February 2022 – Page 2 of 3 – Sonshine's Journal

February 17, 2022February 17, 2022

Seeking God and Finding Him

Deut 4-6 Seek God Early

Over and over, God reminded the Israelites to not forget the Lord God who brought them out of the cauldron of Egypt. He is saying, do not delay; seek Me early, and I will be found. Do not delay; seek Me early so I can guide you. Do not delay; seek Me early and not the false gods of Baal.

God is near to those who are seeking Him.

It took Nebuchadnezzar four long chapters for him to declare: “How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever and his authority continues from one generation to the next.” [Dan. 4:3] Yet that same God that Nebuchadnezzar came to know is the same God that Pharaoh and Belshazzar rejected.

Do not delay; seek Him early, and you can find Him.

Have you sought Him? Do you know Him?

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022

Why God?

Deut. 1-3 Why did God save “me?”

This new generation may or may not have grown up in Egypt, but they have seen all that God has done in the last 40 years. Looking back, where was I, 40 yrs. ago? What have I seen? What victories can I share, and what failures would I like to forget? That is what Moses is saying to the Israelites. When they trusted God, He provided and protected, and when they chose not to trust Him, they failed-BIG TIME; Kadesh Barnea in particular.

Next, Moses reminds them of the grace of God to those who seem the most unlikely: Esau and Lot. Both, like you and I, had failures on top of failures, yet God’s mercy and grace abounded! When we look at our lives, do we stop and wonder why God would choose to save each of us? Isaiah has the answer: “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,” says the Lord,” [Is. 55:8] Paul in the NT asks “who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” [Rom 11:34]

Today, as you read these first three chapters of Deuteronomy stop and thank God, who is “compassionate and gracious…slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness,” [Ex. 34:6]

February 15, 2022February 15, 2022

From a Man’s Perspective.

Numbers 36 “God Provides and Protects, even if we don’t understand at first!”

Zelophehad had been a devoted father, but he had no sons, only daughters. We know he was faithful because the daughters eulogized him in chapter twenty-seven; “Our father died in the wilderness, although he was not part of the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah but died for his own sin, and he had no sons.” [Num. 27:1-11] Because the tribal lineage passed through the male line, their father’s name would be lost from among his family; so they asked Moses to rule regarding their father’s inheritance. Now in chapter thirty-six, we find that the heads of their tribe came to Moses with a “sticky-wicket” problem of marriage. If these daughters married outside their tribe, the inheritance would pass to the new husband and the new tribe. At first glance, this seems presumptuous, but in hindsight, we see how these men were aware that some men might take advantage of these women to get their inheritance plus that of the daughters.

Moses concurred with the men, and the girls agreed. How often do we not see what is ahead but others do. Women take heart, men know men better than we do. They understood that there are unscrupulous men who seek to take advantage; of women. Proverbs 6 and 7 provide us with how to be prudent in the face of these kinds of “wicked” men. God has provided this story to show us how they were acting unselfishly with the motive of protection for these women.

Again, women, listen – men know men better than we do! Heed this instruction and obey!

February 14, 2022February 14, 2022

Don’t Settle for Second-Best

Numbers 32:23 “Half-hearted Obedience”

Some men from Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh saw the land on the east side of the Jordan, and, like Lot earlier, they wanted to settle there because it was ideal for cattle. As Moses listened to their argument, he became angry because these choices would discourage the other tribes. Like Lot, they were willing to take the easy route rather than being obedient to the Lord. There will always be the “second best.” Their choice would come at a price, one of which was a reoccurrence of what happened at Kadesh Barnea if they chose to disobey. They saw what was in front but not what was ahead. They failed to trust that God knows best. How often are we like that? We can’t see ahead, but we still think we know better than God.

Being older and wiser, Moses knew that their hearts were lukewarm, but also Moses too did not seek the Lord in this decision. Why he did not is uncertain, but we do know these men were like Lot, thinking of the moment before them rather than the future that God had planned.

Beware of being contented with the lesser when God has the best already set aside for you. As Moses warned them, if they did not obey, their sin would be found out. [Num. 32:23]

February 13, 2022February 13, 2022

Are you a sweet aroma to God?

Numbers 28-29 “What Does Your Calendar Reveal?”

Is your calendar full of appointments? Do you include God as you begin each day? To help the Israelites, God included significant days on their yearly calendar, and on those days, they were to bring offerings that would be a sweet aroma to Him. They were to plan and choose each offering intentionally.

Do you spend time each day to prepare your heart so you can be a sweet aroma to others as you spread His love to all, not just on special days but every day?

“Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” [Eph 5] Jesus was the perfect atoning sacrifice. When we accept Christ’s sacrifice, it should produce a fragrant or sweet aroma that permeates or bring to mind the knowledge of the Messiah as we walk this earthly life. “To the saved, we are a sweet aroma of Christ, but to the unsaved, we are an odor or a stench of death to death.” [2Cor 2:15]

God doesn’t want an occasional “holiday appointment” but a daily appointment, not an excuse of why our life is busy with appointments that have no eternal value. He gave the best; what is the best you are giving to Him?

