Guard the Holy

"But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but they shall not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die." -Numbers 18.2-3

God is giving Aaron instructions to bring the Levites to help with the ministry of the tabernacle, but they are given instructions not to go near the holy items. Aaron and the priests are to make sure they don't because if they do then both parties will die. There must be respect for the holy items of God, and if they don't death is the result.

Men, God has given us a responsibility to guard what is holy. Today obviously the standards are slightly different, God doesn't strike people dead for doing near something holy, but we still must guard it. We must teach our children to respect the Bible, the Church, and prayer.

We are entrusted with holy things from God, and we need to teach others to respect them.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Set Apart

"Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. But the Lord said to Moses, 'Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.' Thus Moses did; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did." -Numbers 17.8-11

The people are grumbling about something, again, and God is again going to show them the leader He has chosen. He has Moses gather the rod of each leader of the tribes and place them before the tent of meeting, and He will make the rob of His chosen leader bud. This in itself is miraculous, once branch is removed from the stem it can't flower anymore, but God not only makes Aaron's staff bud, but it produces ripe almonds. There is no question that Aaron has been set apart by God. And on top of this, God has Moses set Aaron's rod apart for a permanent reminder.

Men, God has called you and set you apart for a task, have you forgotten, or maybe never realized that? There is a sign for you, a sign that God has chosen you and set you apart. Find it, hold on to it, pass it down. You have been set apart, never let anyone tell you different.

God has called each of us, let us embrace His call on our lives. When others doubt and question it, let us hold on to the proof of God's call.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Wanting More

"Then Moses said to Korah, 'Hear now, you sons of Levi, is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also?'" -Numbers 16.8-10

Again someone is jealous, and so they begin to complain. They take the issue to Moses instead of God, and Moses in his humility, directs it to God. This time one of the Levites is upset about only being allowed to do the work of caring for and transporting the tabernacle, he wants more. He was already part of a special designation, if you look back at Numbers 4, the sons of Kohath were responsible for the transport of the holy items of the tabernacle. Maybe that role had gone to his head and he felt he deserved more because of it. Maybe he was just tired of being a pack animal. Whatever the reason he's been able to gather some followers, three others who have been able to get 250 leaders on board, and together they come to Moses.

Moses doesn't rise to his own defense, he's going to let God handle it. But before this begins Moses asks what more Korah wants. He's already getting an opportunity that the rest of Israel doesn't. He has a special designation among the Levites, but it isn't enough. We wants more.

Men, so often we want more than what we have been given. Be it material possessions, authority, or responsibility. The question becomes what do we do when we feel we deserve more? Does it lead us to tear down others in an attempt to advance ourselves?

God assigns us a role, he gives us the responsibilities we are capable of us. In time that may change, after all the New Testament says that when we are faithful with a few things we will be put in charge of many things. But until that time comes, are we willing to be satisfied with a few things? Or do we arrogantly demand more than God is giving us?

It is not a sin to desire to do more service for God. It is not a sin to want God to use you greatly. But if we demand that God give us more, if we try to destroy others so that we can usurp more, we will find ourselves facing God's judgment.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Reminder

"The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.'" -Numbers 15.37-41

God has given Israel laws for when they enter the Promised Land. Leviticus is full of these laws in greater detail, but those were primarily given to the generation that will no longer be entering the land. God is instructing the next generation on what they are to do when they finally take possession of the land.

God instructs the people to put tassels on the corners of their garments with a blue cord so that they remember all that God commanded them. God desires for His people to be holy to Him, not to run after the false gods of pagan nations. God has brought them out of Egypt, He has provided for them in the wilderness, and He will bring them into the Promised Land. They are always to remember what God has done and devote their lives to serving and worshiping Him.

Men, what reminders do you have of all that God has commanded? What reminders do you have of all that God has done for you? What in your life is there to remind you to always pursue holiness?

For Israel it was a blue cord on their tassels. It served as a constant reminder of all that God had done for them. To this day the Jews still had the tassels on the corners of their prayer shawls to remind them of God's deliverance and provision. What is your reminder?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Too Late

"When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, 'Here we are; we have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised.' But Moses said, 'Why then are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord, when it will not succeed? Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following the Lord. And the Lord will not be with you.' But they went up heedlessly to the ridge of the hill country; neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses left the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and beat them down as far as Hormah." -Numbers 14.39-45

Israel has received God's punishment, and they are greatly saddened by it. For many of them the Promised Land was a dream that they had never imagined they would see. The deliverer who would lead them out of Egypt was one they longed to see, but never had they imagined they would see him in their life time. Now they see that the fulfillment of God's promise was within their grasp, and they allowed it to slip through their fingers.

Now, after realizing what they have done, they hope to change the situation. After the judgment has been given and they don't like it, they decide that they can trust God. The are prepared to go to battle and take the land so that they don't have to die in the wilderness. But for them it is too late. They had every opportunity and they let each one pass by. Moses warns them that they will not succeed in taking the land because God will not be with them. Moses himself remains in the camp when they go out, and just as he said, the people are defeated.

The people tried to force God's hand. After it was too late they tried to do what God had wanted them to do. But their last chance had passed them by, time had run out. They would not ever see the blessings God had for them in the Promised Land. They would never see the promise made to Abraham fulfilled. For them it was too late.

I read this section of Scripture and my mind goes to the judgment seat of Christ. One day every one of us will enter the presence of God to receive the final judgment. Every knee will bow before Christ and declare that He is Lord. Those that have done it in life will be welcomed into eternal paradise, forever to spend in perfect harmony with God. But for those who haven't it will be too late. Every tongue will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord because it must happen, but if that is the first time that your tongue declares Jesus as Lord it will be too late. Those who wait until they see that God is real, that He is serious about Heaven and Hell, for them it will be too late, and they will spend eternity separated from God.

