Category: sin

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Numbers 22-23 A Conundrum

God knows each puzzle piece

A conundrum is a puzzle that seems to be unsolvable. Balaam fits in that category. Historians say this about this man: “Balaam is the pagan counterpart to Moses the man of God. The recovery of prophetic texts of Balaam in Aramaic from the sixth century at Deir-’Allah in Jordan shows how very famous this man was in the ancient Near East, even centuries after his death.” On the one hand he displays honorable intentions towards the Israelites but on the other hand, his fear of what God might do to him if he curses them causes him great anxiety and a lack of direction. 

Because Balaam did not heed the instruction of the Lord, God sent an angel to correct him using a donkey to speak to him. God is not only the God of wisdom but He is also the creator and author of the animal kingdom. Balaam ignored the donkey’s persistent actions of denying Balaam’s journey and after three times God opened the mouth of the donkey to show Balaam His displeasure. 

Throughout this whole scenario we see a man who seeks monetary gain more than God’s blessing. He is a person with what we call a “forked tongue.” He speaks gracious words as long as the money pot is filled but when it is not, he is left penniless. Beware of men like Balaam who seek to undermine God’s plan. Stay alert and apart from them for they are servants of Satan and no good will come of your interaction with them. Be discerning! 

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Numbers 16 The Cost of Sin

God was clear as to His choice to lead the nation out of Egypt and into the wilderness where God would test them to see if they would wholly follow the Lord. We don’t know when this took place, but it was after the anointing of the men who would care for the Tabernacle. They had seen the miracles, witnessed the building of the Tabernacle, witnessed the anointing of Aaron and his sons. God’s mercy had been clearly revealed even when Aaron led the people astray with the golden calf. And yet…the sin of pride and the sin of grumbling raised its ugly head. 

We have seen this even today in churches that split and we have experienced it in three different churches we attended, yet God protected us in ways that we could never have expected. He removed us before the final crushing blow so that we would not be there. The devastation it brings to the body is beyond description. Satan knows our weakest point and in the case of Korah, his weakest link was bending his ear to the gossip, as was the sin of our former churches, which led to grumbling and finally to the division of those churches. For Koran it was death by the hand of God. God hates grumbling and He hates when we selectively choose whom to disregard. God will bring it to its conclusion either by us humbling ourselves or by some other means. 

Oh Father, keep us from grumbling, keep us wholly devoted to you and your servants whom You have chosen. Give us a discerning spirit to know what is truth and what are lies from the enemy. Believer, put your armor on for the battle is real and certain. 

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Leviticus 24 Warning!

This is a story that ought to be told over and over! “any man curses his God, he will bear responsibility for his sin, and one who misuses the nameof the Lord must surely be put to death.” Today we hear the name of God used in a profane way without thought or consequences. Perhaps if we followed this there would be less of that and more of honoring the Lord’s Name! Clearly God wants His people to be pure and holy and this is one way we bring dishonor to Him and it all begins with the loss of temper. Curtail your temper and remember to honor God and other men. 

Wisdom speaks: “A person who has a quick temper will do foolish things, and a person with crafty schemes will be hated.” And again: “quick-tempered person stirs up dissension but one who is slow to anger calms a quarrel.“ [Prov 14 and 15]

Today speak with calmness and avoid solving problems with a temper tantrum otherwise you might find yourself in a predicament like this young man. 

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Leviticus 16-18 Purity & Holiness

God gave Moses these chapters so that the priesthood and the people would know and understand the way to be holy. Moses recorded this for the nation of Israel that there be no misunderstanding. God is holy and He has called them to Himself to be a holy people. 

It is interesting to read about the scapegoat, how it was chosen, how used and the reasons. One goat was to be offered as a sin offering and the second to be sent into the wilderness. Dr Constable’s notes explain: “The two goats used in the ritual represented two aspects of the atonement that God provided. Both animals taught the Israelites that a sinless agent was removing their sins by vicarious atonement. The goat slain represented the judgment on sin that resulted in death necessary for atonement. The goat sent off into the wilderness with the sinner’s guilt imputed to it symbolized the removal of guilt.”

This was a ceremony to be etched into the minds of the people of the price sin exacts. How grateful I am that Jesus paid the price for my sin that I don’t have to follow these regulations, but also the heavy price my sin costs…not a goat, but the precious blood of my Savior. 

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Leviticus 10 Sin is Costly

Moses honored the Lord with the gifts that the children of Israel brought. After all that, we wonder why the two sons of Aaron brought strange fire?  The Lord found them guilty and He pronounced death upon Nadab and Abihu for their sin. The cost of their sin was their life. We casually sin and then offer a prayer, but to God any sin is costly and He will deal with it; sometimes even death. 

