, "And the Lord obeyed the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction." This happened when the Canaanites fought against Israel and even took some captive. Israel vowed to God to devote these people to complete destruction if God gave them into their hands.

So from the looks of it, we can change God's mind. He listened to Moses and even listened to Israel. This is very interesting. What does this mean?

First, I would say that it again proves this whole idea that God wants a personal relationship with His children. He doesn't want us to be robots, but to be real with Him. This is incredible, that the God of the universe wants to talk to me. The Holy God who created me, wants to communicate with me. He who knows all and sees all wants to listen, or at least is willing, to listen to me.

Second, it is also important to note that the Bible is full of different aspects of speech; like hyperboles, alliteration, play on words, personification, etc. This would be a great example of personification. Giving something personal qualities of attributes. God is transcendent and spirit. The Bible is written by human authors under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, it is still written in human language to communicate divine truth to human beings. Let me ask you a question; when David says in psalm, "God's right hand..." Is he really saying that God has a right hand that he hold onto David with? No, God is spirit. What he is describing is a characteristic of God using human language that communicates that God is very strong and that He is right there helping David.

Here I believe the same is being applied. God is Sovereign. He is Omnipotent and Omniscient. He knows all and sees all. So I believe with all my heart that God saw and knew that Moses would intercede and that the people would vow to destroy the inhabitants if God gave them in their hands. Therefore, what looks like God changing mind or being influenced by people, is ultimately His will being accomplished through human interaction.

So far, God engages people, especially His children. Second, there are times the Bible personifies God. Third, we have to see what was said to God that made Him react in favor of the request. What we will see is that what Moses said was going to make God look good. In short it was going to be glorifying to God, not Moses!

Moses intercedes and tells God not to destroy Israel, even though God wanted to and to start all over with Moses. God even promised Moses that He would make him into a more mightier nation than Israel. I know that would have been very tempting to me. I don't know why it wasn't for Moses. For crying out loud, Moses had a tough time leading those impossible people. They complained and grumbled to him about his leadership and about what God had done. Yet, even among those types of people and the statement God just made, Moses stood up and told God,

"then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, 'It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.' And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, 'The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.'"

Long story short: What was God's will when He sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt? To take them to the Promise Land that God promised Abraham hundreds of years earlier. Here Moses is quoting God's word and promises that He had made. Moses was close to God and knew God. Therefore, he is conversing with God and shares with Him what He knows of God. It is in that context that God honors Moses' commitment to His own will!

Same applies, when God listened to Israel and gave the Canaanites into their hands. What was God going to do to the inhabitants of the Promise Land? Destroy them, by judging them through the nation Israel. So, Israel's request was in complete alignment with the will of God.

1 John 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

What is John saying? That the confidence we have when we approach our Father in heaven, is in praying accordance to His will. That means the closer we are to God, the more we know about Him, and the better we are able to communicate with Him.

So are we able to change His mind? Not in the sense of what we think about changing people's mind. But we are able to communicate with God. We are able to share our heart and our knowledge that we have of God. Third, we are able to pray for God's will to be done in our life. Fourth, we know that God hears us when we pray according to His will. That is why it is important for us to know who God is and what He is all about and where He is going.

When Sin Bites You: Numbers 21:4-9

Have you ever been bitten by your sin. Maybe the bite was from consequences that resulted from your sin. Or maybe guilt was the bite or brokenness. Nevertheless, whatever the bite, the bite hurt. Sin may look good on the outside, but when sin gives birth to consequences it hurts. Maybe that is why so many people in the world today live a defeated, discouraged, despised, and depressed life. Their life is one big sin pool with sinful consequences and feelings. Maybe it was from a broken relationship or marriage. Maybe it was rocked by a suicide in the family or a family member addicted to drugs. Maybe it was a horrendous experience of rape or abuse growing up and they cannot move on. It could have been the bankruptcy they had to file. Many people have been bitten by sin; even me and even you. Sometimes it is brought on by others, but many times we bring it on our own.