Men, what will your fate be? Have you willingly bowed your knee to Christ and declared Him to be the Lord of your life? Have you ruled Him out as non-existent, or as someone who doesn't want you to have any fun? Now may be the last chance you have to turn to Him, because once you take your final breath it will be too late. As you kneel before Him, in all of His glory, you will declare that He is Lord, but at that point you will be driven out of His presence forever. What are you waiting for? What is keeping you from declaring Him as your Lord?

God gave Israel chance after chance to trust Him and receive the blessings He had for them, but time after time they rejected Him, and finally it was too late. For you right now it is not too late.

(If you have questions, or would like to know more about making Jesus the Lord of your life, I have an email address at the bottom left of this blog page. I would love the opportunity to share with you in more detail and help in any way that I can.)

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Choosing Courage

"But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it... Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun... But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land." -Numbers 14.24, 30, and 38

Punishment has been dealt, and all those who should have taken the land will never see it. The ten spies who brought back a bad report are dead. Those under the age of 20 are alive, but they will wander in the wilderness for forty years because of the fear of their fathers. That is the result of fear, forfeited blessings, death, unnecessary waiting. But fear is not the only choice, we can choose to be courageous.

Caleb had a different spirit, one of trust and courage, and God promised to bring him into the land. Joshua as well would live to see it. These two are the only spies that lived through the plague, and the only warriors who left Egypt that get to enter the Promised Land, because they chose to courageously trust God.

Men, when we choose to be courageous, we choose to boldly follow God wherever He might lead. We choose to embrace His promises, and claim them for ourselves. We choose to look at the giant and say "Get off my lawn." Courage says, "This is what God has said, and I know that He will do it. I will follow Him wherever He leads because His blessings far surpass any risk involved."

Let us choose to be men of courage. Let us fully embrace God's promises knowing that no giant can stand before Him. Let us enter the land of promise and take possession of it. LEt us settle there and enjoy God's blessings. Let us live so that we can continue to see what God will do. These are the results of courage.

Let us choose to be courageous.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Choosing Fear

"'Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it... Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea... your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you... Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey — I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness... I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.' As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord." -Numbers 14.22-23, 25, 29-30a, 31-33, and 35-37

God is angry, and for a second time offers Moses the chance to become the head of a nation. But again, Moses, the most humble man on earth, asks God to relent from His anger and spare the people. He does for a second time, but as with the first time, there are consequences for those involved.

All those who had witnessed the ten plagues in Egypt but refused to trust God when it came time to enter the land will die without seeing the land. Instead the next day began forty years of wandering in the wilderness, where one by one they would die. Every man able to go to war, those who should have courageously followed God forward and take the land, will die without ever setting foot in it. But their children will inherit the land, but not until they have spent forty years in the wilderness because of their father's choices. As for the men who brought back the report and spread fear among the people, they were the first to die.

When fear is the choice we forfeit the blessings of God. We miss out of the best things that He has in store for us because we are too afraid to go after them. We allow the thought of the giants intimidate us beyond faith in God, no matter what we have seen Him do in the past. And it is important to note that we are not the only ones who suffer because of our fear. The children of the cowardly men had to wait forty years before they could find rest in the Promised Land. For forty years they would wander the wilderness because of the choices of their fathers.

Men, are you choosing fear? Are you to intimidated to stand up and claim the blessings of God? There will be battles to fight to claim them. Their will be risks to take to receive them. But they are completely worth it, this is God after all, and He desires to bless His faithful children beyond their wildest imaginations (so that they can in turn bless others). Are you allowing fear to keep you from them?

What about your children, what difficulties is your fear causing them? What hardships will they unnecessarily have to endure because you were too afraid to claim God's promises? What wilderness will they have to wander in because you were too afraid to take on the giants whom God would have empowered you to slay?

It is not too late for us, we are still breathing, therefore we can still choose to be courageous. We don't have to forfeit the blessings of God, and we don't have to add hardships to our children. If we choose fear we will, but fear is not the only choice. Let us choose to be courageous.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Response to the Call

"But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel." -Numbers 14.10

Fear has spread. Panic has lead to crazy talk. Joshua and Caleb are trying to bring everything back to order. They are telling the people of the goodness of the land. They are calling them to be courageous, and trust God to fulfill His promise. But at this point the people are unable to hear their words. Ten spies have given a report of impossibility, and the call to courage falls on deaf ears.

Instead of remembering all that God has done for them in the recent past, and all of the promises He made centuries ago, they are ready to turn around and go be slaves again. But first, they decide to stone the crazy lunatics that want to march to death by sword. But before the stones can be hurled, God shows up.

The people were called to courage, but instead they gave in to fear, and rather than embracing the risk because the blessings of God far out weighed it, they decided to silence those who present the challenge of courageous trust. They would rather be slaves who waste away in the mud, then men who go out with their boots on. They would rather exist than live fully alive, because existence is safe. And to ensure the safe choice they try to permanently silence those who call them out of safety.

Men, all of us are called to be courageous. Every day we face options that call out the man in us. Every day we can choose to play it safe, or strap up our boots and charge the beach. Too often we have chosen safety, simply because it means we stay alive another day. And every time we chose safety we do whatever we can to silence whatever is calling us to courage. We avoid it at all costs. We try to ignore it if we can't avoid it. Or maybe we insult it as lunacy.

I'm thinking about the first real battle scene in Braveheart. William Wallace and his men ride up, in full war paint, to an army that is fleeing because they see nothing but death awaiting them. He asks why they flee to which a young soldier responds that the enemy army is too big to be defeated. Then he calls them to courage.

