Numbers 8 Cause a Thirst

Vs. 6  “Take the Levites….. and cleanse them.”   We are to prepare our hearts and the hearts of our children to be clean before the Lord, to have short sin accounts.  Be willing to care tenderly for even others that He puts in our path to help lead them as well to spiritual maturity as they watch our example and as we take opportunities to teach them the lessons that we too have learned from His Word.

Vs. 10b  “the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites.”  Take time to hold our loved ones in our arms and pray a prayer of dedication over them as soon as they enter this world and continue to bless them each day.

Vs. 11b “….that they may execute the service of the Lord.”   When we come to that place of cleansing and total dedication to Him, it is then that He can begin to use us to execute the service that He has chosen for us.  I love these verses, Psalm 51:10-13, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors Thy way; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.”  Once He has created a new heart in us, renewed us and restored us it is then and only then that we can have a ministry truly touching and teaching others.

Vs. 24  The Levites were allowed to serve from the age of twenty-five to fifty. (“and they shall work no more”)  John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is yet day.  The night cometh when no man can work.”  The service of the Levites was short.  Our time of service to Him is so very limited.  How sad it would be to look back some day on our life and realize that we had wasted it all on the cares and things of this world and never really making a mark on anyone’s life. We can get so excited about clothes, shopping, our favorite team, some dream vacation or a new car.  Do our children and others around us see even half that excitement over the things of God?  Do they see that we are deeply in love with our Savior and that we want to spend lots of time at His feet and talk about Him?  What is it they see that we love the most? Are we making them thirsty for Him?

What is it that is holding us back from serving Him?  Let’s pray that prayer in Psalm 51.  Let this be our year of ‘Jubilee’ of the great joy of our salvation restored to complete fullness. 

Numbers 7 Switch Yokes

Vs. 9b  “…service of the holy things which they carried on their shoulders.” It must have brought the sons of Kohath great joy to carry the holy things for God.  I’m sure they must have felt it a great privilege. What are we carrying on our shoulders?  Are they holy things or things that bog us down with weariness, worry, depression, regret or guilt?  My dear loved one, He has good news for us:  Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I have been so excited through the years to have these verses to guide me and along the way to share it with so many others.  His Word is so powerful!

I’m reminded of the times I would share these verses with my precious first born, dear sweet, Angela, while she was in nursing school.  It was an especially rigorous course.  One day while I was driving in my car God gave me a picture of what we all do so much of the time in reference to these verses.  I pictured someone trudging along with very heavy chains wrapped around their shoulders, barely able to even walk.  Then I pictured the “exchange,” the removal of those awful chains and being replaced by His light yoke that is made of softness. Then there was sweet relief and peace.  I told Angela about my ‘picture’ and through those wearisome, hard courses I would often remind her to switch yokes.

So, my loved one, what are you carrying on your shoulders today?  Is it the care of a parent, child, financial impossibilities, torment over the salvation of a lost loved one or the battle with an ungodly habit?  He is there; ready to help you unload that heavy yoke and put on His.  Do it, release those heavy chains, surrender to the one who loves you with an everlasting love and wants the very best for you.  It may be a daily exchange or even hourly until we learn that new walk.  He is our comfort, our sounding board and our counselor.  As we learn not to bottle things up within us but instead to lay each burden at His feet, we will find an amazing overflowing peace in our hearts even in the midst of our world that seems to be turned upside down.

Make that exchange!!!!

Numbers 6 The Ultimate Sacrifice

Vs. 2-3 “….to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from…”  This was in regards to a man or woman consecrating an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite.  When we receive Christ as our Savior, we then become a Christian.  From that day on we need to begin to study His Word to know how to walk the Christian like.  We consecrate our lives to Him. We begin to walk, talk and think a different way.  We separate ourselves from the things of this world that would keep us from holiness.  “Separate himself from….?”  What do we need to fill in here?  What is He asking for?  What are we holding back or holding onto that keeps us from a life of holiness.  I love this quote that I heard years ago and put in my Bible, “It will cost you more to miss the will of God than it will to find it.”  We give up so much when we cling to our own heart treasures. We cling to the ‘fake pearls,’ thinking they are what we need, when all along He has those precious real pearls waiting to give to us.  Oh to miss out our entire lives of what He really has for us, how sad.