Here in Numbers 21 Israel, brought the bite of sin all on their own. It seems like they never learned their lesson. They rise up again and begin to complain to Moses and ask him why he and God has brought them all the way out here just to die. Israel even told Moses they loathed the worthless food that God had been feeding them with. I guess you could say they did not like their living arrangements. But again, they living arrangements and their food were all their fault to begin with. After venting against Moses and God, God sent fiery serpents to bite the people. These were no ordinary snakes, these were extremely poisonous snakes. So, everyone who was bitten would die.

When the people started to witness the result of their sinful behavior and attitude, their demeanor changed very quickly. Verse 7 says, "And the people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.'" They didn't like the bite of sin. Sure they probably, during their tirade, thought they were a democracy and felt good to let out their anger and resentment towards God and Moses. But, now it is a completely different picture. They are sorry and repentful that they had their little outburst. Usually this is how it is when we can see where we erred and where we were in the wrong. We become sorry that we ever did what we did. Sure, it may have felt good during the act, but we don't like what it has turned into.

Look at what happens when Moses prays for the people. God comes down and tells Moses to erect a fiery serpent and set it on a pole (this is where we get our graphic that is on the side of an ambulance.) God gives them the orders that when they are bitten, if they look to the fiery serpent, even though they have been bitten, yet they will live. This was their cure. Their healing would come from the faith that they would display by looking to the pole with the serpent that God had commanded them to erect.

By looking at the pole with the serpent, they would be reminded to two things. First, they would be reminded about what their sin cost them and how God hates sin. They would understand the ugliness of sin. Second, they would grasp the grace of God. God did not leave them to the consequences of their sin, which He could have and would have had every right. However, God chose to show grace to a sinful people.

So, what do we do when sin bites us? It can bite us physically, emotionally, relationally, professionally, personally, or spiritually. We need to look to Jesus. Jesus, was and is still the Savior of the world, who died for the sins of the world. He was the sinless sacrifice that hung on the cross, so that anyone who has been bitten by sin, could look to Him and live. As Isaiah says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."

So let us learn from the children of Israel. Sin bites! But let us also remember the grace of God, that it can heal the sting and bite and poison of sin. Grace, Grace God's Grace, Grace that is GREATER than all our sin!

The Minor Detail: Numbers 20:2-13

Here is the passage where Moses seems to be at his whits end with the people of Israel. They are again complaining and grumbling and wanting to die or go back to Egypt. I really, for the life of me cannot understand these people. I truly would be scared if I were them, having seen what they had seen. Yet here they go again. When Moses and Aaron hear the people they go and fall before the Lord. During the meeting with the Lord, Moses was told to go out and talk to the rock and water would flow out. When Moses gets out of the meeting and gathers the people together at the rock, he then precedes to strike the rock twice. One minor detail that Moses did not forget. Here is the Lord's punishment, "And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them." It seems that Moses was so frustrated and upset at the people, he failed to honor God and what He said, thereby striking the rock out of anger.

Out of everything Moses had done right in the eyes of God, this one action is going to prevent him from leading the people into the promise land. This one minor detail will become a major deal breaker for Moses. Seems so unfair. Yet we see a glimpse into God's desire for His leaders and people to honor Him and give Him glory. Also, this truly does begin to make me think about what is in my life, that may seem as a minor detail, that is keeping me from experiencing God's best? What is it, in my life, that is not right in the eyes of God? I don't want the so-called minors of sin, keeping me from the majors of God!

Therefore, we all need to be aware with what we are doing, and what God has said. Whatever is in our life that is not bringing glory and honor to the Lord, we need to repent and turn to the Lord. Let us live for the Lord our God who saved us from our sin, sanctifying us for a people unto Himself, and who is leading us to the Ultimate Promise Land (Heaven).

Would the Lord Come to Your Defense? Numbers 12:1-16

This passage is where Miriam and Aaron, Moses' brother and sister, come to Moses and rebuke Moses because he married a Cushite woman. All you need to know about a Cushite, right now, is that she is obviously a non Israelite. However, this is the main thrust of Miriam's attack on Moses. This seems just like a nit-picking thing she points out. Her real problem lies in Moses' position as sole revelatory mediator between God and Israel. In short, she doesn't like the fact that Moses, baby brother, is head hauncho. Look at what verse 3 says, "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth." So the bible says that not only was he a meek man, but more so than, not only anyone in Israel, but in all the earth! It is safe to assume that Moses does not counter act and lay into his sister. Moses probably was shaking his head and not saying a word. Moses was probably thinking to himself that he didn't even ask for this job, God just gave it to him.