"I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?" To this an older man says, "Fight? Against that? No! We will run. And we will live." He points out that the battle is suicide, there is no way that this small army can overcome the other. He is saying that courage is pointless and suicidal, that it's crazy.

But William Wallace knows that courage is the only way to have anything worth having. He responds with this, "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live, at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM!"

Fear leads to existence. Existence leads to regret. But courage leads to life lived fully. It is not the safe life, but it is the only way to really live life. We are all called to courage, what is your response? Will you silence the call, or follow it into battle?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Call to Courage

"Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, 'The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us — a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.'" -Numbers 14.6-9

Fear has spread, and the people a planning a trip back to Egypt. They are wishing that they had died in Egypt or in the Wilderness rather than entering the Promised Land because there are giants there. They say that slavery would be better than seizing the promise God has made to them as Abraham's descendants. Moses and Aaron fall facedown, Joshua and Caleb tear their clothes, and then the call the people to courage.

They tell the people that the land is exceedingly good, everything that God said it was. They say that if God is pleased with them then He will bring them into the land, and give them possession of it. They have personally seen it as two of the twelve spies. They have heard the promises of God, and they are prepared to claim them. They are calling the people to abandon fear and be courageous.

If they don't rebel against God, but trust Him and move courageously forward, the people of the land will be no match for them. If they courageously trust and follow God, He will be with them. There is no need for fear if they will simply trust God to fulfill the promises that He has made.

Men, we are called to be courageous. Fear is easy, and it spreads rapidly, but there is no need for fear. If God is with us we have nothing to fear. We are called to be courageous. God's blessings are worth any risk that may be involved.

God has called us to be courageous and trust Him. We are to call each other to be courageous and follow God where he leads us. Let us be courageous.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Fear or Courage

"Thus they told him, and said, 'We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan. Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, 'We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.' So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, 'The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.'" -Numbers 13.27-32

The people have arrived at the edge of the Promised Land, and like any good leader, Moses sends a group to check out the land before they entire nation heads in. For forty days the twelve men move to the northern part of Canaan and then east to the Jordan as they head south again. As instructed they bring back some of the fruit of the land, it took two men to carry a single cluster of grapes. The land is good, everything that God had said it was, but ten members of the group see an issue, there are already people in the land, and some of them are giants.

When they get back to camp they show the fruit and tell how great the land is, but then they share that it cannot be taken. Ten of them spread a report that they had come this far for nothing because they could never overcome the inhabitants of the land. They saw some giants in well fortified cities and decided that it was too much for God. They were full of fear and that kept them from seeing the goodness that God wanted to give them, and as we'll see it kept them from receiving it.

But then there was Caleb, one of two, who knew that God would bring them into the land victoriously. He quiets the people and tells them that God will fulfill His promise, if they will simply trust Him and move forward courageously. Fear is easy, courage is hard, and the people allow fear to rule their lives.

Men, what choice do you make? Do you see the goodness of God's promised blessings in the shadow of the giants and turn back? Or do you see the city in the way of your promised blessing and storm it? Do you courageously trust God to deliver, or allow fear to keep you from even trying? What choice do you wish you would make? What is keeping you from choosing it?

Let us live courageously because it is the only way to receive the blessings of God. Let us refuse to give in to fear and boldly move forward, claiming the promises of God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Let God have Your Back

"So the anger of the Lord burned against them and He departed. But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous." -Numbers 12.9-10

God summons Moses and his siblings to the tent of meeting, and there He stands up for Moses. God plainly tells Miriam and Aaron how Moses is set apart from all other prophets. God says that He speaks in dreams and visions with others, but with Moses He speaks mouth to mouth. Moses has seen the form of the Lord, no other man has. God has Moses' back, and He does not allow anyone, not even his family, to talk bad about him.

Miriam is punished. She is covered in leprosy and must live outside of the camp for seven days. We see Moses prays for her healing, but God tells him that she will be punished for how she has spoken of him. God always looks out for His servants.

Men, do you allow God to have your back, or do you quickly grow defensive and lash out at those who slander you? When people slander you do you pray for their healing, or bitterly hope they fall apart?

Moses didn't fight back, instead he prayed for those who hurt him. He was God's faithful servant, and God did not abandon him. When we live humbly before God, He will not abandon us. Let us allow God to have our back.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Humility

"Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth." -Numbers 12.3

Moses' siblings, Miriam and Aaron, began to speak against him. They complain about his wife, probably simply looking for something to complain about. Then they try to elevate themselves, asking if God only speaks through Moses and not through them too. And we are told that God heard what they said.

And then we find this verse in parentheses, a side note showing that Moses never sought attention or praise for what God was doing through him. Moses is said to be the most humble man on earth. The man who spoke with God face to face as with a friend. God gave Moses two tablets covered with His own writing, and showed him the plans for the tent of meeting. He spoke with God, and learned from God as no one had since Adam, and yet we are told that he is the most humble man on earth. Because of his humility, Moses wouldn't say anything, but God will act on his behalf.

Men, can you be described as humble? If the story of your life was written down would there be a parenthetical note pointing out your humility? Does your humility allow God to step in and defend your honor?

Humility marked Moses' life. From the beginning when God called him we see him feeling unworthy and incapable of the task. When God offers to wipe out Israel and start over with Moses, he rejects the offer and works to protect the glory of God. He is glad when others are filled with the Spirit and prophesy. He has no desire to gain glory or praise for himself. His only desire is to point others to God. May the same be true of us.