We fail to consider how costly sin is. That is one reason Jesus came and offered Himself. He paid the cost for our “casual” and important sin; sin is sin. What sin do I need to seek His forgiveness today that I may not have to face His punishment for unforgiven sin. 

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Leviticus 1-4 Obedience to the Lord

The Tabernacle is finished but as it stands it is just a building and buildings are to be used for the glory of the Lord so now we see the purpose and how it is to be used. God speaks to Moses about its purpose and the way it will remind people of their need for holiness. The building as such is a place for the people to come to know God in a personal way and how He wanted the people to understand the cost of their sin so each offering points to the price that must be paid. What is the price we pay for our sin? Beloved, the price has been paid by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but not so for the Israelites long ago. Thus, God outlines the types of offerings and how and the why. All of this points forward to the time when Christ will be the perfect Lamb that was slain for our sin. 

The people were to choose wisely the offering for their sin whether it be a lamb or a grain offering. No matter what, the cost was high and this reminded the people of their sin and what it cost. Today as we offer our gifts to the Lord, we want to remember the price paid for our sin on that cruel cross so long ago.

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Exodus 13-15 Where are you looking? 

Open the eyes of my heart Lord

What does it take for us to give praise to the Lord God Almighty? Does it take a miracle or more? The Israelites have seen the power of the Lord over 10 plagues, the last being more deadly than the firs, but when they come to the Red Sea they looked back. Looking back they saw the fearsome Egyptian army closing in on them and they began to murmur again. Looking back is a sin if you look and see the power of Satan instead of looking forward to what God has planned. Looking back means your focus is on what was instead of what will be. 

This will be one of many murmurings for the Israelites and as we study this scenario we learn much of what God wants us to see. God is our protector and provider, but just like the Israelites we lose our focus and begin to murmur because we fail to remember His goodness and provision. 

Today look forward to what God has planned for you. Keep your eyes on He who is your provider and protector. 

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Genesis 19 Compromise Fails

compromise

As we read this account of Lot after the account of Abraham’s dialog with God we come away with several lessons. First sin looks beautiful but is ugly in its demands. Second, when we compromise our beliefs, others pay the price as well. Thirdly, God hears and answers prayer for He is compassionate. 

So let’s take this story apart. Lot had looked at the well watered plain and he moved near to Sodom. Next he moved into Sodom. Psalm 1 reminds us that God blesses “the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers.” [Ps 1:1] Lot failed in all areas. First he walked, then he stood, then he sat. His compromising actions leaves us the visions of the destruction of Sodom, the loss of his intended sons-in-law and tragically, his wife and lastly his own daughters who thought incest would be blessed but instead, became the thorn in the lives of the Israelites for centuries and even today. Moses reminded the Israelites that sooner or later, one’s sin will be found out. Num 32:23 “you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will findyou out.”

Is there anything positive from this account? We can look at Abraham and see how he sought God’s righteous character above all else. God answered his prayer to remove Lot from this situation. We too can pray that God remove the sinners from our presence so that He can bless us and direct our paths in righteousness. Are we praying that today? Or are we like Lot who compromised and lost his family? 

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12.27.24. Peace? Peace

God can be trusted

Revelation 20 Peace? 

If you knew that tomorrow all the evil of this world would be trounced, would it make a difference in your day today? What if it continued for a thousand years?  When there is peace, what is life like? Would there still be murders, looting, and other bad events?  John tell us: “Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.” Judgment is needed where there is crime, those who perpetuate it must be judged. What happens to these who are found guilty? Will they have time to repent? Lots of questions left unanswered except for this: the author of evil is alive and well but bound and in prison. 

The compassion the Lord has for any who are perpetrators is this: a thousand years He will provided the perfect peace with no satanic influence and yet this truth from Jeremiah is as true today as it will be then: “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it?” Whether Satan is here or not, men are still wicked because of their hearts. The heart must be changed and that only comes when Christ’s salvation is accepted. 

How is your heart today? In a world dominated by evil, the question remains: Have you accepted the gift of salvation? 

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The Majesty of God

Psalm 104 The Lord God Almighty 

When we believe that God spoke His truth through the Bible, our lives are anchored upon a solid foundation of God’s power, perspective and purpose.

Over and over the writers of scripture remind us that God is light and in Him there is no darkness. Darkness is a picture of sin and God is pure with no sin. Light reveals what darkness cannot. It reveals purity and righteousness and holiness. The psalmist reaches back into Genesis and the creation to share his thought of how holy and pure and righteous God is. 

The Apostle John wrote that “Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.”[1 John 1:5] Are we proclaiming that truth to others? Are we praising God for His creation? “O Lord my God, you are magnificent.You are robed in splendor and majesty.He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.” [Ps 104:1 and 2] 

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