The next verse verses are what hit me. God asks all three of them to come out, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. God begins to address them and asks for Miriam and Aaron to come forth. Read the next three verses,

And he said, Hear my words; if there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he behold the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Talk about the Lord God coming to the defense of Moses. I don't know about you, but if I were Miriam or Aaron I would be pretty frightened. I may have even wet myself. The bible says that Miriam became leprous. She immediately had leprosy and was white as snow. Could you imagine how Moses was feeling on the inside while all of this was being thrown down? God has just came to his rescue and defense in the midst of a family attack.

Let me ask us all a question, if someone where attacking our position; maybe it be a parental position, a job position, a leadership position, a committee position, or just a personal (philosophical, worldview) position we might hold, could we with integrity sit there and listen to the attack knowing that we are a man or woman of integrity and everything we have done has been pleasing to God. Moses could sit there and take the attack because he knew that he had...

1) Been Called by God to take the Position

2) Humbled to just be in the Position

3) Lived for God while doing the Position

4) Loved the People under the Position

Let us make sure today that we have a life that the Lord will defend. Moses was not in the wrong, Miriam and Aaron were. Let us be secure people in where we are and in who we are. The way we can do that is by, understanding where God calls us, being humbled to just be there, living for God while there, and loving those around us.

Complaining Less: Numbers 11:

God has rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians. He has brought them out and gave them both water and manna miraculously. And here is what Numbers 11:1,4 says, "And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heart it, His anger was kindled...Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic."

How do we treat the Lord, our Savior? Do we complain or praise? Do we grumble or adore? Do we lament or do we thank? Do we throw a pity party or a faith party? Do we yearn for what we don't have but did have or do we cherish what we currently have? These are questions we need to ask ourselves. Paul gives us some insight on the type of attitude and perception we should have in Philippians 4:11-13,

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought ow, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Too bad Israel did not have this part of Scripture yet, maybe they would not have complained which eventually lead some of them to die from a plague God sent. Moral of that story, don't complain to God, because He really cannot stand His children's whining and complaining. What parent does?

What we need to realize that if we don't get one more good thing while on this earth, God has already given us enough in sending His Son for our salvation! Also, we need to realize that since we are His children and He has invested so much in us, that we need not fret or complain, but trust that what we are going through or experiencing is truly in the hands of God. He will not bring upon us anything we will not be able to endure or bear without Him. So for us to complain and grumble for more of what we want, not necessarily need, is arrogant, prideful, selfish, and sinful in the eyes of God.

Ambassadors 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:1

Sunday, I mentioned briefly 2 Corinthians 5:20.  When God created man, He did so in His own image.  After Adam and Eve sinned, they did not erase that image, only distorted it.  Therefore, we are all still made in the image of God and still have qualities, characteristics, and attributes of God; however, we have become inclined to worship and glorify self and sin and not our Creator.  Since this is the case, we have overshadowed God's qualities and characteristics and have taken on qualities and characteristics that are more accustomed to Satan.  

When a person places his or her faith in Jesus Christ and what Jesus did and accomplished on the cross, the bible teaches, that person becomes a new creation, as we see in this passage.  The old nature has been buried and a new nature, a restored nature, has been given to them.  Our image has not been completely restored.  It will not be completely restored until the second resurrection when God gives us glorified bodies.  

So the old nature is not completely exterminated yet or done away with, but we have been given new perspective.  We understand whose we are and who we are.  Paul here in this passage teaches that since we have been saved, reconciled, and restored to a right relationship with God, we then are to be what He created us to be, His ambassadors to His created order (or creation).

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.  We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  Working together with him, then,  we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain." (2 Cor 5:18-6:1)

How are we doing in representing our Creator, our Lord, our Savior, our God?  How are our words glorifying Him?  How are our actions representing Him?  How are our marriages reflecting Him?  How is our labor and the way we work bringing Him praise?  Is what we watch and think about singing His praises?  Is our involvement in telling others about His great love bringing Him attention and honor?  Our image was tainted,  but in Christ it is restored enough, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring God glory and bear His image to His creation.  Let us be the best image bearers we can possibly be while here on earth!