Let us live humbly before God and man. Let us never desire glory or praise for ourselves, and may we always rejoice when God's Spirit is at work in others.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Prophets

"Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again. But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp. So a young man ran and told Moses and said, 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, 'Moses, my lord, restrain them.' But Moses said to him, 'Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!'" -Numbers 11.25-29

The people are complaining, and God is going to give Moses some help in dealing with them. He will take from the Spirit that is upon Moses, and place Him upon seventy elders of Israel. When that happens the elders begin to prophesy because of the Spirit upon them. Two of the elders had not been present, but still received the Spirit and were out prophesying. When they are heard Joshua is concerned and tells Moses that he should put an end to it. But Moses doesn't do that. He tells Joshua not be jealous for him, but to hope that all of God's people would be prophets, because that would mean the Spirit of God was upon them.

Moses did not have the desire to be God's only spokesman. He didn't have a complex that made him upset when others shared messages from God. It is important to note that Moses is not concerned about the message they are sharing because he knows that it is coming from the Spirit of the Lord. You can bet that if it had been from anything else he would have ended it immediately. Remember his actions with the Golden Calf? Had this been false prophecy the two men sharing it would most likely have been put to death. But that isn't what happens here, because these prophecies are from God.

Men, there are a few things to see from this passage. One, whose message are you proclaiming? Are you full of God's Spirit and proclaiming His messages to the people around you, or are the words you share coming from somewhere else? Two, do you rejoice when, and encourage, others to share the messages they get from God? Do you want others to share what God is teaching them? Are you ok when their message bears more fruit than your's? Third, do you know the Spirit of God well enough to be able to distinguish what is from God and what isn't? Do you know God enough to know what is from Him and what is false?

Let us be filled with the Spirit so that we may share the messages of God that the world desperately needs to share. Let us rejoice when others do the same, and let us long for others to be filled with the Spirit so that they can share the truth. Let us know the truth so that we can distinguish what is false. Let us be filled with the Spirit so that we can communicate what God has said to the world. Let us be prophets.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Temporal or Eternal

"Say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, "Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt." Therefore the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'" -Numbers 11.18-20

The people are complaining. They are sick of manna and want meat like they had in Egypt. They are willing to be slaves so that they could east meat again. I'm thinking back to Esau and the birthright event. He traded away his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup, and Israel is willing to trade freedom for meat. And God isn't happy with them. In valuing meat over freedom, they are valuing their appetite over God.

God gives them meat, so much that it makes them loath it. He also sends a plague on them. He has done so much for them, He has set them free, displayed His power to them, given them His laws, and even been present among them, and all they can think about is eating meat. They want it so much that they are willing to give all of that up. Can you imagine trading freedom and the very presence of God for a hamburger?

They complained, and God punished them, not because they were sharing the struggles they were facing and seeking His help, but because they were wishing God had never come into their lives. That is why they are punished. God gives them more meat than they can imagine. He strikes them with a plague. And hopefully they learned a very important lesson.

Men, do you complain like Israel did? Do you look at your life since God has been involved and miss things you used to indulge in? Do you regret God coming in to you life because of what you've had to give up? If so where if your mind? Are you focused on the temporal or the eternal? The temporal mind thinks about filling it's stomach, or indulging a craving. The eternal mind rejoices in the freedom God has brought, no matter what the cost may be.

If we focus on the temporal we bring the judgment of God, either now or at the end, it is coming. But when we focus on the eternal the sacrifices we make now pale in comparison to all that God has in store for us. Let us endure. Let us be focused on the eternal.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Seek Help

"Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, 'We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, "I will give it to you"; come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.' But he said to him, 'I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.' Then he said, 'Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.'" -Numbers 10.29-31

Moses and the people are preparing to set out from the wilderness of Sinai after more than two years. As they are preparing to leave Moses seeks the help of his relative. They are moving out, following God, through wilderness he's never been in. He spent forty years tending sheep in the wilderness, but his relative has spent a lifetime, and Moses seeks his assistance as they head out. He calls on his relative's much more vast knowledge and experience as they embark on this journey.

Men, are we willing to seek help? Most likely there will always be someone who knows more about something that you do. When the time comes are you willing to seek their knowledge? Are you willing to ask for help?

There is no shame in asking for help. There is no dishonor in looking to someone else's knowledge and experience. Moses had spent 40 years caring for sheep in the wilderness. No doubt he had some idea how to survive there, but he has a huge responsibility and a large number of people to care for. With this in mind he seeks the assistance of another.

May we never be too proud to seek help. May we never be too confident to look to other's superior knowledge.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

When God Moves

"Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. At the command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the Lord’s charge and not set out. If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the Lord they remained camped. Then according to the command of the Lord they set out. If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out." -Numbers 9.17-22

When the tabernacle was set up, the presence of God descended upon it like a cloud by day and like fire by night. As long as the presence of God remained over there they stayed camped. But when the presence of God lifted, they set out. Sometimes they would be in one place only a few days, other times it was year, but they never moved until God did.

This passage has a lot of significance for me. In my last ministry assignment things were rough. I was young, passionate, and trying to change the world. The people were old, comfortable, and planned to stay that way. And on top of that the finances were running out. I wasn't sure what to do. No one was helping me, and nothing I was trying worked. I left my office early one day and went to a near by lake with my dog to clear my head.

We walked through the woods along the shore line and I allowed myself to simply cry out to God. I honestly have no idea what I said, and that really doesn't matter. But I remember God's response as if it happened yesterday. I didn't hear God audibly, the clouds didn't part with an angel appearing to give me a message. But very clearly God gave me the answer about what to do. He said to me, "Give Me one year." The following week when I was in my office I began to plan out sermons for the next year, and April 19, 2013 was where everything ended. I was committed to stick it out, to endure the trials, waiting on God to move for one year. Within days of this event I read this passage from Numbers and found the confirmation that I had heard correctly.

