Obeying A Cloud

March 1
Daily Reading – Numbers 8-9 / Mark 8:1-21

GOD SAID:

Numbers 9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     Can you even imagine, watching a cloud and doing what it did. It’s like a giant game of “Simon Says.” The Cloud stops, the Children of Israel set up camp, they set up the tabernacle, and arrange all the items in the tabernacle as they are to be. The cloud lifts and moves, pack everything up, and follow that cloud. That’s a lot of work. In Number 9:22 it says; “Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.” It would be hard enough in the day, but today’s verse says they moved whether it was day or night. Why not just wait to see if possibly the cloud would come back. The answer is very simple.

     The answer is that they needed to be where God was, and God was in that cloud. He was leading them in this wilderness. He was supplying their needs. Their food, water supply, direction, and care were all in God’s hands. When God moved, they immediately followed. They did not want to be anywhere that God was not.

     God does not lead by a cloud anymore, instead He has given us the Holy Spirit and His word. In the good times (by day), or during the trials we endure (by night), God never leaves us nor forsakes us. Choose to always follow Him.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

      God still supplies our needs. Everything we have comes from God. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Are you following God?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Offering That Came

February 28
Daily Reading – Numbers 7 / Mark 7

GOD SAID:

Numbers 7:3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Our church took some time and went through 1st & 2nd Corinthians chapter by chapter. I recall sitting in my office reading over the passage for the week in my bible when I came to the passage in 2 Corinthians 9:7 & 8 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” It occurred to me that many of the people in our congregation were giving, but they may be missing out on the blessings of giving because of the way they did so. I began to think, have I failed these people because I have not clearly conveyed to them that it was more important how they gave, than what they gave. I purposed in my heart that day to take just a moment before every offering to try to point peoples heart and therefore their offering to God. The only way to give cheerfully is to be mindful of who you’re giving to. Remembering, it was God who gave you what you’re about to offer back to Him as offering.

     The opening line of today’s verse says “And they brought their offering before the LORD.” They physically brought the offerings to Moses in the tabernacle. However, spiritually they brought it to the Lord, and Oh how He blessed all that they brought. It was always enough.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Our church may never be wealthy in the eyes of the world. Our people may not be rich according to earthly standards. Yet I believe if they paused, prayed, and praised God each week before giving offerings to Him, well, we always have enough.

Is God’s enough, enough for you?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Ordering Of Cleanliness

February 27
Daily Reading – Numbers 4-6 / Mark 6:32-56

GOD SAID:

Numbers 5:2-3 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell. 

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    If you have ever been around young children who play outside in the summer, or you can remember back to when you were a child, you may remember a conversation that went something like this. Mom-”Go get in the bathtub and clean yourself up.” Child – “I’m not that dirty.” Mom – “your hands and face are filthy, now get in the tub.” Child – “I’ll just do it in the morning.” MOM – “YOU WILL DO IT NOW, RIGHT NOW, AND QUIT TALKING BACK.” Child – “ok.” To the child who had been playing in the dirt all day, they could not see the immediate need. This dirt looked ok all day, how bad can it be? To the mother who saw this cloud of dirt and dust swirling through the house, all she could see was dirty sheets, dirty hand towels, dirty, pajamas, in fact a dirty anything they came in contact with.

        God makes a command of the children of Israel. Those who are defiled, or diseased must be put out of the camp until they are clean. Why? Well there was the issue of contamination of others. Also, in the desert with no medical facilities to speak of, a real health issue could arise if they’re not quarantined immediately. However there is another reason that is just as important in the last line of Numbers 5:3. It says “in the midst whereof I dwell.” Simply put, anyone who might come in contact with God’s tabernacle, the place where His glory would rest, must be clean.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

       Many times we’re contaminated daily by the sin of the world. Sin is all around us all day and may not notice how dirty we are. That is until we read the Soul cleansing Word of God. Like the disciples feet, we need to wash off the sin of the day by repentance.

Is it time for a Holy bath?

    
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Organizing A Crowd

February 26
Daily Reading – Numbers 1-3 / Mark 6:1-31

GOD SAID:

Numbers 2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

       During each year, I have the privilege of organizing a few group retreats. I so much enjoy being around all those people and seeing God work in people’s lives. However, it takes some organization to make it all seem to flow. We print literature with schedules on them. We have put the schedule on the back of the name badges. We announce at almost every gathering what the next few events might be. Then after all that, we still have some who come up and say, “what’s next?” “Where am I supposed to be?” Or the most asked question… “When do we eat again?” At times it feels as if you’re trying to herd a bunch of cats. Organizing a crowd isn’t always easy.

      Now multiply that by over a million people. No printing press to print schedules, no name badges, and no public address system to tell everyone at once, “we’re turning left at the next mountain!” God had devised a system to keep things in order. Everyone knew what side of the tabernacle they were to pitch their tents on. They all knew where in this huge caravan they were expected to be. Surprisingly, one of the only things we do not hear the children of Israel complaining about, is where they were supposed to be when setting up camp or in line. No one saying, “I want to pitch on the east this time, you always get that side it’s my turn.” No, God had well organized a crowd of people and they actually did what He said. Guess what, IT WORKED!

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God has well organized so many areas of our lives. How much better would life be if we were to do what Numbers 2:34 says the children of Israel did? “And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded.”

What area of your life will you let God direct?

    
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

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Offered A Choice

February 25
Daily Reading – Leviticus 26-27 / Mark 5:1-43

GOD SAID:

Leviticus 26:3-4 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Decisions, Decisions. What to do. Do I get up and get started with the day, or do I sleep in just a few more minutes. Cold cereal, eggs or oatmeal? What do I wear today? Every day is filled with decisions. Sometimes those decisions make little difference in our life. If you eat oatmeal or eggs will probably not matter ten years from today. However, some choices we are given matter greatly. They can change your life.

  God gave Israel a life altering choice in Leviticus 26. It was actually pretty basic. If you will follow my directions for life, you will enjoy a great life. I will pour out blessing upon blessing on you and your generations to come. Then later in the chapter He tells them if they choose rather to be like the rest of the world, well, they will not only miss out on His blessings, but He will begin to work against them. You see, He had rescued them. They cried out, Save us, and He did. They watched as He defeated their greatest enemy. They collectively said, we want you to be our God and we will be your people. They were no longer like everyone else. Therefore, if they willfully went back on what they had promised, God would do what was necessary to show them the error or their choice. He would afflict them in order to bring them back to Himself. Cruel? Oh no, this is pure Love. They were offered a choice. To enjoy life, even more abundantly than you may imagine, just follow the guide to life I’ve given you. Simple choice, right?

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

      We face the same choice today. John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Choose Christ and choose real life.

What choice will you make?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12