Godly Offspring- Malachi 2:13-16

Sunday I talked about how being made in the image of God, means that we will produce God Worshippers. I wanted to draw your attention to Malachi 2:13-16 where God is rebuking His people. The rebuke is in context of how their family life is going. God tells them that He has stopped accepting their offerings because they have not been faithful in their marriage. So, God wants us to be faithful in our marriages. As believers our marriages should reflect the goodness of God, the grace of God, and most of all the love of God.

Look at v15, "Did not He not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth."

This verse has been very difficult for bible translators and commentators. However, in light of what we saw Sunday in Genesis 1:28, I do believe it speaks to the goal of godly parents, to raise godly offspring. How can parents raise godly children if they themselves are not acting and behaving godly. Divorce is a distortion of the image of God. If marriage is a covenant, and God has and will always keep His covenants, we should do the same. Being unfaithful is a distortion of the image of God, because He is always faithful and loving.

Let us take God's challenge and exhortation: let us be godly families who love one another like God loves us. Let us grow with one another closer to God. And let us fulfill the goal of producing godly offspring or godly worshippers. This is our duty. This is our obligation. Let us commit to God to doing what He says.

What are some ways that we can implement in our families that will help us produce these results?

* If you have old children- write notes of encouragement and support. Love them. Invest time in them. Take them out to dinner. If they are far from God, love them to God. Express your desire in such a loving and humble way.

* For small to teenage children- spend time with them. Tell them that you love them all the time. Show them affection. Pray with them. Talk to them about spiritual things. When teaching them how to act right or godly, just don't tell them, but also explain to them why they should act this way. Take them to church. As long as they are under you roof they need to abide by your rules within reason.

* For those in high school- have heart to heart talks with them about the deep issues and topics of life. Tell them that it is important that they have a foundation and a filter in which to make the wisest decisions. Even be vulnerable and if applicable tell them how you failed, so that they can learn from your mistakes. Again, it is important that you set aside time to spend with your children, even if they are old. Set aside date night with your daughter. Have hang time or recreational time with your son.

These are just examples, but the goal is the same- Produce worshippers of God!

One Unit

Yesterday I talked about how man has been created in the image of God. Four truths we learned are as follows: 1) We are His Representatives, 2) We are to Fulfill our Roles and Functions, 3) We are to Reproduce Worshippers, 4) We are to fulfill our Responsibility to Oversee God's Created Order. I would like to this morning touch up on some stuff about marriage and fulfilling our roles and functions. Again, we need to begin to build our understandings and beliefs based on truth and not solely on experience. It is important as believers to do this.

In our culture the trend is that the majority of people enter into marriage around the age of 28. Let us think about this. If someone is married at 28 then they have have graduated high school, probably graduated college, or have begun a career. They are completely independent. When they get married they both bring that independent lifestyle in the marriage. Even though they are married they still live as if there are two separate train tracks as opposed to the one that Scripture teaches happens when a couple is married.

Not only do independent lifestyles hinder marriages from becoming all that God wants them to be, but a materialistic lifestyle hinders them as well. If a couple wants a more luxurious lifestyle with the newest cars, a nice house in a nice neighborhood, a boat, a private school, or nice clothes, etc, then many times both parents will have to work in order to afford all of their stuff. Therefore, the lifestyle drives the marriage and dictates what the couple must do, as opposed to the word of God dictating what a couple must do. If the couple does not work extremely hard (sacrificing and exerting energy) at their marriage at some point it might collapse. It might collapse because both are too tired for sex because of work, dinner, kids, taking out the dog, and homework. If this continues then one or the other will begin to look for it elsewhere. It might collapse because they live such busy lives and never find the time to be with one another. As I pointed out yesterday, if a woman is going to work outside the home, then there will have to be sacrifices on both the husband and the wife. Because, it is not fair for woman to have to go to work and then come home and do laundry, cook, take care of the kids, and then take care of the husbands needs. So there will have to be mutual involvement.