Men, are you willing to stay where you are until God moves? That church experience was one of the most difficult things I have ever been through, and I honestly had no idea how I was going to make it through another year. But God had clearly spoken to me, and given me the confirmation of Scripture, so I committed to it. Maybe you feel your time is complete, and you're ready to get on to the next thing, but God says "Wait, not yet". Are you willing to trust Him and stay put? Maybe you're in a situation that you don't want to leave. You're in a good job, and have lots of security, but God is moving, are you willing to follow Him?

My experience with waiting a year ended up being a test of obedience. Four months later, to the day, on August 19, 2012, I preached my final message in that church and walked out the doors for the last time. God didn't make me struggle through the final eight months that I had committed to, He simply wanted to see if I was willing to do it. Not every experience will be like that. God isn't always going to end it early. Sometimes He might, and when He does are we willing to follow?

Let us always move when God does, no matter what the situation is like. And may we only ever move when God does. Let us stay when God's presence hovers, and set out when it lifts. And when it lifts, let us follow it to the next place that it sets down, and stay put until it moves again.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Listen to God

"Moses therefore said to them, 'Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.'" -Numbers 9.8

Some men come to Moses asking a question, and Moses responds with "Let me ask God." He doesn't simply give them the first thing that comes to his mind. He doesn't blow them off as unimportant. He instead takes the matter to God to see what He says. Moses doesn't share his thoughts on the matter, he asks God directly.

What if this was our response? What if every time we were unsure about something we turned to God? What if every time a situation arose that we didn't know how to handle we turned to God for guidance? What if every time someone had a question about a spiritual matter, we looked to God for how to answer it?

Men, may we always seek God's guidance and insights. With everything we do, no matter how simple or obvious the solution may seem, let us turn to God first. Maybe the answer we think is best is. But maybe God has something else in mind that will be more effective for the moment. Maybe your mind is blank. Rather than stumbling over words, trying to get a coherent thought, see what God has in mind.

Let us always, humbly, listen to what God has to say concerning each matter that we face.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Retirement

"But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work any more. They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations." -Numbers 8.25-26

The Levites were called to dedicate their lives to the service of God. They were charged with the care and transport of the tabernacle. But there came a time when they were to retire. Their time of labor was over, but that didn't mean they were to sink into obscurity. Just because they were done working it didn't mean they were done contributing.

This is a topic that needs to be addressed, especially in men. Eldredge talks about it in The Way of the Wild Heart when he examines the Sage. During this stage a man's circle of power and authority shrinks, but his influence can grow and be the largest and most effective. Too many men decide to run off to Florida, or Arizona, and spend their remaining years fishing or golfing. They take a life of experience, and simply keep it to themselves in favor of the rest they have earned.

God says that the Levites were done doing the work of the tabernacle at age fifty, but they were able to assist the younger men who still worked. They were able to help those who took their place. This is the attitude we need to have in our lives. When our days of work come to an end, let us focus our time and energy into pouring into the next generations. Instead of running off to a warmer climate, lets us begin to mentor younger men. Just because we can't do the work of a young man doesn't mean we can invest in one.

Men, how often do you think about retirement? What are your plans? I don't want to spend my remaining years simply wasting away being of no use to anyone. Yes, I am looking forward to not having to go to a job every day. I'm looking forward to having a lot of time to garden, target and clay shoot, make walking sticks, and spend with my family. But I hope I'm able to take a well lived life, full of wisdom and experience, and invest it into young men.

I've been blessed to witness two good examples of men like this. I've shared before about the wise "old" Sage who is guiding and mentoring me. The second I haven't mentioned before. I met him a few years ago, he was the Superintendent of the local school district. One day we were having coffee and we began to talk about what was next for him. He told me his concept of retirement. "You drive your car into the shop, and it gets 're-tired'. Then you drive out again." His plan was simply a change in what he was doing. He had no intention of being finished, simply of scaling back. Taking time to rest and enjoy time that he no doubt had earned, but still being involved.

Let this be our mindset. Yes, the time will come to rest, you have earned that after years of work. But as long as we still have breath in our lungs we still have something to contribute. Let us determine to take all the years we are given and make the most of them. May we never allow ourselves to sink into obscurity.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Aid for Service

"'Accept these things from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.' So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder." -Leviticus 7.5-9

Some of the people have offered carts and oxen to God for the work of the tabernacle. He has accepted the gift and given instructions for their use. They can be used for the transport of the body of the tent of meeting, but not for the moving of the holy objects that go inside.

Men, sometimes God will allow us to have aid in our service to Him. Other times we must do things on our own. Are you willing to obey Him no matter how difficult the task may be?

Let us perform the tasks as God instructs. Let us accept aid that is offered, and work without it when we must.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Aaronic Blessing

"The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace." -Numbers 6.24-26

This was the blessing that Aaron was to pronounce over the people. A blessing of God's presence and provision. A blessing of God's favor and grace. A blessing of God's peace and rest upon life. What else could someone want in life?

Men, this is a blessing for each of us. God desires to bless you and to keep you secure. God desires to be gracious to you. God desires to lift His face upon you and give you peace in all that you do. God wants to be present in your life. God wants to give you peace. If we are to receive it, if His face is to shine you, you must strive to live righteously before Him.

May you strive to live before God, and as you do: May the Lord bless you, and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord life up His countenance on you, and give you peace. This blessing is for you, live so that you can claim it.