February 12, 2022February 12, 2022

Five Courageous Women

Numbers 26-27 The Daughters of Zelophehad

Louis May Alcott wrote a classic called Little Women and later Little Men. All have captivated audiences and still do today. But here, in an obscure passage, we read about not four but five little women and the problem they faced. As Moses recorded the male inheritances of Israel’s children, he listed the names of men—not women–from 20 yrs. old and up. We read that Zelophehad had no sons, only five daughters. He had stood firm against those who had tested the Lord and was found faithful. But, male hierarchy and the law said only males could inherit the land. So these five daughters wondered what would happen to their father’s inheritance? What about women, don’t they count? Their one concern was that they wanted their faithful father’s legacy to continue.

Bravely but graciously, these five women entered a patriarchal society to claim their father’s inheritance rights. Moses was in a quandary! Wisely Moses went straight to God and heard they were right, teaching us that God honors courage and humility. These five little women gained the right to inherit and preserve their father’s legacy!

Women of today take heart! You, too, can be wise, tenacious, brave, and courageous.

February 11, 2022February 11, 2022

God Knows Our Heart

Num. 21-24 Beware of Double-mindedness

Many use the story of Balaam and the speaking donkey to enthrall audiences, but there is more to this story than just the donkey. God used Balaam in an unlikely manner to reveal the words of God to Abraham regarding his people. “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” [Gen. 12:3]

Balaam knew that principle, yet he allowed his better judgment to get in the way of obedience. God asked Balaam about his visitors. “Who are these men?” Balaam kept up a dialog with God about them, and on the surface, it seems that he was obeying. Like many today, Balaam tried to appear righteous by saying that he could not curse Israel, but his heart proves the opposite. Balaam is a clear picture of a double-minded man. He sought ways to obey God and yet get the King’s riches. The last test came when God explicitly tested Balaam when he said: “if” these men have come to call you, get up and go with them. But, Balaam didn’t wait for the “if” clause and instead got up and went.

God knows our heart better than we do, and He gives us tests to discern if we will obey His voice or our own.

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022

God’s Instructions are Clear

Num. 20 The Consequence of Disobedience

The people grumbled–AGAIN! Their lack of water changed their countenance from blessing to grumbling and murmuring. First: If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord. Second: Why have you brought us up into this wilderness? Third: Why have you brought us to this dreadful place where there is no grain, figs, pomegranates, or water?

Does this sound like us when life is not going the way we think it should?

Wisely, Moses and Aaron sought the Lord’s counsel, and He gave them one explicit instruction; speak to the rock, and it will bring forth water. But, Moses rebelled and struck the rock in his impatience and anger, not once but twice. God said, because you did not hallow me before the children of Israel, you shall not enter the land I promised. Sometimes, the consequence of our sin(s) is great, and in this case, Moses and Aaron will die and not see the land.

God is clear: His instructions are clear, Obedience is clear.

Where has God given us clear instructions and we have not obeyed?

February 9, 2022February 9, 2022

Do Not DISHONOR God’s Anointed

Numbers 16 Rebellion of Korah

As children, we played a game called follow the leader, where the followers mimic the leader’s actions. Elimination happens when you fail to comply. In today’s story, Korah challenged the leadership of Moses. He sought to usurp the leadership by placing himself in the “I” position. When we think or say, “I know better!” ego is puffed up.

God had already chosen, anointed, and proven that Moses was the leader, yet Korah wanted to be the new leader of the Israelites. Gathering the Reubenites to join him, he began murmuring, which escalated into a full roar of mutiny. Satan loves it when we grumble and better when we gather others to follow us. Jude describes the scenario. They dream and defile the flesh in their rejection of authority. They are divisive and devoid of the Spirit.

Moses, a man of humility, “fell down with his face to the ground.” Korah, a rebel, “fell down when the earth opened up and swallowed him and his family.”

What is the price one pays when they reject God’s anointed?

February 8, 2022February 8, 2022

Can’t is not an option for kingdom workers!

Numbers 14 Can’t or Won’t?

God gave the Israelites a promise of land filled with milk and honey and sent twelves spies to check his truthfulness. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, came back with a glorious report. “Let us go up and take possession.” They were saying if God is with us, we can do it. However, ten of the spies returned, saying although the land is good, there are giants in the land; we can’t do it.

Is this our response to what God calls us to do?

The people had a choice, go up and trust God or reject God’s Promise that He would go with them. They added to their complaint by saying, “if only we had died in Egypt.” No pleading by Joshua and Caleb would change their minds. They kept to their reasoning. Instead of trusting God, they wanted to choose a new leader and return to Egypt, and their decision brought eternal consequences. God blessed only Joshua and Caleb to see this land, yet they had to wait for 40 yrs. until all the murmurers had passed away. Those who said we can’t were saying we won’t and thus began, as Chuck Smith noted, the longest funeral march in the history of man.

How do you see God’s plan? Remember this: I can’t is not an option for God’s kingdom workers.