Don’t Move Until God Tells You To: Lessons from Numbers Nine
Listen to today’s passage – Numbers 8 – 10
Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Numbers 8
Second Milers also read – Acts 13 – 15; Proverbs 18; Psalms 91 – 95
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0218 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today by Charles Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from today’s reading – “Wait Until I Pray“
Have you ever felt stuck, waiting for direction on a big life change—like a move, job, relationship, or ministry step? In Numbers 9, God gave Israel a vivid picture of how to wait: Don’t move until He moves.
“At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” – (Numbers 9:23)
In Numbers 9, the Bible tells us that the children of Israel only moved when God moved. They followed the cloud by day, and the fire by night. If the cloud rested, they stayed in one spot; if the the cloud moved, they followed it. This kept life pretty simple for them. They did not have to make a decision about where they were going to go, they just followed God.
We can do the same thing today when deciding where we are going to go, or what we are going to do. We can simply follow God. Determining the will of God in our time is just as easy as it was in Bible times. God guides us through his Word, through prayer, and through counsel. Let’s say you are contemplating a move to a new geographic location. You need to check out what the Bible says about that place. Is there a good, Bible believing church for your family?
The Bible says a lot about people moving. Abraham moved into Egypt after being told that Canaan was the place of God’s blessing. He had some problems in his life as a result of that move. There are many other examples and principles in the Bible that will help you to make a decision. One thing is for sure, you do not want to move simply for financial reasons, or because you think the grass will be greener somewhere else. Lot moved because the grass near Sodom looked good, but he ended up losing everything, including most of his family.
Prayer and counsel are also important steps in determining a decision. All three need to be in agreement, however; and you know what the Bible says about a threefold chord (Ecclesiastes 4:12), right? It’s not easily broken. Pray about your decision, but be aware that God will never reveal in prayer something that goes against the principles found in the Word of God.
Then you need to get counsel. Have some people in your life that you can go to for advice. People who will be honest with you. People that won’t tell you just want you want to hear. Don’t “shop” for counsel, either. People often will go from person to person until they find someone who will agree with them. That’s not counsel. Ask your pastor, ask your parents, or ask some godly person in your life who will tell you the truth.
When are you going to move, and where? Who are you going to marry, and when? Where will you go to college? Which church will you attend? Where will you work? These are all important decisions. You don’t have to decide these for yourself. Follow God. He will direct your path and He will light the way. I promise if you follow God all the way, you will be pleased with what He does with your life.
Steps for Discerning the Will of God
- Start with Scripture: Does the choice align with God’s revealed will? Prioritize a Bible-believing church community (Hebrews 10:24–25), godly relationships (e.g., marrying a believer who pursues Christ—2 Corinthians 6:14), and honoring God in work (Colossians 3:23). Avoid paths that contradict clear biblical principles.
- Pray persistently: Seek God’s peace and direction (Philippians 4:6–7; James 1:5). God won’t contradict His Word in prayer.
- Seek counsel: Turn to trustworthy voices—pastor, parents, mature believers—who speak truth in love, not just what you want to hear (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22). Avoid “counsel shopping.”
- Watch for providence: God often guides through open/closed doors, circumstances, and inner conviction as we walk faithfully in what we already know.
Ultimately, as Proverbs 3:5–6 promises:
“5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov 3:5–6)
Following God wholeheartedly leads to a life of purpose and blessing, even through challenges. When we surrender the decisions to Him, we can trust He’ll direct our paths and bring joy in the outcome.
May the Lord give you clear guidance in whatever steps lie ahead. He is faithful to lead those who seek Him!
What decision are you facing today? Pause, pray, and ask the Lord to guide. Share in the comments if you’d like prayer—I’d love to join you in seeking Him!
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Numbers and tagged Decision Making, Devotional, Discerning God’s Will, Discernment, Faith, God's Wiil, How to Know God's Will, Numbers, Numbers 9, Patience, Thoughts from Numbers, Trusting in the Lord, Waiting on God by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
Hearing the Voice of God
Listen to today’s passage – Numbers 7
Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Numbers 7
Second Milers also read – Acts 10 – 12; Proverbs 17; Psalms 86 – 90
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 89:1
Read the “0217 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today by Charles Spurgeon.
Imagine hearing an audible voice from heaven like Moses did—mind-blowing! Yet today, many of us scroll past the very place God speaks loudest: His Word. Have you paused long enough lately to really listen?
