Daily Devotion – Moments That Matter

 March 10, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 21-22 / Mark 11

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 22:28 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?

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Sometimes we must hear things we do not want to hear. You report to work, only to hear the foreman say; “the company has been sold and is moving. Your job is finished in a few days.” Maybe it was the flashing lights of a Police Car and the officer says, “you were driving too fast.” It may have been that you walked into the Doctor’s office and heard, “I’m sorry to tell you but you have cancer.” The person making those remarks, often has no choice. It is the truth, and they were hired to tell you the truth, even if it hurts. In that moment, people often get mad at the boss telling them of the sale, the officer for enforcing the law, or the doctor for the bad news. Yet, before today you may have seen them as friendly. What changed?

    In our passage today, a strange conversation takes place. A donkey speaks to its owner, Balaam and says, “What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” Three times God allowed only Balaam’s faithful donkey to see the angel of the Lord with a sword standing in the pathway. Three times the animal did what was best for the safety of its owner. Three times, Balaam was so intent on what he was doing, he forgot that this animal had always been faithful, and never once asked, “why are you doing this.” He simply lashes out at the one who is keeping him safe. Friendly remarks of truth, can often hurt. Do not hate the messenger for the message.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    The hardest thing to do at times, is to tell someone the truth about themselves. Proverbs 27:5-6 says, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” 

Do you know the Peacemaker?

 March 9, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 19-20 / Mark 10:32-52

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 20:10-11 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This was a little phrase we heard as children. The idea behind the phrase was that words will not physically hurt you, so do not let people who call you names get you mad enough to start a fight. That all sounds good on the surface, but the idea that words will not hurt does not always ring true. Especially if they are God’s words. Not listening and obeying the words that God says can have dire consequences.

 

    God told Moses in Number 20:8 to speak to the rock and He would supply the people with the water they needed. Moses however, after all these years of dealing with these people in the desert, failed to respond to God’s directions correctly. In verse 10 He says, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Moses and Aaron asked if they, not God, needed to give them water from the rock. Now these are two great men, but even they cannot bring water from a rock on their own. Then in verse 11 it says, “and with his rod he smote the rock twice:” God said to speak to the rock. However, in anger Moses strikes the rock twice. Not once did he nor Aaron mention God in this miracle at all.

 

    God still provided the much-needed water. But for not obeying God’s word, Moses and Aaron were forbidden entrance into the promised land. A failed response to God’s words did matter. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Some folks believe they can live any way they want to. In Luke 4:4 When Jesus answered the Devil He said, “…It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” All of God’s words, still matter today.

 

How important do you take God’s word?

 

 

 March 8, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 16-18 / Mark 10:1-31

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    It is a good thing God did not call me to be a farmer. I do not have a green thumb when it comes to plants. In fact, if I were a Superhero, my Superpower would be touching plants and watching them wither. I just never really had a talent in that area. I have learned over the years that once I have killed a plant, you cannot bring it back to life. You can water it, fertilize it, and stand in the garden and talk to it if that is your thing, but it is gone. So, for a dead stick to not only bud, but to also bring forth fruit, well, that takes some Superpowers from a real Superhero.

 

    The children of Israel were once again arguing. This time it was about who would be their representative before God. God had already disposed of the troublemakers in chapter 16, and now in chapter 17 is going to put a seal on this discussion. He had all the heads of the families bring him their rods with their names on them. These were most likely dead sticks they had picked up along the way in the desert. Aaron was to write his name on the rod of family of Levi. There was no life left in any of these dead old sticks. Yet God said; “the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom:” They placed these rod’s in the tabernacle before the Lord overnight. The next morning, Aaron’s rod not only showed signs of life with a bud, but had also blossomed, and brought forth fruit. This was not even possible, well, except with God where nothing is impossible.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    What a wonderful picture of Christ who died for all our sin. Life from death is impossible. Except with God, who brought Jesus from the tomb, and now lives, and He still brings forth fruit today. God is my Superhero, with real Superpowers.

 

What Superpowers do you need from Him today?

 

 

 March 7, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 15 / Mark 9:30-50

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Children often do not realize that what they consider just fun and games, may at times cause serious damage. Tossing a ball around in the house seems like such harmless fun. That is until it hits an antique vase and it shatters on the floor. There is no replacing it. No repairing it. No hiding the fact that it was broken. Now what? If it was clearly a misjudgment on the part of the child and the child is sorry for their actions, it would normally be handled with a mild punishment or a reprimand. However, the punishment would be completely different if the child had specifically been told, “don’t throw that ball in here there are expensive irreplaceable items like this vase that could get broken.” Same broken vase, but a different reason why.

 

    In today’s verse, the man gathering sticks was later put to death for doing so. The punishment may seem harsh for picking up a few sticks. Yet picking up the sticks was not why he was punished. In prior verses in this chapter, we see that God was willing to forgive someone if they unintentionally sinned. However, those who were deliberately rebellious received harsher punishment. Willful rebellion grows out of an improper attitude toward God. While the punishment may seem drastic, it sent a clear message to the children of Israel about the necessity to obey God’s Word. Obedience was met with blessings. Forbidden rebellion was met with regret. God would much rather bless us.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    The punishment for sin is still the same today. However, Jesus died for our disobedience toward God’s Word. Rom. 6:23 says the wages of sin will always be death. Yet through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, we are forgiven and given eternal life.

 

Can you see what our rebellion cost God?

 

 

 March 6, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 12-14 / Mark 9:1-29

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. .

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    On the surface it might look like God was upset at the report that 10 of the 12 spies brought back from the promised land. The food they brought back was absolutely wonderful. The fact that 12 Hebrew guys wandered all over the land known as Canaan without being spotted and killed should have been somewhat encouraging. However, they saw the people known as the children of Anak. These were some pretty big people. It is believed Goliath, whom David kills later, may have been a descendant of this family. Even though all the people in the land were not giants, it seems to have clouded their judgement and memory because they say in today’s verse; “all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” So, is the faulty report what has God so upset? There is more to it than that.

    When we get into chapter 14 we see a clearer picture of God’s frustration. This faulty report caused the entire congregation to murmur and complain all night. Even with Caleb and Joshua trying to give them a brighter outlook of God’s power and love, they would not hear it. When we get to Numbers 14:22 we find the real problem. “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;” It was a heart problem. They did not truly trust God and His love.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    God said, they have seen my glory and miracles and have not obeyed to my voice. Jesus is the express image of God’s glory on earth. As for miracles, Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascending into heaven are pretty big.

What faulty report are the lost buying into today?