 

Vs. 11 “…make atonement for him….”    How blessed we are to have our Heavenly Father love us so much that He made that perfect and final sacrifice for my sin and the sins of the world, the gift of His Son, Jesus, who died  on the cross and rose again that we might have abundant life here on earth and eternal life in Heaven someday.

 

Vs. 24-26  “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”  I want Him to bless me; to keep me in His care; to find pleasure in His presence; that He will smile upon me and give me a life of peace.

 

Vs. 27  “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”  His name is on me because I am His child.  I thought that as a child I had received Christ but later realized that I never understood or genuinely made that step, so as an adult, I got on my knees one day at my living room couch and prayed words something like this:  “Father, I repent,  please forgive me of my sins. I believe that You died and shed Your blood on the cross and rose again.  I want to live for You.”  Now I know, I have no need to doubt that He is mine and that He has promised me Heaven someday.  Oh what a gift, that ultimate sacrifice of love.

Numbers 5 Channels Only 19th Blog

Vs. 1 “And the Lord spoke to Moses…”   God, let me come to a place daily in my heart and life that You can and will speak to me through Your Word, prayer and that ‘still small voice’ and that I will listen and obey.   I want that closeness to Him, that intimacy.  I don’t want to just slide through life missing all that He has for me.  I love that song, “Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch Him and say that I love Him. Open my ears, Lord and teach me to listen.  Open my heart, Lord I want to know Jesus.”

Vs. 2, 3, 7 “…put out of the camp every leper….”, “….that they may not defile their camps in the midst of which I dwell.”   “…he shall confess the sin which he has committed.”  When I read this I had to stop and go look up a phone number and call someone to ask their forgiveness.  Father, keep bringing to our minds all that would hinder Your work in our lives and prevent us from clearly hearing Your voice.  I keep a copy of the song, ‘Channels Only’, in my prayer notebook.  Life Action’s founder, (a revival ministry) Del Fehsenfeld, gave me a wonderful love for this song:

 

How I praise Thee, precious Savior, that Thy love laid hold of me:

Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me that I might Thy channel be.

 

Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me, a clean vessel in Thy hand;

With no power but as thou givest, graciously with each command.

 

Witnessing Thy power to save me, setting free from self and sin;

Thou who boughtest to possess me, in Thy fullness, Lord come in.

 

Jesus, fill now with Thy spirit, hearts that full surrender know;

That the streams of living water, from our inner man may flow.

 

(and my favorite part, the chorus)

Channels only, blessed Master, but with all Thy wondrous power

Flowing through us, Thou canst use us, every day and every hour.

 

My dear one, don’t you just love those words?  I want my channel to be clear of the clutter of sin.  I want His power, grace and love, those streams of living water, to flow freely through me every day and every hour.

 

 

 

 

Numbers 4 Loving Hands

This chapters explains to us the duties of the Levitical families regarding the Tabernacle.    Vs.  4  “This is the service of the sons……” They took great care in doing each of their tasks. We too all are given specific tasks and services to do in our lives.  Oh that God would help and guide us as we perform our duties so that He would be glorified.  Our tasks are making meals, cleaning our home, decorating it for His honor, making a dish for a sick friend or neighbor or showing hospitality by having someone over.  I remember when we were first married and on missionary support.  All I could really afford was popcorn and homemade cookies for company.  I made it a point to have as many over as I could every week or two.  We had the sweetest times with those friends in Michigan.  It even got to be a joke about my snacks but you know, they didn’t mind at all.  What really mattered was the fellowship.  To think of all that we might have missed out on in those years if I had waited until we could afford some fancy meals.  We formed some amazing friendships that are still going on today after more that twenty five years and now living miles apart.  In my life now it’s not so much the money but time.  So now I still have people over and often it’s for an after supper snack.  My nephew and his family came over Sat. night for dessert and we had a wonderful time together.

 

Vs. 28  “Their duties shall be under the authority of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.”   Father, help us to live completely under Your authority, seeking to please You and fulfill those tasks ordained by You.  Also give us grace to stay under our husband’s authority just as You have planned for us. For it is there, in that sweet submission that we find joy, peace and fulfillment. 

 

Vs. 37  “All who serve in the tabernacle of meeting.”  Lord, help us to be faithful and willing to do our part to serve in our local church.

 

Vs.  45  “…according to the Word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.”

I want my life standards to be according to Scripture, His words for us. Let us be a hand that you can use.  I experienced a hand used for Him yesterday.  I tripped in my sandles and fell at home, hurting my knee.  Later in church I nearly fainted and my sweet husband, Jim, tenderly took me home and cared for me.  I am hardly ever sick but when I am he is always so kind, patient and sympathetic.  I so appreciate those loving, faithful hands.  God, help me to be that way.

 

 

Numbers 3 Be a Follower and a Leader

Vs. 1  “These are the records….”   It is so wonderful to have Scripture available to us every day.  God has given us this record of those who have gone before us to learn from their successes and failures.  What kind of record will we leave for our loved ones?  Am I leaving an example of one who can be followed?  That is my prayer.

 

Vs. 3  “…the anointed priests, whom He consecrated to minister as priests.”

Father, please, we ask You to anoint us with Your power and strength, grace and humility to minister to all those that You bring into our lives.  Help us to be willing to minister and serve.   Vs.7  “….attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation…”  Let me first, Father, be aware of those in my home, my husband, first of all and then my children, to see their needs and do my best to attend to them.  Then as You open doors to others, show me what it is that You would have me do to meet their needs, but in that service help me never to neglect the needs of my family.

 

Vs.  9  The Levites were “given entirely” to Aaron for his service.  Help us to give entirely to You, God, to be at Your beck and call.  Take away our selfish desires and wasted time.  Remind us of the brevity of life.

 

Vs.  32  “Eleazar was to be  the chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary.”

Father, whatever we are in charge of: our children, home, an outside ministry in our church, school or community, help us to be the very best that we can be.  Let others see us lead with His wisdom, love and gentleness.  Help us to be able to lead as well as follow with grace and productivity that will further Your kingdom and constantly point others to You.

 

 

Numbers 2 Let the Flag Fly High!

Vs. 2  “…..shall camp by his own standard (ensign), beside the emblems of his father’s house.” God gave the Israelites clear instructions to camp around the Tabernacle in a specific way.  They were to camp with their own tribe, which was identified probably with a family emblem (like a lion for the tribe of Judah and so on).

Where are we camping?  Are our hearts in the camp of obedience or have we strayed from the clear Biblical teachings of our youth or truths we have clearly learned from His Word?  The Tabernacle was to be the center of the camps.  Let’s make Him the center of our lives.  What banner are we flying? I think of that sweet song I have taught so often to children, ‘Joy is the flag flying high in the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence there.  So let it fly in the sky, let the whole world know that the King is in residence there.’   Is joy what others see or do they see the troubles of the world lining our faces and causing our hearts to sag in despair.  I was challenged by a dear friend today.  She said she wants everyone around her to see her deep love for Christ.  I want that too.  I want them to see that He lives and reigns in the castle of my heart.   I want my flag to wave fiercely in the “wind” so that there’s no doubt that He is alive in me.  Oh dear Father, help us to wave that flag for You!!!  Even in the deepest despair and trials of life, help us not to falter or give up but to trust in you completely because in that faith and trust, we can and will remain in the ‘camp’ of your joy, goodness and blessings.    

 

 

Numbers 1 Let’s be a ‘so they did!’

 

Vs. 1  “Take a census….”   It is good to take time to examine our lives, home and family.  Are there areas where we can take steps to make changes that will glorify Him?  Let’s take inventory.  He so wants to bless us as we take those steps to obedience.

 

Vs. 16  “These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers..”

Father, please mold us into becoming the leaders that You want us to be.

 

Vs. 18  “….recited their ancestry…”  Review daily to our children and all those in our spiritual care, His goodness, promises, Scripture, past blessings and victories.  Talk about an inheritance, no amount of money or possessions are more valuable than that.   Deut. 6:5-9  Encouraging and helping our children to memorize Scripture and putting up Bible verses around the house are ways of building their lives.

 

Vs. 21, 24, 26, 28, 30, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 45  “….were able to go to war.”  Father, make us fit to ‘go the war’, to fight in the battle of life victoriously!   Ephesians 6:10-18  We must put on His armor.

 

Vs. 54  “Thus the children of Israel did; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.”     Will we be the ‘so they did’s?’  Will our epitaphs someday be declared by those that we leave behind us that we were ones who lived our lives not like the typical, but one who changed our world around us and  who obeyed Him with all our hearts.   The older I get, the more I realize that I don’t care so much that my children remember me as much as I care that they remember and love the God that I love. 

Oct. 23, 2008 Lev.27 Let this be our year of Jubilee!

The fiftieth year the Israelites celebrated freedom.  In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61:1-2, ”The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  The Year of Jubilee was a fresh start for the Israelites. Jesus gives freely to us a new start and cancels our debt of sin if we but heed His call to repentance.  He too wants us to take up that same ministry that He was called to.  Once we have received Christ as our Savior and live in obedience to Him, our calling is to share Christ; to help mend the brokenhearted; to tell others in their bondage of slavery about this wonderful freedom; to help others who are blinded by the cares of the world to see and to give hope to those oppressed by their utter despair.

I have been the wonderful recipient of others who are encouragers, who go through life lifting up others.  It is powerful to be on that end.  Their words ring in our hearts and minds over and over.  It spurs me on to want to do more for Him and to be more.  One was from my sweet friend who looked at me with tears and expressed how this blog has touched her heart.  Another was from a friend in our weight loss class who cried, hugged me and thanked me for starting the class. I don’t know about you but I could go another hundred years with encouragement like that.  It makes you want to continue and to do even more in the service of the King. I taste that ‘Jubilee’.  We must personally remember and remind others that this is the day and the year to realize our own Jubilee!!!   Father, let your Spirit be upon us and anoint us with your power to reach out with love and encouragement, first of all to our spouse, then our children and all those that you place in our path.  May they experience Your Jubilee!

October 22, 2008 Lev. 26 Our Father

Our Heavenly Father is absolutely amazing in His love for us.  He pours out His love for us and when we fall away, like I heard someone say, pursues us like the “hound of Heaven” when we turn from Him.  He does whatever is necessary to bring us back to the place of rest, love and protection, like the hens who gather their wings over their beloved chicks protecting them from the enemies and the storms of life.  Oh, how blessed to be His child, to go through life with that  kind of love, the love of someone who cares beyond any human love one can experience.

Vs. 1-3,  His instructions are clear:  No idols (whether it be food, a person, possessions in life, an actual carved image or anything that we hold more dear than Him).  We are to observe a day, our Sabbath, to rest and worship Him.  We are to reverence His sanctuary.  Be faithful to regularly attend and worship in His house of worship.  We are to walk according to the Scriptures.   Then (how powerful that word, then) when we do these things He opens the windows of Heaven and floods us with unimaginable blessings!!!!!  Here it comes, “rain in its season (vs. 4), peace in our hearts (vs.6), victory over our enemies (vs.7), looked on with favor and make us fruitful (vs.9). He will walk among us (vs.12). How priceless is that? He has brought us out of our own ‘Egypt’ (our enslavement of food, fear, lust, worry, laziness, etc.) so that we are no longer slaves to those things. (vs.13)  I don’t know about you but I love that freedom.  Slavery is so miserable!!!

But (vs. 14), oh how He pursues us when we turn away!  He is our Heavenly Father who loves us and wants the best for us.  Just as a wise earthly Father will lovingly discipline a wayward child to protect them from a life of destruction, so our Heavenly Father does the same.  Vs. 18, “Punish”; vs. 19, “break the pride of your power”; vs.28, “chastise you”; vs. 26,”eat and not be satisfied” (nothing in life will bring us joy, happiness or fulfillment no matter how hard we try); vs. 37, “No power to stand before your enemies.”  No matter how hard we try we won’t have success in our battles whether it is a diet, stubborn habit, etc.

Here is another astoundingly powerful “But”- Vs.40, “But it they confess their iniquity”, Vs.41, “If their uncircumcised (unrepentant and unfaithful) hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt,……”  then He floods us with His mercy and forgiveness and we are restored to Him and will once again be living the only life worth living.  I love these verses and quote them often, Isaiah 57;15, “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”  Dear One, can you believe this?!!!  The God of the Universe, who dwells in the holy place, He will also dwell with us if we but come to Him with a contrite and humble heart!  What more could a mortal being ever ask for?  Is there a privilege greater than this?  Let’s live, let’s embrace our amazing Heavenly Father and get under His mighty wings!