“And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.” – (Numbers 7:89)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” – (John 10:27)
Chapter 7 of Numbers is a very long chapter, and not exactly what I would call great devotional reading. However, as with the rest of the Bible, this is a very important passage. Here we see the heads of the tribes of Israel all presenting to the Lord their offerings at the dedication of the Tabernacle. Each tribe had to offer the same thing which included some gold and silver, incense and flour, and an assortment of animals. We can see from this passage and from many other recent chapters that the Israelites were dedicated in the area of giving, and they not only gave what was required, they also gave over and above what was asked of them.
The last verse of this long chapter tells us that after the offering was made, Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with God, and he heard the voice of God coming out from between the cherubims on top of the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to hear the audible voice of God – to actually hear Him speak personally to his physical ears. I can, however, hear the voice of God today as much as I desire to because He speaks to me through His Word.
Unfortunately, the people of God do not always heed the voice of God when He speaks with them. The psalmist tells us to not harden our hearts as these Israelites often did in the wilderness:
“6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” (Ps 95:6–11)
The Bible is God’s voice. He spoke to me this morning about this dedication offering. He also gave me some wisdom from Proverbs 17. And then he motivated me and stirred me as I read about Peter and the other apostles and people from Acts (see the “Second Miler” readings for today).
God speaks to me in other ways also besides the Bible. Sometimes, as I walk and pray, God will speak to my heart. Now, we have to be careful about these “still small voices” that we hear in our heads and our hearts. We need to be sure that it is God who is speaking with us. Sometimes our flesh and even the devil can put thoughts in our heads that are not of God. One way you can tell if it is actually God speaking is if the thing that He tells you is in agreement with the Word of God. He never goes against His Word. It always alarms me when people tell them that God told them to do something that was in complete contradiction to His clear revelation in the Bible.
“While God can impress thoughts on our hearts during prayer or daily life, test every impression against the Bible—He will never contradict His written Word.”
Have you listened for His voice today? Did you open up your Bible this morning, along with your heart and mind, and hear what God has to say to you? Have you waited on Him today in your prayer closet to hear Him speak to you about specific areas of your life? It is not that God is not still speaking today as much as it is that His children are not listening.
Today, carve out 10–15 minutes to read a chapter aloud, pray over it, and ask: “Lord, what are You saying to me right now?” Then wait in silence. It might be a good idea to journal what comes to mind or record it in the margins of your Bible.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Numbers and tagged Devotions, Hardened Heart, Hearing God's Voice, Holy Spirit Guidance, John 10:27, Listening to God's Voice, My Sheep Hear My Voice, Numbers 7, Psalm 95, Still Small Voice, The Voice of God by Phil Erickson with 6 comments.
The Lord Bless Thee: A Reminder of God’s Love
Listen to today’s passage – Numbers 5 – 6
Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Numbers 5
Second Milers also read – Acts 7 – 9; Proverbs 16; Psalms 81 – 85
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 61:1 – 3
Read the “0216 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by Charles Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “The Nazarite Vow“
Have you ever felt like God’s Word is full of rules and requirements, only to stumble upon a verse that suddenly reminds you how deeply He loves you? That’s exactly what happens at the end of Numbers 6.
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Quick Review of Chapters Five and Six
- In chapters 5 of the Book of Numbers, God is instructing the children of Israel about what they should do if a man suspects that his wife has been unfaithful to him. The Bible talks about “the spirit of jealousy” that comes upon a man if there is something going on behind his back. I believe the same holds true for the wife. While we often view jealousy negatively today, the Bible shows God is jealous over His children, and a healthy, controlled jealousy in marriage can reflect that protective love.
- Chapter 6 discusses the rules concerning the vow of the Nazarite. When a person took this special vow of consecration in Old Testament days, he would not cut his hair or his beard, and he was not permitted to touch any alcohol, or come near anything (or anybody) that was dead. This vow was a vow of “separation unto the Lord”. The person that took this vow was declaring that his or her life was wholly dedicated to God. Usually, a person would be under this oath of separation for a period of time, not for his entire life. By the way, don’t confuse a Nazarite with a Nazarene, which is a person that comes from the city of Nazareth. Jesus was a Nazarene.
The Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24 – 26)
This morning, I was struck afresh by the prayer of blessing found at the end of chapter 6. It seemed almost strange for this beautiful prayer to be placed in this particular place. I mean, we have been reading a lot lately about commandments, sacrifices, rules, etc. Here, God tells Aaron that he wants him to pronounce this prayer of blessing over the people. I think God just wanted to remind the people that he loved them and that He was for them. I think we can learn a few lessons from this as well.
- First, we need to be reminded that God loves us and wants nothing but the best for us. We sometimes picture God as an angry, cold dictator that is ready to pounce upon us when we do wrong. That is not God. He loves us and He wants to give us the richest blessings and a life full of abundance.
- The second lesson that we should learn from this is that when we are trying to teach our children, we need to remember to let them know often that we love them. Yes, we need to give them all of the rules, commandments, and instructions; and yes, we ought to discipline them when they do wrong, but we also need to make sure that they know that we (and especially God) are in their corner, and that we want nothing but the richest blessings for their lives.
- This principle extends beyond parenting and would also be a good lesson for preachers and spiritual mentors to learn as well. In our zeal to instruct, we sometimes come across as being uncaring and unloving. You have heard the old saying: “People do not care about what you know, until they know that you really care.” Well, we ought to really care, and we ought also to express that love and care often to the people that we are trying to help.
We ought to really care, and we ought also to express that love and care often to the people that we are trying to help. So this morning, why not follow God’s example? Speak blessing over someone in your life—your child, spouse, friend, or maybe your students—using these very words: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Carry that assurance today: Your Father is for you, and His love surrounds you.
Remember: Amid life’s rules, requirements, and corrections, God inserts this beautiful reminder—He loves you, He’s for you, and He longs to bless you abundantly. Rest in that truth today, and let it shape how you love others.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Numbers and tagged Aaronic Blessing, God's Blessing, God's Love, Grace, jealousy, Nazarite Vow, Numbers 6, Numbers 6:24-26, Parenting, Peace, Priestly Blessing, The Lord Bless Thee by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
A Job For Everybody
Today’s Passage – Numbers 3 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Acts 4 – 6; Proverbs 15; Psalms 76 – 80
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1
Read the “0215 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.” (Numbers 3:6)
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” – (Romans 12:3-8)
In chapters 3 and 4 of the Book of Numbers, we see God’s instructions to the families of the tribe of Levi. They were placed in charge of the ministry of the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons were the priests and they were put in charge of the service of the other families. The Gershonites were responsible for the setting up, taking down, and transportation of all of the curtains and coverings of the Tabernacle with the exception of the vail. Only Aaron and his sons were permitted to remove the vail and it was to be placed upon the Ark of the Covenant. The Kohathites were responsible to transport all of the furniture in the Tabernacle, though they were not permitted to touch any of the “holy things” or even be present when they were being covered by Aaron and his sons. The Merarites were responsible to set up and transport all of the boards and bars that served as the framework of the Tabernacle. Each family had their responsibility and each family had their place where they were to camp around the Tabernacle.
The thought I had this morning regarding this passage is this: what if one of the Merarites didn’t want to transport bars and boards? Maybe they wanted to transport coverings instead like the sons of Gershon. The point is that these people were not given the choice about what they wanted to do. They were assigned a task by God and were expected to do it. It is sort of like the military. They don’t really care about what you want to do. They are going to assign you a duty and you will be expected to do it.
It is not at all like this in the local church today. We tell people that they can do whatever they want to do. We tell them that they have the liberty to choose where, why, and how they can serve the Lord. But should it really be that way? Shouldn’t we still be seeking to discover what the Lord’s will is regarding who will serve and in what capacity. There are many guidelines given in the Bible regarding service within the local church and that certainly is where we should start the process, but we also ought to be very careful that we are very prayerful about what each person is given to do within the body. We also need to be careful about just sticking people in positions simply because there is nobody else to do it. We see a perceived need so we place anybody we can find in the position. I believe that if the need is genuine, God will supply the right person. Maybe we are creating needs and positions that are not of God. I remember at one church we were serving in years ago, I felt that it was my duty to fill every perceived need that was present. I was working with the youth, junior church, bus ministry, Sunday School, and much more. The problem was that it wasn’t God’s will for me to be doing all of those things, so I began doing them in the flesh, which profited nothing. And maybe somebody else was missing out on their true calling because I was doing too much.