(Added around 11:30 PM)

I've come to see that many of these posts fall on significant days. Some would call it coincidence, but I've come to see that there really is no such thing. Thirteen years ago this nation was in shock. There was fear, panic, and uncertainty about the future. As I typed that I realized that not much has changed. For many the shock of that day has worn off. I still remember where I was, and will for the rest of my life.

President Bush gave words of hope to nation by quoting from Psalm 23. Today, I offer these words from Numbers 6. We face uncertain times full of danger. There are many doubts and questions about the intentions of those outside of our country, and from within. But in all of this, let us look to God. May He bless us and keep us. May His face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May He lift up His countenance on us and give us peace.

God is still in control, no matter what happens, and no matter what men sit on the world's thrones.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Cost of Holiness

"Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the Lord, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin. All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long. All the days of his separation to the Lord he shall not go near to a dead person. He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.'" -Numbers 6.2-8

God lays out one of the vows that His people could make, the Nazirite vow. With this a person would dedicate themselves to God, and live a very strict and disciplined life for the time frame of the vow. The Bible only records three examples of this vow being made, Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. These three men were to be set apart, and with the vow came a filling of the Spirit of God. Samson had great strength to fight for the people. Samuel was a prophet who communicated God's will to the people. John was the one who came before the Messiah to prepare the world for His coming. Each of them had a job to do. Each of them had the Spirit upon him. Each of them was a Nazarite.

If we look at the specifics of this vow it's one that I doubt many of us would take. There is no consumption of alcohol, or other strong drink (that might include coffee). You can't have grapes in any form. I just had a cotton candy grape yesterday, and based on that alone I wouldn't sign up for this. You can't ever cut your hair. After a couple months mine begins to get unruly (it's naturally curly) and I hate dealing with it. If someone you care about dies, you can't go to the funeral. This vow is made so that a person may be separated to God and be holy.

Men, there is a cost to holiness. It isn't something that we can achieve haphazardly or casually. It isn't something we are just going to stumble upon accidently. If we would be holy, we must intentionally pursue it. We must commit ourselves to God, separating ourselves from other distractions, maybe addictions, and focus on God.

I read a book years ago called The One Year Daily Grind. The premise of the book is based around the fact that some people can't function in the morning until they get their coffee, what if we viewed our time with God the same way? What if you gave up your "strong drink" whatever that thing you think you have to have is, and instead picked up the Bible and allowed yourself to be fueled by God?

What if instead of indulging in the pleasures of "grapes" you engaged in worship, and allowed the Spirit of God to fill you and enrich you? What if your greatest delight was found in praising God?

What if instead of "cutting our hair" we ignored our outward appearance, and instead worked to develop our character and integrity? What if we were more concerned about the appearance of our hearts before God than what the mirror says?

What if instead of pouring into relationships that only end in death, we invested our time in the eternal relationship with God? What if our first priority was to grow more intimate with God?

I'm not saying that any of these things are bad. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I know many people who love it. It is a good part of creation, and therefore a gift from God for us. The little, non-sinful, pleasures of life are other good things from God. They are gifts from a loving father to His precious children. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. We are made in the image of God, and taking care of ourselves and looking presentable is a way that we honor Him. Certainly there is nothing wrong with human relationships. God created man and said that it was not good for him to be alone. We were made for fellowship with each other, and that is not to be abandoned.

The question is, what is more important? Do any, or all, of these things have more value to you than God? Does one of these things rule your life, or does God? If we would be holy, the answer must be God.

The Nazarite vow was made for a time, and during that time all of these other things were set aside so that God would be the only focus. Sometimes that time frame was the life of the individual. Are you willing to set aside any of the above things for a time to focus on God? The examples I gave might have no meaning for you, what would? It doesn't have to be forever, maybe a day, or a week, but are you willing to set something aside to draw closer to God?

There is a cost to holiness, and it involves sacrificing something to be able to pursue God more fully. Are we willing to pay that cost?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Confession

"Speak to the sons of Israel, 'When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the Lord, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged.'" -Numbers 5.6-7

God knows that His people will sin. It's going to happen no matter what instructions God gives them, and so He makes a way for forgiveness. He says that the person who commits sin is guilty, and that they shall confess their sin before Him. Restitution needs to be made, and then they shall be forgiven.

Men, we sin before God, but do we confess it? We are imperfect and do things that displease a holy God. Do we own it and admit it? Do we confess and make restitution?

Let us always own our sins before God, and may we confess them to Him.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Respect for the Holy

"'When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die. These are the things in the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.'...Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 'Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.'" -Numbers 4.15, 17-20

God instructs the Levites how they are to disassemble and transport the tabernacle. Before anything else happens, Aaron and his sons are to go in and cover the sacred items inside and prepare them to be moved. The priests are to cover them and insert the carrying poles so that the Levites can move them without touching them. Even though they have been entrusted with the task of moving the tabernacle, they cannot do it with a complacent or casual attitude. They must respect the holy.

Men, is this something that can be said of you? Do you respect the holy? The Bible is the number one best seller of all time. You find them in hotel rooms, and probably every one who goes to church has at least three. Right now I see mine and my wife's, and I'm thinking of at least a half dozen other ones we have. It's a common item, but it's sacred. It is the written words of God. Do I treat it as such?

Prayer is a conversation with God. It is the ability to converse with the creator of the universe, do we approach it as such? Or is it something we do casually without thinking? I haven't been to a family reunion in at least two years, but the last time I was there they had some twelve year old girl I'm some how related to say the prayer before the meal. She recited some "God is great let us thank Him for our food" thing. I was slightly offended. Prayer is a holy thing, not a casual recitation that is said without thinking.