The question we need to begin to ask is how can we fulfill God's order and function for marriage in the 21st Century. God's word, although old, is not outdated! It still works. Truth is truth no matter how old it is. Marriage is a lot of Work! You have heard it said that it takes two to make it work. Well, let me add a third. It takes three to make it work. It takes first of all God and His word, then it takes both the man and the woman. So what can we do today that will help make our marriages and families stronger:

1) Love God first and make sure you have a growing relationship with Him

2) Love each other unconditionally and selflessly. Give you ear. Give gifts. Give affection.

3) Spend time with one another, alone, apart from kids and others

4) Have a healthy Sex Life

5) Worship Together. Talk about Spiritual things. Attend church together

6) Fulfill your roles and function. And if need be share them.

7) Treat each other with dignity and respect, as equals. Talk out opinions, don't yell them.

8) Make sure your priorities as a couple and a family are right. This will be a guide to your family that will help you make wise decisions and help you say no to some things.

The Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is quickly approaching. Only a few more days until we see the Colts, once again, crowned the Super Bowl Champions. The Super Bowl is the most coveted trophy in football. It is why teams train, recruit, pay lots of money, and endure injuries. Those who wear a Super Bowl ring, wear a prized possession.

The truth for believers is that we are currently in our Super Bowl. We are playing for something far greater than a trophy or a ring. We are playing for souls and the glory of God. God has called us to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our calling is to live for Him and His glory. Depending on how we do here on earth will depend what our reward will be in Heaven. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says,

"Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."

At the end of the game on Sunday one team will stand victorious. The team that is victorious put together a work load combined by the team effort as well as the coaches to get the W. As believers what is our work load going to get us. How are we working for the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings? Is our work pleasing to Him? Is our work temporal or is it eternal? Let us make sure that our work will not be burned up in the end, but that it will survive, so that we might receive a reward from our loving and gracious Father. The work is not easy here on Earth, but I am sure based upon the promise of Scripture, it will be well worth whatever we give up and sacrifice here on Earth.

By the Way: Go Colts!

Such is the Generation

As I sat down I begin to reflect on last night at church where we launched off our Wednesday night Student Ministry. To be quite honest I really had no expectations. I really did not know how it would go. After last night my heart is even more burdened for the students of this area. Most are completely numb to the things of God and even irreverent. Now I know, students will be students. My philosophy is life, even when I was a students was; there is a time to play and have fun, and there is a time to be serious. God desires to be worshipped! Not just by adults, but, by students and even children. I truly believe that when God gets a grip on the heart of a student, you better watch out! Throughout Scripture God has taken the young and done amazing and awesome things through them.

As I reflected, I was immediately drawn to Psalm 24. The psalmists asks, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place?" He then precedes to answer his own question: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully." After having answered and shared with reader what that person who ascends the hill of the Lord will receive, he issues up this statement, "Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob."

Here is my desire for the students of this generation; that they will be such a generation! They will be a generation that will seek the face of God. I want them to be a generation that will ascend the to the presence of God with clean hands and a pure heart. Truth is what I want in their hearts and on their lips. Purity is the necklace and bracelet I want them to wear. Godliness and Holiness is what I want them to dress in. Purpose is what I want them to see when they look in the mirror. I would love to be part of grooming a generation of warriors for God. Listen to me: If we don't groom warriors, we will groom paupers who will bow down at postmodernism, atheism, agnosticism, and liberalism. Think about what our churches will look like then.

I am calling adults, with or without students, to become serious about reaching this generation. Pouring their lives into students that we might groom an army of warriors for Jesus Christ to combat the forces of intellectualism, liberalism, evolutionism, agnosticism, and paganism. The future of the American Church and Missions will be in their hand. It is our duty to prepare their hands.

"Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob." (selah)

Ps 24:3-6

Appealing

I just finished watching the demo video for the ipad device that apple has just came out with. I have to say that it is a pretty amazing gadget. After watching that video, it made me want to go out and buy one. I thought I could have the apple trinity if I bought an iphone, ipad, and my imac. If that happened I figured I would be really technologically spiritual. But, then again, probably not.