I believe that God has got a job for everybody to do within the local church and I also believe that God has got the right person for every need within the body. Leaders need to be admonished to pray earnestly about finding the right, biblically qualified person to do the job. The people need to be willing to fulfill God’s will for their lives, whether it be teaching people or cleaning toilets. Every task within the church is important and every worker within the church is equal in the sight of God, as long as they are doing what God has called them to do. The ministry is much more than just preaching and teaching the Word of God. In order for the Great Commission to be fulfilled within a local church there are a lot of tasks that need to be performed. God has gifted certain people to perform each of these duties.
I believe that all ministers need to be willing to do whatever is necessary in order for the ministry to function, but we also need to be constantly on the lookout for people who will be willing and able to do all of the things that need to be done. Every duty is important and every person that performs these tasks are also important to the cause of Christ. The janitor that does his job well is just as much in the center of God’s will as the preacher who prepares, prays, and preaches.
What is your job within the local body of believers? What has God equipped you to do? Find your niche within the church and help your church fulfil the Great Commission.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Numbers and tagged Numbers, Numbers 3, Romans 12, Serving God by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
A Pastor’s Heart
Today’s Passage – Numbers 27 – 29 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Romans 9 – 12; Proverbs 25; Psalms 126 – 130
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 51
Read a previous post from this passage – “Bring Your Cause Before The Lord“
Read the “0225 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. … Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” – (Numbers 27:12-13, 16-17)
Notice in Numbers 27:12 – 17 that Moses is being told by God that he is going to die. Can you imagine being given the time and location of your death? Consider Moses’ reaction to the news. There are no complaints, no arguments; just one request: Moses asked God to make sure that the people would be cared for. Moses was a true pastor/shepherd. He was not merely an hireling. He loved and cared greatly the people that had been placed in his care. Moses wanted to be sure that God would give the people of Israel another leader that loved them just as much as he did.
Sadly, there are many people involved in the ministry today who do not have a pastor’s heart, as Moses did. Too many spiritual leaders are hirelings. They may be great administrators, and they can often preach and teach the doctrines of the Bible with passion and clarity; but they lack a love for the people that they minister to. They love the crowd, but avoid the individuals from within the crowd. The people are seen as a means to an end, and not an end in themselves. I find myself falling into this category at times. Perhaps it is because I have been hurt on occasion from individuals within the congregation. For whatever reason, I have caught myself distancing from the flock that God has given me to pastor.
The ministry is people. People have problems, needs, questions, and burdens. God has called pastors and other spiritual leaders to minister to the needs of people. The pastorate is not just about preparing and preaching sermons, though that is certainly important. It is also not just about praying in private for the people. It is not just about administrating budgets, facilities, and staff. All of these things are necessary and good, but they do not take the place of personal ministry – one on one – in the trenches, in the streets and lanes of the city, in the highways and hedges, and in the homes of the people.
Moses loved his people. He preached to them, he prayed for them, he protected them, and he personally cared for them and involved himself in their lives.
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” – (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Which One Is The Jackass?
Today’s Passage – Numbers 22 – 24 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Romans 1 – 4; Proverbs 23; Psalms 116 – 120)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0223 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” (Numbers 22:12)
“And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” – (Numbers 22:28)
“Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.” – (2 Peter 2:15 – 16)
“Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” – (Jude 1:11)
Chapter 22 of the Book of Numbers presents a very interesting and familiar story of a mule that was given the ability to speak audibly by God to her owner, Balaam. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to carefully read the passage in order to get the most out of what I am about to say. Besides, what God says in His Word is far more important that what I will say in this blog, so don’t skip the reading.
Anyway, in this passage we have the prophet Balaam who is living in the land of the Moabites. Why he lived there and not with the people of God is a mystery. The king of the Moabites is watching the nation of Israel very closely as they are sojourning near to his border. He wants them out, so he goes to this prophet of God, Balaam, and asks him to place a curse upon Israel. This king, Balak, doesn’t go himself, however; he sends some of his princes to do his bidding. After hearing their request, Balaam inquires of the Lord and the Lord tells Balaam not to go with these men and not to speak anything against Israel because they are a nation blessed by God. The prophet Balaam then goes to the men and gives them God’s answer. The men return to Balaam a short while later and press him to reconsider. Now this is where Balaam begins to err. He already asked God and God had already said no, but the princes promise him if that he would go with him, their king would give him great honor and a lot of money. Now, he should have just repeated what God had already told him but instead he tells them that he will go back and ask God again. He wanted God to give him what he had already been told that he wasn’t going to get. Balaam’s problem is that he really wants God to curse the Israelites because it would mean that he would receive great riches from this Moabite king. God is not at all pleased with Balaam, but he allows him to go with these men. He permits him to do what is in his heart. He was not permitted to curse Israel but he was permitted to cozy up with the enemies of Israel and receive the rewards that came with it. So, I ask you the question: which one was the real jackass?
This is not the only time in the Bible that God has permitted things that were against His will. He gave Israel a king because they kept asking for one, even though God knew that it wasn’t what was best for them. Notice another example of God granting the continual request of a complaining people when the Israelites complained to God as they wandered in the wilderness:
“They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (Psalm 106:13-15)
I know many people today who keep asking God for things that are clearly against His will. Why don’t we just take “no” for an answer. God knows what is best for us. Don’t keep pestering him to give you what He has already closed the door on. Too many Christians are practically breaking doors down that God has chosen to keep closed.
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
Obstacles
Today’s Passage – Numbers 14 – 15 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Acts 19 – 21; Proverbs 20; Psalms 101 – 105)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 119:105
Read the “0220 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” – (Numbers 14:8-9)
What do you see when problems or trials come your way? Do see the trial or do you see the God Who is much bigger and more powerful than your trial? How about obstacles? Is your God bigger than your obstacles? In Numbers 13 and 14, we see the twelve spies going into the Land of Promise to check it out. It is amazing how that all twelve witnessed the same things but only two of them saw that God was bigger than the obstacles and challenges that Israel would face when going into the land. Ten of the spies came back with nothing but negativity. It is too difficult; the giants are too big; we just can’t do it. Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, didn’t pay too much attention to the giants, because their God made the giants look like little children in comparison. They saw nothing but victory and the goodness of God in the land that they were to receive.
Let me ask you he question again. What do you see? Do you see the challenges and trials of the Christan life too big or too difficult for God to handle? Do you see God’s will for your life as impossible for God to do through you? Let me share some verses with you:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” – (Philippians 4:13)
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” – (Luke 1:37)
“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” – (Mark 10:27)
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” – (Hebrews 11:6)
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)
“And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20)
God has got all of your situations and obstacles under His control. You can trust that He is much bigger than any obstacle you might face as you are serving the Lord according to His will.
God was well pleased with the faith of Joshua and Caleb and as a result, they were the only ones that got to go into the Promised Land. Will God be well pleased with your faith?
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Taking Care of the Preachers
Today’s Passage – Numbers 34 – 36 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 5 – 8; Proverbs 28; Psalms 141 – 145
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89
Read a previous post from this passage – “The City of Refuge”
Read the “Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.” – (Numbers 35:2-3)
When the children of Israel went in to possess the land that God had given them in Canaan, all of the tribes received a fair portion of the property. However, one tribe, Levi, was not given a section of the country as the other tribes were. Instead, God commanded the other eleven tribes to each give up portions of their territory to be used for cities for the tribe of Levi to live in. The entire congregation of Israel would be responsible for providing a place for the Levites to stay in. Remember, the tribe of Levi was made up of the priests, as well as the men that were responsible for transporting and serving in the tabernacle (and later the Temple). The Levites could not provide for their own families as the other tribes could, because they were busy serving in the ministry. Not only did the other tribes provide them with a place to stay, but they were also responsible to take care of their other material needs.
The same principle applies today. God’s people are responsible to do whatever they can in order to make sure that the people that minister to them are provided for. A preacher that has to work in a secular vocation will simply not be able to do as much for the Lord as one who does not. However, there is also a danger in some cases for preachers to get lazy when they are completely provided for, and when there is little accountibility. I personally know of a few full-time servants who accomplish little with the abundance of time they have available to them. I guess the bottom line to this thought is that the people in the church should do everything that they can do to meet the needs of the preacher and his family, but the preacher must also realize that even though he does not have a human boss watching over him, he must stay busy and work hard for the cause of Christ. And, because he is not in it for compensation (“not for filthy lucre” – 1 Peter 5:2), he must be willing to do whatever is needed in order to effectively minister to God’s flock whether he is paid or not. God will ultimately care for his needs anyway, regardless of whether or not the church can.
“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.” – (1 Timothy 5:17-18)
“If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? … Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” – (1 Corinthians 9:11, 13-14)
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 7 comments.
Look to Jesus
Today’s Passage – Numbers 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Acts 25 – 28; Proverbs 22; Psalms 106 – 110)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song –Proverbs 27:15
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” – (Numbers 21:8)
I’ve a message from the Lord, hallelujah!
The message unto you I’ll give,
’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”
Look and live, my brother, live!
Look to Jesus now, and live;
’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”
In today’s passage we read the very wonderful story of the brazen serpent. The people of Israel were tired: tired of travelling, tired of the mannah; and frankly they were tired of Moses. The Bible tells us that they began to speak against Moses, and against God. Bad move. God sent fiery serpents among them, and many were bitten, and some died. The people quickly realized their sin, and they confessed it to God, and asked Moses to pray for God to do something. The last part of verse 7 is one of the sweetest sentences in the Bible. It reads: “And Moses prayed for the people”. How wonderful it is to know that someone is praying for you. Anyway, God tells Moses to make a serpent out of brass and attach it to a pole. Moses was then to lift up the pole and cause the people to look upon it, and whoever looked upon the brasen serpent was healed of the sickness caused by the snake bite.
There is a wonderful parallel to this passage in the New Testament that references this story:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” – (John 3:14-15)
Jesus tells us there that all we have to do in order to be saved is to look to Him. There is nobody else to look to.
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – (Acts 4:12 )
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – (John 14:6)
Faith is simply looking away from everything else, and looking toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is simple. You must first recognize your need. You are a hell-deserving sinner, and you are helpless to save yourelf. Then you must turn to the one who was lifted up on the cross of Calvary for your sin. He offers salvation to you as a free gift. Receive Him today. Look and Live!
For more information on salvation, read the “Are You Saved?” page on this website.
And Christians, we need to keep our eyes on the Lord even after we are saved:
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Standing Between the Living and the Dead
Today’s Passage – Numbers 16 – 18 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Acts 22 – 24; Proverbs 21; Psalms 106 – 110)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 121
Read the “0221 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.” – (Numbers 16:48)
The passages of Scripture that we have been reading the past few days tell the story of the Nation of Israel as they travelled through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. The trip should have taken them only a few weeks, but because of their lack of faith in God they were sentenced to wander for 40 long years until those that doubted the power of God were weeded out. In fact, only two of the original group of adults that left Egypt would actually cross over into the the land Canaan. This travelling group of Israelites was not only fearful and faithless, they were also very “fed up”; and their discontentment caused them to grumble. Now grumbling is a sin which the Lord absolutely hates. In fact, I think if you were to carefully study the Bible, you would discover that God killed more of His people for grumbling and griping than He did for any other reason.
Not only did they complain because of their discontentment, they also challenged the God-given leadership of Moses and Aaron. They thought Moses “[took] too much upon [him]“, meaning that Moses was making himself a lord over God’s heritage. I dealt with this rebellion of Korah and others in another post. (Click here to view post)
My thought this morning, however, is found in verse 48 of chapter 16. Notice there that it says that Moses stood between the living and the dead. It seems that no matter how bad the people got in their lack of faith, their fear, and their discontented complaining, Moses never stopped interceding to God on their behalf. There were times that God wanted to wipe them all out and start over again building a new nation from the seed of Moses; but Moses always reminded God of His covenant with Israel, and He always begged God to forgive them. He reminds me of another man, named Jesus, Who years later was rejected, beaten, and hung on a Cross, yet one of the last phrases that came out of His mouth was “forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”. And then later there was a man, named Stephen, who was preaching Christ to the Israelites who in turn stoned him to death; but here again, this man interceded on their behalf and said, “lay not this sin to their charge”. These men all stood between the living and the dead.
We get a chance to stand between the living and the dead in this generation also. We can intercede to God through prayer on behalf of a people that do not yet know Him. We can also go to them bringing the truth of the Gospel, which if received will restore their broken relationship with God. Oh that we would be more like Moses, Stephen, and especially Jesus, and stand for the Lord in middle of a generation of people who are dead spiritually, interceding for them and proclaiming to them the Truth that will bring them life.
Posted in Thoughts from Numbers by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.