Church is a sacred thing. It is God's creation for His people to do life together, and yet we treat it so casually. We go if we feel like it. We show up late, talk during the music, and sip coffee. How much actual worship takes place? How many people intentionally go to learn, be discipled, grow in Christ, and seek to serve? How many have it simply as a Sunday routine?

Let us approach the holy with reverent respect. May we never have a casual attitude about the things of God, but always come humbly and with the utmost respect.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Able to Do the Work of God

"All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the Lord by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000." -Numbers 3.39

The Levites weren't counted among the warriors, but there were entrusted with the care of the tabernacle. They were set apart for the service of God. With this we see a distinction, the other tribes took a census of the warriors. The men were numbered based on who was able to go to war, and weren't counted until they were twenty years old. But with the Levites, the males are numbered beginning at a month old.

There comes a time when a man is able to go to war, until that point he isn't ready for combat. But all are able to do the work of God. The role of our service changes as we grow and mature, but it begins early in life, or it should. There is no age requirement to be able to do Kingdom work, simply a breathing requirement.

Men, you are able to do the work of God. Your children are able to do the work of God. The young people of this world are able to do the work of God? The first question to ask is are you? Are you involved in ministry of some kind? It doesn't have to be professional, it doesn't even have to be through a church, but are you involved in building the Kingdom of God in some way? Second, are you encouraging, and helping, your children and other young people do the same?

Are you teaching them, by example, to serve? Are you encouraging them to find their passions and a unique place for them to pour their gifts into? Are you allowing them to serve with you?

Today at church there was a child dedication service. Several new babies were dedicated to God, as were their parents. There was the prayer that these children would come to know and love God very early, and for the parents to teach and encourage them to pray, study, and serve.

From the very beginning children were to be counted for the service of God. Let us realize that they are able to do His work, and teach and encourage them to do it.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Strategy

"The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance." -Numbers 2.2

Israel has counted its warriors, but the Levites were not among the count. They were set apart to care foe the tabernacle. It was their responsibility to set it up, take it down, and transport it when they moved camp. When they camped, the Levites would be set up around the tabernacle, creating a barrier between it and the rest of the tribes of Israel. The rest of the tribes were divided around the four sides of the tabernacle, and they would set out in a particular order.

God gave instructions for how the camp was to be set up and how the people would break camp and head out. The first group to leave was the group with the largest army. It makes sense to send your largest individual force first. They can protect the rest of the people from any on coming attack. And they weren't alone, the second group the set out was the third largest.

Following them was the Levites, with the tabernacle. They would depart right in the middle, with two groups in front and two behind. The group with no warriors in it needs to be the most protected. Following them you have your smallest force. Maybe they are able to move the fastest in the event of an attack on the Levites. Finally, the last group to leave was the second largest force of the people of Israel. You don't want your smallest or weakest group at the back, it would be easy to pick them off, and then work your way up to the front. You close with a strong force, one that can defend the people from behind.

God is not random, or sporadic. He is a God of order and intentionality. Everything He does is done for a specific purpose. He always has a strategy, and it is the best course of action.

Men, when we go into something let it not be random and poorly planned. Let us never go in unprepared. I understand that things come up unexpectedly, but that doesn't mean we have to be caught off guard. We can be ready for the unexpected.

Whenever I go hiking, even if it's just for a couple hours in a well traveled place, I always take enough equipment to get me through the night. You never know what is going to happen in nature, so I'm always prepared. My wife and I have some savings, an emergency fund, in the event that something big comes up that we weren't anticipating. We recently got life insurance, so that if something happens to us, our family is provided for.

We need to face life with a strategy. I'm not saying that we plan out every day for the rest of our lives, that doesn't allow faith to function. But God doesn't want us to simply sit around and wait for life to happen. We need to be active, we need to be prepared. We can say God, "Here is what I feel you are doing/leading me to, so based on this here are the things I am going to do to prepare for that. But if somewhere along the way You lead in another direction that is fine." It is strategy mixed with faith, that allows God to freely move our lives wherever He intends for them to go.

Right now my wife and I feel like God has given us some direction through 2019, and we are trying to make the most of this time, getting ready so that when 2020 comes and God shows us what is next we're ready for it. We have a strategy, that is very fluid and able to be changed, but solid enough that we are sticking with it until God says something else.

Let us never face life ignorantly, and may we never be caught unprepared. Let us always have a strategy.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Able to Go to War

"Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies." -Numbers 1.2-3

God instructs Moses to take a census of Israel, according to whoever is able to go to war. The men are to be counted to number their military strength. It is the role of men to go to war. It is the role of men to fight to protect their families. It is the role of men to stand up for truth, justice, and righteousness. Men were made to be able to go to war.

Men, we are made in the image of God. We bear the masculine side of His heart, the part that is strong, powerful, and dangerous. We were not made in a world at war, but were are made to face it now that we are in one. It is our responsibility to face evil and darkness when it arises, because we are able to.

The question becomes, are we willing to stand up and be counted among those able to go to war? Are we willing to take our place on the front lines to stand up for what is right? Yes, there is danger and risk involved. It may cost us our lives, but that is why it takes a man. Are you willing to play the man?

We are able to go to war, let us be willing to go if called upon.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Given to God

"Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it. For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. He is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed." -Leviticus 27.30-33

I opened my Bible today to see a blank space at the bottom of the right hand page, and I began to rejoice. We're at the end of Leviticus. I'm relieved, and I imagine the people were as well. All of these instructions have taken at Sinai, and I'm sure they were anxious to get moving.

The final instructions that God gives His people here is on tithing. What was given to God's was to be God's, an offering holy to the Lord. What was offered was not to be taken back, it was Gods.