What I thought after watching that video, is; after looking at us (Christians/The Church) do people want what we have? Are our lives so appealing that people want to stop what they are doing and come check out what we do. As apple continues to try and outperform other technology companies and even outperform their last device, do we try and get better. Are we growing? Are we maturing? Are we becoming more like our Savior. Are we trying to perfect our mission statement? It seems that if our churches and lives were technology, we would still be living in the stone age.

What if our Christian lives were like 21st Century technology. What if we continued to grow our spiritual lives rapidly? What if we surrendered more to Jesus sooner? What if we grew faster in our intellect and knowledge of the faith, in order to articulate it and defend it? I believe we would catch the eyes of people who are searching, just like the ipad caught my attention this morning. When people begin to see Jesus in action and they hear the Gospel of Jesus, many will respond and place their faith in this Jesus.

The question we have to ask is: Is my life (actions, words, and lifestyle) different than those around me? Is the way I love my family appealing? Is the way I order my finances appealing? Is the way I serve people appealing? Is my words full of grace and season with salt? Is my compassion and mercy appealing? Is the way I love my friends as well as my enemies and strangers appealing? Is the way I understand my life and the universe and the purpose appealing?

A People for His Own:

The account of the Old Testament and for the entirety of the Bible is about God gathering together a people for His own pleasure and purpose. God sends Moses to rescue the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. He desire to bring them to a mountain where they would worship Him. During this journey that turned into 40 long years, God relays to Moses the commandments, laws, ceremonies, and sacrificial system they are to adhere by.

The book of Leviticus is a handbook for how Israel is to behave and sacrifice. In chapter 26 the book of Leviticus is coming to a close and God gives Israel words of blessing and words of warning. The blessing comes by obeying all that God has revealed to them. The warning of punishment will come if they choose to neglect that which God has revealed.

Verses 11-13 gives us insight into the heart of God, that he desired from the people of Israel. "I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect." God tells them that He has rescued them to be their God and for them to be His people. The Holy God of the Universe will live among weak and sinful people and not abhor them. He showed them grace and mercy! He has set them free. Israel has freedom and will have an identity in a land that will be protected by the Lord Himself. Again, all that He ask is for them to be His people. To follow Him, obey Him, love Him, worship Him, and praise Him.

The same is true today. We are not the new Israel, we are grafted in through the New Covenant that the Lord Jesus Christ established with His death, burial, and resurrection. That is why Paul will tell us in Galatians 3, "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham...so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."

We need to remind ourselves everyday that we are not our own. We were bought with a price. Our lives were rescued the the bondage of sin and death. God has rescued us in order to be our God and we, His people. He desires that we love Him, worship Him, obey Him, follow Him, glorify Him, praise Him, and share Him with the nations. My prayer for my own life is that I would do that! God could have left us to our own and allowed us to rot and die in our sin and that would have been fair. But, He chose not to! He chose to rescue us! For us to enjoy Him and Him enjoy His creation worshipping Him. We are a People for His Own Possession!

Life Insurance: Leviticus 25:18-22

Many today have life insurance that protects loved ones from when one is gone. Joannie and I have life insurance so that if something happens to either one of us, the other, along with the children will be taken care of. I ran across this verse this morning in my quiet time and it made me think of life insurance. God tells the children of Israel to follow his statutes and keep His rules, and perform them, and then they will dwell in then land securely. God promised the children of Israel that they would dwell securely in the promise land as long as they put God first and they followed Him. Talk about a great life insurance policy. He didn't say that it would be easy. God didn't promise them that they would never have enemies approach them or want to harm them. He simply told them to put me first, listen to me, and follow everything I say, and it will go well with you.

I do believe that today many people face unnecessary hurt and heartache and life difficulties, because they simply have not put the Lord first in everything and followed Him. As believers we need to examine every area of our life to make sure that God has priority in that area and that we are following Him. These areas arrange from our personal and private life, to our financial life, our church attendance, the way we love others and serve others. These are just a few of the areas that Scripture teaches children of God how to behave.

The great news is that when following the Lord and loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength will prove to be our best life insurance policy we could ever purchase. How's your life insurance policy?