Men, have you set something apart for God, but later taken it back? Have you committed your life to a call into ministry, but later decided not to follow it for a job with more financial security? Have you committed to pray and read the Bible everyday, but decided not to follow through in favor of sleep? Have you committed to be more intentional about sharing Christ with others, but not followed through because of fear or discomfort?

I've experienced all of these things. Right now I'm working a job with unbelieveable compensation, not just in pay, but in bonuses, benefits, and other perks. It's tempting to just deal with it for the next thirty years and enjoy the financial security that it offers. But God has placed a call on my life, and so I'm currently pursuing two master's degrees, trying to prepare myself to be able to get back into full time ministry.

I've wanted to get up early and focus my time on prayer, study, and worship. But life is busy and sleep is a valuable commodity. In college, and to an extent when I was working in ministry, it was easier. In college I really wasn't that busy (in hindsight), and in ministry I was able to set aside office time for it. But now, with work, school, and family, it's hard. That's part of the reason I'm doing this daily blog.

I'm trying to be more intentional about sharing Christ. I'm trying to build relationships with people at work, and looking for opportunities in the conversation to bring up spiritual matters. But it isn't always easy. I've found that sometimes people just shut down, or that the transition isn't always natural. And there are times, for one reason or another, I stay quiet.

Giving to God involves so much more than money. And when we commit something to God, we need to leave it in His hands. Let us never take back what we give to God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Confession

"If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes. Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord." -Leviticus 26.40-45

God will punish disobedience. He must because He is holy and righteous, and His people must live according to His standards. But God, though He is a god of justice, is also full of mercy. He must punish sin and disobedience, but if there is genuine confession, God will extend forgiveness. There are still consequences for sin, but ultimately there is forgiveness and restoration.

Men, as long as you are breathing, it is not too late. No matter what you have done, there is forgiveness available. Your life may be falling apart because of the choices you've made. Your decision and actions may have cost you your home, family, and job, but God is able to forgive you, and to restore you. Are you willing to confess your sin and turn to Him?

It is important to note that confession does not mean all your problems will go away. Again, our choices have consequences and we must face them. But when we confess, we face them with God and they are now used to mold us into the image of Christ. And as we face the consequences, God is working for restoration in our lives. But it all begins with the confession.

Obedience brings blessings from God. Disobedience brings punishment and separation from God. Confession brings restoration to God. Let us live in obedience, and quickly confess when we disobey.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Penalties for Disobedience

"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit." -Leviticus 26.14-20

If obedience to God brings about blessings, it can be assumed that disobeying Him will and rejecting His standards of righteousness will bring about punishment. Here, immediately following the verse that talk about blessings, God warns Israel what will take place if they choose to reject Him. If they break the covenant God will appoint terror, consumption and fever. Their efforts to grow food will be futile, and their enemies will consume whatever grows. God will set His face against them, and they will not have victory. Instead of freed men, they will be subject to those who hate them. God tells them that they will be punished seven times more for their sins and that He will break their pride.

Men, what does your life look like? Is it full of the blessings of God, or with the penalties of disobedience. To clarify, living for God does not mean that your life will be problem free, I'm working on a paper towards my Master's about pain and suffering in the Christian life, and how it ultimately serves to make us more holy. Turning to God does not mean that we will have no problems. It means that God will be with us, provide for us, and protect us no matter where we go. There will still be hardships and trials, but when we live in obedience God is always with us.

If we choose to live for ourselves, ignoring what God has said, we invite destruction. It may not come right away, infact those who live for themselves may seem the most prosperous and successful in this life. But is there any joy? Is there any meaning in what they do? If God isn't there, then what is the point?

We have two choices, obediently follow God, living righteously according to His standards; or we can disobey and do whatever seems right and best to us. One path brings the presence of God through all things, good and bad. The other goes it alone. What is your choice?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Blessings of Obedience

"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect." -Leviticus 26.3-13

God tells His people that if they will follow Him, be fully devoted to Him, and live righteously as He has instructed them, then He will bless them. As I read this I thought back to Genesis 28, when Jacob is giving God all of the requirements God needs to meet for Jacob to follow Him (see Ultimatums from March 3,2014). Jacob said that if God would do this, this, this, and this, then Jacob would serve Him faithfully. But who is Jacob to give such ultimatums to God? Who is any man to God how it's going to be? But here we see God talking. Here we see God telling man what must happen, and what God will do if they obediently follow Him.

God promises to send rain so that the crops will grow, and He promises that the crops will come abundantly and last so that they don't have to worry about what they will eat. He promises peace, so that the people can live without paranoia, always looking over their shoulders and sleeping with one eye open. He promises that war shall not come to their land, and that harmful animals will be removed as well, so that their families and flocks may live in safety. God promises victory, few will overcome many, and the enemies will flee before them.

God promises to make them a great nation, and to fulfill His covenant with them. They will multiply and enjoy the promises made to Abraham. God promises His presence and acceptance of them. He will be their God. He delivered them from slavery so that they might enjoy fellowship together. God greatly desires for this, but in order for the people to receive it, they must desire it equally greatly. God has done so much more them, offered them so much, that they must respond in trust and righteous living to receive the blessings.

Men, God makes the same promises to us. He promises provision, protection, and peace. He offers us victory and security. He desires to dwell among us and fellowship with us. But in order to receive the blessings from God, we must pursue the God of the blessings.

This isn't a list of "do this in order to get that" rather it is the result that comes from intimate fellowship with God. When we come to new life in Him, when we delight in Him and fellowship with Him, these things are the natural result of that. And when we live apart from God, these things cannot be found. They are the result of a righteous life. The are the blessings of obedience.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor