Wed.’s Devo - Moses’ Last Day -

Read: Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24 We read the end of the song which ends in the near death of their nation. God points out the difference between his children and the children of the enemy. In the end, God will bring vengeance on his enemies and their gods will have no power against him. He will avenge the blood of his children. *** Moses explained that them must sing this song and teach it to their children to warn them to follow the Lord so they could live long in the land. *** On that same day, God sent Moses upon on Mount Nebo so he could see the promised land and then die on the mountain. Aaron had also died on a mountain - Mount Hor. *** In Luke, Jesus is warning his disciples to stay diligent and keep trusting him just like God was telling the Israelites to do. Jesus was referring to his second coming. He promised to return and wanted to find them ready and awake, doing his will. *** Peter asked Jesus who he was telling this parable to and Jesus said it was for the ones who were faithfully following the Lord and looking for his return. *** Jesus didn’t come to bring peace to the earth but to shake it out of its complacency and cause friction which would lead to the right actions. *** He accused them of understanding natural signs of the time and being totally blind to the spiritual signs of the time. He encouraged them to work out disputes among themselves and not let the worldly system decide their fate. *** Lord, may we shake ourselves out of our complacency. May we have eyes to see the times we are living in and be found doing your will.

Tues.’s Devo - The Commissions

Read: Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23 God had given them the example of what they would do when they got into the land. He had given them victory over Og and Sihon. They would do the same to the people in the land he was giving them. *** Moses brought Joshua forward in the audience of all the people and commissioned him to be strong and courageous because the Lord would go before them. ***Then Moses gave the priests and the sons of Levi a copy of the law and told them to read it aloud to the people every seven years in the year of jubilee and at the Feast of Tabernacles. *** God told Moses he was about to die and sleep with his family. He was to bring Joshua to the tent of meeting where the Lord would commission him to lead them in Moses’ place. *** After Moses dies, the people will break his laws and follow after other gods. God will become so angry with them, he will abandon them. All the evils promised them will come upon them. *** Moses was to teach them a song as a witness to them when they sinned. Moses wrote the song and taught it to the people, all in one day! Then the Lord commissioned Joshua, commanding him to be strong and courageous and bring the people into their land. Moses met with the elders of the tribes and told them that he knew that after he died they would sin and turn against the Lord. *** The song reminds them of their past and all the Lord did for them and their fathers, then it gives them a picture of their future sins. The song was given so that in the future when they are in the midst of the consequences of their idolatry, they will remember this song and repent. *** In Luke, Jesus explains that what we confess now is what we will confess in eternity, so it is imperative that we have the right confession now. When we have to defend the truth, the Holy Spirit will help us say the right thing. *** Jesus then gives us a story to illustrate that he is not talking about what we accomplish or attain on earth that is important. It is our testimony that will stand. Nothing else will follow us into eternity. *** We do not have to worry about the necessities of living, we are to seek life and God’s kingdom. God will take care of all our needs. God gives us nature to show us how much he cares about everything he made. *** Lord, thank you for reminding us that our treasure is in heaven. The treasure is You and your presence. Thank you that you never leave us and never forsake us.

Mon.’s Devo - Renewing the Covenant

Read: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20 God had them make another covenant with him like they did at Mt. Sinai when he gave them the law. These were the children who had seen all the things God did for them in Egypt but were children at the time. Their parents had made a covenant with God and now they needed to make a covenant with him. *** God reminded them of all he did for them in the wilderness and of the evil gods that the Egyptians worshiped. He warned them not to worship the gods of the people whose land they were about to possess, but to keep his laws. If any of their tribes turn from his laws, they will receive the curses and the land and all in it will become sick. *** When they see the consequences of the blessings and the curses they are to return to the Lord with all their heart. Then, he will restore their fortunes to them and have mercy on them. He will then bring them into their land and make them prosperous and multiply them. God will give them and their offspring a circumcised heart to love him. Then the Lord will put the curses on their enemies who persecuted them, but, God will then abundantly prosper and bless his people. *** So, the choice was theirs to make. They can choose to obey the Lord and his commands and live in the blessings and greatly prosper, or they can turn their hearts away from him and worship other gods. If they do, they will not live long in the promised land. The choice was death or life. *** In Luke, Jesus was invited to the home of a Pharisee. He did’t go through the ritual hand-washing that they did, and the man asked Jesus about it. Jesus told him that it was a farce to try to look so clean on the outside when their hearts were full of greed and wickedness. They tithed, but neglected to administer justice and love. They could be found sitting in the seats of honor in the synagogue and marketplaces. They did everything to look important and holy, but were actually instruments of spreading death. *** A lawyer spoke up and said he was insulted by what Jesus said. He should have kept his mouth shut. Jesus nailed his profession also. He told him the lawyers put burdens on the people that were too hard for them to bear. They built tombs of the prophets who their fathers killed. They even agreed with their fathers that they should be killed. Their generation would be charged with these deaths. By their actions they robbed the people of the key of knowledge. *** Thousands were gathering to see and hear Jesus. The Pharisees tried to give Jesus questions that would provoke him and cause him to sin so they could discredit him. Jesus warned his disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees. Their leaven was their hypocrisy - the fact that they did not practice or even believe what they taught. They may have the power to kill a person, by they didn’t have the power to decide how that person would live in eternity. Only God had the power to cast the wicked into hell. *** Jesus gave the example of sparrows who were sold for pennies and yet God took notice of them. His children are worth so much more than sparrows and he cares for every detail of their lives. *** Lord, thank you that you love and care for us. We are so privileged to be your children. May we daily renew our covenant with you to love you with all our heart, soul and mind.

Sun.’s Devo - The Blessings and the Curses

Read: Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Luke 11:14-36; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 12:18 Reading the blessings makes you smile and feel so loved and protected. You see the desire of a loving Father to give the very best he has created to his children. I’m not going to list all the blessings of obedience, but they are enough to make you scratch your head and ask, “who would not want to obey the Lord and enjoy these blessings?” *** When I read the curses, I see how we have fallen into that category as a nation. But, I am seeing and feeling the shift away from the curses and onto the road that leads to the blessings. *** We know that Israel did not continue to follow the Lord and all these curses fell on them. We also know that scripture assures us that they will return to the Lord and enjoy the blessings in the end. We pray that is soon. *** In Luke, Jesus cast out the demon that had made the man mute. The religious leaders had to have an explanation of how he could do this, so they said he did it by the power of Beelzebub, a prince of demons. *** Jesus explained that a kingdom divided against itself would not be able to stand. He asked them how their sons cast out demons. Their sons would grow up and one day judge them. But, if he cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to earth. That would mean that someone stronger than who is over the earth had come to earth to take over. Satan was prince of the world until Jesus came and began knocking down his wall of defense. Jesus took away Satan’s protection and had begun ravaging his stronghold. *** Jesus explained that when demons were cast out they would roam the earth looking for a body to occupy. If they couldn’t find one that would go back to where they were cast out and see if it was still unoccupied. If that person had’t filled the evil with good, then the demon could reenter and bring seven more demons with it. Then the person would be worse off than it was before. *** Jesus reminded them of the way the Gentiles (the people of Nineveh, and the queen of Sheba) repented when they heard the truth. They would one day judge the Jews for rejecting The Truth when it came to them. *** Jesus talked to them about how they “saw.” If they were opened to truth, then it lit up their hearts to receive more truth. If they were closed to truth, then their hearts would have not light. *** Lord, may we have hearts full of light and discernment. May we see the truth and embrace it. May we see Satan’s kingdom crumble and your kingdom established on earth.

Sat.’s Devo - Amen!

Read: Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26; Luke 10:38-11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 12:15-17 When they came into the land God promised them and harvest their first fruits of the land, they were to bring them in a basket. They were to tell God who they were and where they came from starting with Abraham. They were to acknowledge all God did for them and how they lived in Egypt till they grew into a mighty nation. When they cried to the Lord for deliverance he brought them out with signs and wonders and brought them to this place. Then they were to set there basket down before the Lord. *** The third year was the year of tithing and all they gave would go to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless and the widow so that they would have plenty to eat. They were to ask God to bless them. *** Moses and the elders told the people to keep all the commandments that God gave them. They set up large stones and plastered them to write all the words of the law on them. They were set up on the side of the Jordan River in the promised land. *** Moses told six of the tribes to stand on Mt. Ebal and read the curses of the law and six of the tribes to stand on Mt. Gerizim and read the blessings of the law. *** First they read the curses. They would evoke a curse if they made metal images to worship, dishonored their parents, moved their neighbor’s landmark, mislead a blind man, perverted justice, lay with their father’s wife, an animal, or any relative, committed murder, took a bribe, or disobeyed the law. After every curse they were to agree with an “Amen.” *** In Luke, we read about how Martha complained about Mary who wanted to sit at Jesus’s feet leaving her with all the busy work. Jesus explained that Mary had chosen the part that no one could take from her. Mary had chosen the spiritual over the natural. *** One of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray and Jesus taught them the prayer he must have prayed every day. In it he first glorified God and prayed for his kingdom to come. Then he asked for daily needs, forgiveness and help to walk in righteousness. *** Then he told them a parable explaining how we can pray for others. The parable about the man who needed something for someone else. He went to his neighbor who represented God and kept on asking for help until he got it. Jesus explained that we must be like him when we are praying for others and keep praying till we get the answer. God is faithful and will answer our prayers. God is our Father and wants to bless us with gifts even more than we want to give gifts to our children. His greatest gifts are Jesus and the Holy Spirit. *** Lord, may we desire eternal things that will last past our lifetime. May we seek your kingdom, your gifts and your righteousness first. Thank you that you hear and answer our prayers.

Fri.’s Devo - Practical Laws

Read: Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19; Luke 10:13-37; Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 12:12-14 God gave them commands about the different people they encountered. No eunuchs, nor their descendants to the tenth generation were allowed in the Lord’s assembly. No Ammonite or Moabite were allowed in the Lord’s assembly for the same amount of time. They hired Balaam to curse Israel and refused to let them pass through their land when they came out of Egypt. God turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing and did not allow him to curse Israel. But, they were not to hate the Edomites because they were their brothers. They were also not to hate the Egyptian because they lived among them. After three generations, their children could enter into the assembly of the Lord. *** God had rules for their hygiene to keep them from sickness. God had rules for honoring one another, taking care of escaped slaves and fair business practices. It was important that they made promises only if they could carry them out. *** Divorced people could not marry again if they had married someone else in between that time. People were not to be kidnapped and trafficked. Laws to protect the dignity and rights of the poor were to be observed. Everyone was responsible for their own actions. They were to treat the foreigner, the orphan and the widow with the same laws and respect they did for others. They were to always remember that they were once slaves in Egypt. *** They were to share their produce with the poor. When a person was condemned in court, his penalty was to be swift and in front of the judge. *** Only if brothers are living together and one dies without an heir was his brother to take his brother’s wife as his wife, so that the offspring could carry on the name of the dead husband. If he doesn’t do this, he is to be publicly shamed. *** God reminded them of what the Amalekites did to them when they came out of Egypt. They were to make sure their memory was blotted out of the earth. *** In Luke, Jesus cursed the different cities that he performed great miracles in. The ones who didn’t repent would receive no mercy in the Judgment. *** The seventy-two that Jesus had sent out came back joyfully reporting how the demons were subject to them. Jesus knew because he had seen Satan falling from heaven like lightning. Satan was being unseated. They had power over all the powers of the enemy and the demons would not hurt them, but the more powerful thing was that their names were written in heaven. *** Jesus rejoiced greatly that his disciples were beginning to do the things he taught them. This was the kingdom of God coming to earth shaking up the status quo in the spiritual realm. *** Jesus was asked by a lawyer what he could do to receive eternal life. He told him to love the Lord with all his heart and others as he loved himself. When the man told him he did this, Jesus gave him the story of the good Samaritan to show him that maybe he wasn’t loving all others as himself. It wasn’t just the people in his circle he was the love, he was also the outcast and the Gentile. Jesus told him to go and show mercy to these people. *** Lord, may we set our affections on what and who you set your affections on. May we walk in the authority you gave us and not be afraid of the devil and his small power. Thank you that you are the God of the impossible.

Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Laws

Read: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30; Luke 9:51-10:12; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 12:11 God’s laws were given to keep the land pure. If a dead body was found and no one knew how he died, the elders of the nearest city were to offer a heifer that had not been yoked. He was to be brought down to a valley with running water and break its neck. Then the priest were to come forward and wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. This was their testimony that they didn’t shed his blood and didn’t see who had. By doing this they were removing any guilt from the people of Israel and atoning for his death. *** In this act the heifer stood for the man who died in a valley or veiled in secrecy. They washed their hands over him washing away the guilt of his death. *** If a man married a virgin captive from war and then decided he didn’t want to be married to her, he had to set her free to go wherever she wanted. He could not sell her or use her as a slave because he had humiliated her. *** If a man had two wives and loved one more, he could not take the right of the first born from the son of the wife he loved the least. *** If a man has a son who is a drunkard and a glutton and will not obey his father, he is to be brought before the elders of the city. They were to stone him and remove the evil from their land. *** If a man is punished by hanging on a cross, he must be taken down and buried on the same day because a hung man is a cursed man. To keep him hanging to the next day would defile their land. God’s mercies are new every morning. *** They were to restore any lost animals they found of their neighbors and help their neighbor in times of need. *** God hates mixture so women were to dress like women and men like men. They were not to sow two kinds of seeds together, or wear two kinds of materials together. God will not bless hybrids. *** They were not to kill both the young bird and the mother. Generations must not pay for the sins of their past generations. They were to take care to build with safety of others in mind. *** If a man accuses his wife of not being a virgin when he married her, and there is no evidence of her innocence then she was to be brought to the door of her father’s house and the men of the city would stone her to death. If her father can prove she was a virgin when she married then the husband was to be whipped, fined and could not divorce her all his life. *** The last line gives us a glimpse into what happened with Noah and Ham. To have relations with your father’s wife was to uncover his father’s nakedness. *** In Luke, we see Jesus becoming extremely determined and aware that he only has a short time left on the earth. He makes some statements that show how serious it is to follow him. Then he sends 72 believers ahead of him to tell the people that the kingdom of God has come near to them. Those who received the news would be blessed, those who didn’t would not fair well on Judgment Day. *** Lord, we know that you came near when you came to earth and you are near to us, even in us now. May we live the kingdom in a way that others would want to join us.

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Family

Read: Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20; Luke 9:28-50; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 12:10 The Levite was set apart in every way. His inheritance came from the Lord. He was welcomed to enjoy the offerings for the priests and Levites any time he was near the place of worship. *** When they come into the land the Lord promised and they possess it, they were to rid it of all evil occult practices. God would not speak to them through the evil ways of their enemies. He would speak to his people through a prophet like Moses. A true prophet’s words will come to pass. *** They were to set apart three cities for cities of refuge to protect the innocent wrongly accused of murder. As they continued to be faithful to the Lord and continued to take more territory, they were to designate three more cities of refuge. *** When the Levites were deciding a case, they were to make their decision on the testimony of at least two witnesses. If a false witness is found, then he will receive what he wanted the man accused to receive. *** When they went to war, they were not to compare the size of their enemies armies, because the Lord was on their side. The priests were to encourage the army before they fought and remind them not to be afraid. It was the Lord who would give them the victory. *** The officers were to ask the soldiers if they had any unfinished business at home, or if they were afraid to fight. If any of this was true, they were excused from serving. *** When they came to the city outside the promised land, they were first to offer it the right to surrender. If they surrendered, they were to make slaves of all the people in the city. If they didn’t want to make peace, then they were to kill all the males and take the women and children and livestock as plunder. In the cities within the promised land, they were to kill everyone in the city and leave nothing alive so that they could not teach them their abominable ways. *** They were to leave all the trees that produced fruit and use the others for siegeworks. *** In Luke, Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a mountain with him to pray. It was the eighth day which refers to the “new millennium.” Jesus transformed into his glory before them. They watched in awe as Jesus talked to Moses and Elijah. *** As Peter was preparing them to stay with them on earth, God spoke and told them to listen to Jesus, he was God’s son. Then, Jesus was there alone, and Moses and Elijah were gone. *** The next day, Jesus cast out an evil spirit from a man’s son. Jesus called them a faithless and twisted generation. When the demon manifested through the son, Jesus rebuked the spirit and healed the boy. He gave him back to his father. *** The crowd marveled at what Jesus did, but he told his disciples he was soon going to be handed over to the hands of men. They didn’t understand what he was telling them. Instead, they argued about who would be there greatest in his kingdom. Jesus brought a child before them and said that whoever receives a child in his name receives him and the one who sent him. The least among them will be the greatest. (I’m sure they didn’t get that one either.) *** John told Jesus that there was a man casting out demons in his name and wanted to stop the man because he wasn’t part of their following. Jesus told him not to stop him because if he is not against him, he is on his side. *** We can learn a lot from today’s reading. We are part of a big family of God’s. The Levite from another city and the believer from another group are all part of the same company of believers. Thou we are in the presence of the greatest prophets that lived like Moses and Elijah, the one we are to hear the most is Jesus. Jesus is the one who links us all together as one big family. *** Lord, may we not compartmentalize ourselves because we don’t go to the same church or believe quite the same. May we see other believers as our family and love and accept them as fellow workers in your kingdom.

Tues.’s Devo - The Feasts

Read: Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20; Luke 9:7-27; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 12:8-9 The feasts centered around the different harvest times. The first feasts were in the spring at the time of the barley and wheat harvest. These were Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits. After they harvested their first fruit, they were to count seven weeks and then celebrate the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. *** The next set of feasts were in the fall and they centered around the fruit harvests like grapes, figs and olives. These feasts were Roshashana or the New Year, Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement and Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles. *** At these three feasts, all the men of Israel were to come to the place designated and bring their offering to the Lord. They were to be times of great celebration and joy. *** All the city’s were to appoint judges and officials to judge the people fairly and according to God’s laws. They were not to show partiality or take bribes. *** Anyone found worshiping other gods or constructing altars for foreign gods were to be stoned to death on the evidence of at least two witnesses. Any cases that were too hard for the city judges to decide were to be brought to the Levites. *** When they came into their land, and they wanted a king, it must be the one the Lord chooses. He must be a fellow Israelite. He must not buy horses for himself or send the people to Egypt to buy horses, because God told them never to return there. He was not to have many wives or excessive gold and silver. All these things Solomon did. *** The king was to write for himself a copy of all the law which should be a reference for him to follow. He must do this to remind himself that he is not above his people. If he obeys the law, his kingdom will be established and continue to be passed down to his posterity. *** Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 says that God has made us kings and priests and we shall reign upon the earth. If we write God’s Word in our heart and obey it we will pass our legacy down to our posterity. *** In Luke, Herod heard about what Jesus was doing and was afraid that John, who he had killed, was now raised from the dead. Others said that Jesus was a prophet. Herod wanted to see Jesus for himself. (He would get to see him soon enough.) *** The disciples returned from being sent out and told Jesus all the wonderful things they saw the Lord do through them. Jesus took them apart to Bethsaida but the crowds followed. It was a desolate place and when Jesus had taught all day, the disciples encouraged Jesus to send the people home so they could find a place to eat and sleep. *** Jesus told the disciples to feed them. They could only find five loaves and two fish which was not enough to feed over 5,000 people. Jesus took what they had and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to his disciples to distribute. Everyone was satisfied and they took up twelve baskets of left-overs. *** Jesus asked his disciple who the people were saying he was. They told him that some thought he was John the Baptist, others one of the prophets. Then he asked them who they thought he was and Peter spoke up. He said that he was the Christ of God. *** Jesus told them not to tell anyone this. He would be rejected by the religious leaders and killed. He would rise on the third day. If they wanted to follow him that would have to take up their cross daily and follow him. They would have to be willing to lose their lives for him to save their soul. *** Lord, we have all answered the question of salvation. We have given our lives to you to save our soul. May we take up our cross today and bear it proudly for your name sake.

Mon.’s Devo - The Kingom of God Has Come

Read: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7 God warned them that prophets and dreamers would arise and try to get them to go after other gods. It would be a test to them to see if they would follow them. They were to purge the evil from their midst, even if it was their kin. Anyone who drew them away from the Lord were not to be allowed to live. Whoever discovered their evil tactic, were to be the first to throw the stone of death. *** If a whole city turns from God and begins to worship other gods, God’s people were to go to war against that city and kill its inhabitants. All of the spoil from that city was to be burned. *** There were certain animals that would be sinful to eat because of what that animal symbolized, or what that animal ate. What they ate represented what we are to eat spiritually. We are to eat the Word of God and things that are good and true and righteous. The animals they were allowed to eat had to have cloven hoofs, which mean they stand on a firm foundation. The Word is rightly divided and gives us stability. They were to eat animals that chew the cud. This is a picture of a person who meditates on the Word and what he hears before he swallows it as truth. *** They were to eat fish with fins and scales. The fins help it stay upright and the scales cover and protect it. All of these things are what the Word does for us. They were to tithe from the net worth of their field every year. They were to bring it to the place of worship and offer it there and eat it as a family. If they lived too far and had too much to bring, they could sell it in their town and bring the money to buy it again in the place of worship. *** At the end of three years, their tithes were dedicated to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless and the widow. *** At the end of seven years there was to be a kind of jubilee where all debt was to be released against their neighbor or kin. This did not apply to foreigners, only their own people. *** If they continued in God’s laws they would be a nation who lent to others and would not need to borrow. *** They were to be kind and giving to the poor. If they had a Hebrew slave working for them, they were to release him in the seventh year with provisions of food, drink and animals. They were to remember where they came from. They were once slaves themselves and God redeemed them. If that slave wants to stay and serve his master then his ear would be nailed to the door of the master’s house with an awl. This would make him his slave forever. *** We were once God’s servants, but when we make him our Lord, we are having our ears pierced to the door which is Christ. We are fellowshipping in his suffering which included being nailed to a tree. God no longer calls us his slaves, but his friends and his family (John 15:15). *** All the firstborn males of the herd and flock were to be dedicated to the Lord. If it was blemished it was to be eaten in the town and not brought to the Lord. They were never to drink its blood. The only blood we are to partake in is Christ’s. *** In Luke, Jesus returned to Galilee and was met by Jairus who was a ruler of the synagogue. His 12 year old daughter was dying. He came to beg Jesus to come to this house and heal her. On Jesus’ way to his house, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years came to touch his garment hoping to be healed. When she did, Jesus felt healing power leave his body and heal her. When Jesus found the recipient of his power he told the woman that her faith had healed her. *** Jesus continued to the house of the child and found she had died. He told everyone she was just sleeping and he went and woke her up from death and her spirit came back to her body. Jesus was demonstrating to the people that he alone had power over sickness and death. *** Then, Jesus gave this power and authority to his disciples and sent them out to heal and proclaim the kingdom of God. We have been given the same power and authority and mandate to heal the sick, cast out demons and proclaim the kingdom of God. *** Lord, may we walk in your authority and power and may your kingdom come.

Sun.’s Devo - Choose Blessings

Read: Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32; Luke 8:22-39; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 12:4 Moses is still instructing the people what to do when they enter into the land, so that they can maintain their blessings from the Lord. The number one thing he told them was to love the Lord and keep his commandments. They had witnessed the miracle at the Red Sea. They saw how they passed over on dry land, while the Egyptians had been drown in the sea. They had witnessed what happened to Dathan and Abiram when the earth swallowed them because they rebelled against God and Moses. *** Moses encouraged them to be strong and courageous and to go in and take the land the Lord had given them. This land is not like the land of Egypt where they had to irrigate to get water. This land is full of rivers, hills and valleys. God blessed this land and it will be a blessing for them as long as they keep his commandments. *** The key to their blessing was in their heart. If they continued to love the Lord and do his commands and teach them to their children they will live long in the land and be blessed. God will drive out their enemies before them. They will flee in fear of them because of their God. *** The choice was theirs either to walk in God’s blessings or to walk in the curse. When they came into the land they were to set the blessing on Mt. Gerizim and the curse on Mt. Ebal. Then they were to cross the Jordan and take the land as their possession. They were to tear down all their altars of idolatry and burn them. They were to seek a place of worship that God could put his name on and that is where they will bring their burnt offerings, their sacrifices, and their tithes and offerings. They were to always take care of the Levites. *** When they came into the land, they could eat meat as long as they drained the blood from it. All offerings to the Lord were to be eaten in the place designated for worship. *** They were not to imitate the worship of the heathens in the land who even sacrificed their children in the fire. *** In Luke, Jesus and his disciples were headed across the sea to the land of the Gerasenes. Every time they went to this land they faced a storm first. The demons did not want Jesus to enter their land. This time Jesus was asleep in the boat. He was awakened by his disciples to do something about the storm. *** Jesus spoke to it and rebuked it and it stopped. Then, he rebuked the disciples for not doing it themselves. He had demonstrated to them already how to do that. The legions of demons were waiting for him on the other side. They all resided in one man. When Jesus went to cast them out of the man, the demons begged Jesus to let them enter into the pigs that were close by. Jesus allowed them to and the pigs ran over the cliff and all drowned in the water. When the shepherds, who were watching the pigs saw this, they ran into the city and told everyone. *** The people came out to see Jesus and the man who was now sane and clothed. They were so afraid, they told Jesus to leave. The man who was delivered begged to go with Jesus but he told him to stay and be his witness. The next time Jesus would come there, the people would receive him with open arms because of this man’s witness. *** We will have trials and tribulation, but we can choose to go through them calmly in peace by our faith. *** Lord, your ways are always perfect. May we exercise our faith to speak to our storms and tell them to be calm. May we speak to our soul and tell it to be calm. Thank you for the peace that surpasses our understanding. We choose to obey you and walk in your blessings.

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Seed on the Earth

Read: Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3 It was the day they were to cross over the Jordan to possess their land. God made it clear that they were to take no prisoners and destroy them all quickly. God was not helping them conquer these nations because they were so righteous, but because the people who now lived there were so wicked. And, because God had promised their forefathers he would give them this land. *** God reminded the people of Israel how stubborn they were and how they had rebelled against him when Moses went on Mt. Sinai to receive the commandments. They had quickly made a golden calf to worship. God had wanted to destroy them, but Moses interceded for them and saved them. They also caused God to be angry at Taberah, Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah. He wanted to destroy them then also, but Moses interceded for them. *** When Aaron died he was replaced by Eleazar his son. God promoted the Levites to carry the ark and minister to him. *** The Lord only requires that they fear him and walk in his ways, love him and serve him with all their heart and soul. God made the whole earth and chose to love their fathers and chose their off-spring to be his family. God is fair and just and loves those who have no family or no home. He supplies their needs just like he did for them. They began with seventy people who went down to Egypt and now are as the stars in the sky - innumerable. *** In Luke, Jesus gave us the parable about the seed, the sower, and the soil. The seed is the Word of God. God is the sower of his seed, and the soil is the hearts of people. The seed only grew and flourished in the hearts of the ones who heard the truth, held it fast and had a good and honest heart. They are the ones who with patience will bear the fruit of the seed. They are the ones whose light will shine brightly, leading others to the truth. They are the ones who God calls his family. *** Lord, thank you that you have chosen us to be your family. May our lives reflect your righteousness and love.

Fri.’s Devo - God’s Promises For His People

Read: Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20; Luke 7:36-8:3; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 12:1 There were seven nations in the promised land that they were to defeat. I call them the “ites”. God told them to completely destroy them and have no mercy. They were not to make any covenant of peace with these “ites”, because if they allowed them to live, they would turn them away from serving him and lead them into idolatry. They were also to destroy everything that had to do with the worship of their gods. *** The Israelites were God’s people and were to be holy and set apart from the people in the world. God chose them out of all the people in the earth to set his name on and to love and care for. His covenant with those who love him would last for a thousand generations, but he promised to repay those who hate him. *** God’s promise to his faithful was to love, bless and multiply them. He would bless their womb and their possessions. He would keep them well and help them conquer nations much more numerous and more physically stronger than them. They would not need to fear their enemy because they Lord was with them. He would clear the nations before them by throwing them into confusion until they were destroyed. Their kings would be brought down and destroyed. They were to burn all their pagan possessions in the fire and not covet the gold and silver in them. If they bring any of their idols into their house, their house will be devoted to destruction. (Remember Rachel who stole her father’s idols. She died soon after that.) *** God had tested them and tried them in the wilderness to prepare them for this moment. He had fed them, given them water, kept them safe and clothed. God had given them laws teaching them how to love him and love one another so that they would prosper in all they did. *** When they did prosper and had more than they need, they were to remember where it came from and who allowed them to have it. It is the Lord who gives a person power to get wealth. They were to always remember the Lord and serve him only. *** In Luke, Jesus was invited to the Simon’s to eat. Simon was a Pharisee. A woman who was a sinner, entered the house and knelt at Jesus feet as he was reclining to eat. She wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. She kissed his feet then anointed them with the ointment. *** Simon thought that if Jesus was a prophet he would know what kind of woman this was and not let her continue. Jesus perceived his thoughts and gave Simon a parable. *** In his parable there was a money lender who had two clients. One owed him 500 denarii and the other 50. The money lender decided to forgive them both their debt. He asked Simon which would love the money lender the most. Simon replied the one who owed him the most. Jesus explained that this woman, because of her sins owed God the most and is more appreciative of God’s forgiveness than Simon who was “righteous”. This was her way of showing her appreciation. *** Jesus then told the woman that her sins were forgiven and her faith had saved her. He released her to go in peace. The other Pharisees had a big problem with Jesus forgiving her sins. 
 *** Their opinion did not stop Jesus from continuing to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. The women who followed Jesus provided for his ministry out of their means. One of them, Chuza, was married to the manager of Herod’s household. *** Lord, we know that a great wealth transfer is coming to the earth and the wealth of the wicked has been stored up for us. May we remember what we read today and use it to glorify you and grow your kingdom. May we be like the women who supported your work on the earth.

Thur.’s Devo - Love the Lord

Read: Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25; Luke 7:11-35; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 11:29-31 God had made a covenant with the children of Israel at Horeb. He emphasized that he made it with them and not their children. He gave them the ten commandments which sum up all the other commandments. God himself wrote them and did it amidst fire, the cloud and thick darkness. All of them had drawn near and had seen the glory of God and heard his voice. The people agreed to obey the Lord and he heard their promise. God lamented that he wished they would always have a heart to hear him and obey him so that it would always go well for them. *** God commanded them to continue to love him with all their heart, soul and might and to teach their children to do the same. When they enter the land he promised them and live in prosperity and wealth, they are not to forget the Lord who did all this for them. They are not to be tempted to worship the gods of the inhabitants of the land. *** When asked by their children, why they follow the laws of the Lord, they are to tell them how he delivered them from the bondage of the Egyptians with great signs and wonders and brought them to this land. He commanded them to keep his laws so that he could preserve them and keep them safe. *** In Luke, Jesus went to Nain with his disciples and the crowd that were now following him. They came to the gate of the city where a man was being brought out who had died. The man was his mother’s only son. Jesus had compassion on the mother and told her not to weep. He touched the bier that the man was in and told the man to arise. He woke up from his death and was returned to his mother. The people saw this and feared and worshiped the Lord. They believed Jesus to be a great prophet and his fame spread. *** The disciples of John reported to John what Jesus was doing. John sent them to Jesus to ask him if he was indeed the Messiah or should they keep looking for him to come. Jesus told them to tell John all he was doing - the blind were seeing, the lame walking, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf were hearing and the dead were raised. Then he added blessed are those who are not offended in me. I wonder if he didn’t add this last statement because John was offended that he was still in prison when the scriptures say that the Messiah would open the prison doors and set the prisoner free. Jesus wanted him to rejoice in what God was doing, and not in what he was not doing. This is a great word for us. When we don’t see what we are praying for answered, we should rejoice at all the prayers God has answered. We don’t understand God’s total plan and neither did John. *** Jesus then spoke to the people about John praising him as being the greatest prophet of all time. His calling was to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord and he had done just that. The same people that had a hard time accepting John because he wasn’t what they had expected, were the same ones who were having a hard time accepting Jesus because he wasn’t what they had expected. *** Lord, may we give you all our expectations of how you are supposed to be working right now. May we accept your ways and thank you for the things we do see and help us have faith to keep believing in you when we don’t understand.

Wed.’s Devo - Moses’ Last Words

Read: Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39-7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28 We are reading the last advice from Moses before he is going to leave the earth. He commanded them to keep every law and commandment God had given them and not add or take away from them. He reminded them what happened with the people who began to worship Baal at Baal Peor. *** God’s laws would give them wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the people of other nations. They would envy them for having a God who is so near and hears them when they cry out to him. *** Moses warned them to guard their soul and not forget what they had seen the Lord do for them. They were to pass down these stories to their children and their grandchildren so they would fear the Lord also. They were to recount how they stood at the bottom of the mountain at Sinai and heard the voice of the Lord out of the midst of the fire. They were to recount to them how the Lord himself wrote their laws on tablets of stone. *** When God spoke to them, they didn’t see him so they were not to try to make any image to represent him that resembles any creature on earth. Nor were they to worship the elements in the sky like they did in Egypt. God brought them out of that nation to be his own possession. *** If they did begin to worship other gods, they would not live long in their land. God would scatter them among the nations of the earth where they would worship false gods that were not real. Then, if they began to seek Him with all their hearts and soul, they would find him. In the latter days, when they are in tribulation, they will return to the Lord and obey him. God, who is merciful, will forgive them and he will remember his covenant he made with them and save them. *** What God did for Israel, he had never done before. Never had he birthed a nation with such signs and wonders. He did this so they would not forget him and his covenant with them. It would go well with them as long as they obeyed his commandments. *** Moses set apart three cities of refuge in the land they now possessed which was now the land of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. Theses cities were Bezer in the land of Reuben, Ramoth in Gad and Golan in Manasseh. *** In Luke, Jesus gave a parable explaining that everything we do comes from our heart. If our heart is bad then we cannot do good, but if our heart is good, then we will do good. The things we complain about in others are the blind spots in our own eyes. *** Those that followed Jesus and actually did what he preached were building firm foundations to stand on during the storms of life. Those who just listened and didn’t let it affect their lives would not stand in the storms. *** Jesus then went into the town of Capernaum. One of the centurions sent his elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant who was very valuable to him. They spoke highly of the centurion telling Jesus how he had built their synagogues for them. Jesus followed them and when he was near the house, the centurion sent servants to Jesus. The centurion didn’t think he was worthy to have Jesus come to his house, but if Jesus would pronounce his servant healed, it would be enough. Jesus marveled that this man understood the power of confession and prayer. He commented that he had not found such faith in Israel. When the servants returned home, they found the servant healed. *** Lord, may we have the faith to believe in things we cannot see. Thank you that you hear our every prayer and you answer when we cry for help. We honor and praise your name.

Tues.’s Devo - God Reigns Over All

Read: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27 The children of Israel had been traveling around the mountain country of Mt. Seir until the Lord told them to turn north. They would pass through the land of Esau who would be afraid of them. They were to be considerate of them and their land because the Lord had given their land to them. They were to pay for food and water with all the Lord had blessed them. The land Esau lived in had been given them as a possession just like the land God was giving them in Canaan. *** Then they would go through the wilderness of the Moabites. They were to treat them the same as they treated Esau’s people. God had given the Moabites their land and they were just to pass through. The Lord had helped the Moabites take their land from the Anakim and the Horites who were giants. *** Next, they were to pass through the land the Lord had given to the people of Ammon. The Moabites and the Ammonites were both descendants of Lot. They had both dispossessed the giants that lived in their land by the help of the Lord. *** God was showing the children of Israel that He was the one who owned the land, and he could give it to whoever he wanted. The people of Esau, the Amonites and the Moabites had all encountered land possessed by giants and had prevailed. This should encourage them that they could also possess their land full of giants. *** Once they had passed through their relative’s land they would come to the land of Sihon the Amorite. They were to war with him and take his land. God would cause the whole earth to fear them because God was with them. *** First, they sent word ahead to Sihon the king of the Amorites asking if they could pass peacefully through their land. They offered to pay for their food and water. God hardened Sihon’s heart so he wouldn’t give them permission to pass through their land. Now, they had a reason to war with Sihon. Sihon came out against them to fight and God gave the Israelites the victory. They took their cities and their land leaving no survivors. They kept the livestock and the possessions. *** Then they traveled to Bashan and met king Og. He met them to battle and the Lord gave them over to him as he did king Sihon. Their land was given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. They settled their children and wives in the land, then their warriors went with the rest of Israel into possess the land God had given them. *** Moses was allowed to go up on Mt. Pisgah and see the land he had spent his life leading the people to possess. He came down and charged Joshua to be strong and courageous and take possession of the land because God had given it to them. *** In Luke, Jesus and his disciples were together with a huge crowd of followers. Jesus began to teach them and bless them. He blessed them with the kingdom, satisfaction, laughter, and joy in the midst of persecution. Then he cursed their persecutors - those who were now rich, full, laughing and revered, because they wouldn’t end up that way. *** To those who had ears to hear, he told to love their enemies, bless the ones who cursed them and pray for their abusers. He told them to return good for bad and do to their enemies like they want to be treated. *** We are to do the hard thing that is not natural because God is love and he loves the sinner. We are to be merciful like God is. We are not to judge or condemn because that is God’s job. We are to forgive and be kind because that is what will come back on us if we do. *** Lord, may we store up treasures in heaven with our attitude, our actions and our love. May we remember how you have forgiven us, and give that same forgiveness to others. May we remember that it is You who own the whole earth. You decide who rules and who owns the land. May we trust you to bring us into our possession.

Mon.’s Devo - The New Wine

Read: Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29-6:11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26 The heads of the clan of Gilead from the tribe of Manasseh came to Moses and explained that if the daughters of Zelophehad received their inheritance from their father then married a man outside their tribe, their land would eventually end up belonging to that tribe. So, Moses got the Lord’s counsel and told the daughters of Zelophehad that they must marry within their tribe so this wouldn’t happen, so they did. Moses made a command for all the tribes that they must marry within their tribe to maintain the integrity of the land given to each tribe. *** It had now been 39 years and 11 months since they had been told they would have to wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of their unbelief. They had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan. God told them that it was time to go in and possess their land in Canaan. They had multiplied into a great nation and they would continue to grow. When they became too many for Moses to manage, he had told them to appoint wise, understanding and experienced men as their heads throughout their tribes, and they had. These men judged the people within their tribes. *** When they had come to the land the first time, they asked to send out spies to spy out the land first. Each tribe had sent one man. They brought back word that the land was good, but they were too afraid of the giants in the land to go in and possess it. The only ones who brought back a good report were Caleb and Joshua. *** God was angry with the people. They had forgotten all God had done for them and how he led them with his glory. God told them that they would not enter the land, but their children would. They were sent to the wilderness to die. Some sinned and decided to go possess the land without the Lord. They were humiliated and driven back. *** In Luke, Jesus had just called Levi (Matthew), the tax collector to follow him. Levi was so excited he had a great feast in his home and invited all his fellow tax-collectors to come. The Pharisees and scribe showed up and criticized Jesus for eating with such sinners. Jesus told them that it wasn’t those who are well who needed a doctor, but it was those who were sick. He had come to call the sinners, not the righteous to repentance. *** Then the Pharisees and scribes complained that John the Baptist’s followers fasted, but his disciples didn’t. Jesus explained that you don’t fast when you have the bridegroom with you. The day would come when the bridegroom will be taken away and then they would fast. *** He told them two parables. One was about sewing a new piece of fabric on an old garment. It wouldn’t work because it would shrink when it got wet and tear away from the garment. The next parable was about putting new wine in old wineskins which would break them. *** Jesus was the new material and the new wine. They would have to change their mindsets if they wanted to receive his new fabric and new wine. *** Jesus then demonstrated this in the next things he did. He allowed his disciples to do things their law did not allow because they were hungry. Then he healed on the Sabbath. All of these things upset the religious status quo. They were living in old mindsets - old wineskins and old garments. Jesus was there to do a new thing. *** Lord, may we put on the new man in Christ who is the new wine and the new garment. May we walk in truth and light. May you make our paths straight.

Sun.’s Devo - When You Come Into the Land…

Read: Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23 In the middle of their travel log we have the statement that the people who lived in Canaan knew they were coming to Canaan. Todays, travel takes us from where Aaron died on Mt. Hor to the Jordan River in the plains of Moab across from Jericho. *** The Lord told Moses to tell the people they were to drive out all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all their images and places of their worship. They were to possess the land because God was giving the land to them. If they failed to drive them out, they would become thorns in their sides and a stumbling block for them. *** God gave them all the borders of their land. The nine and a half tribes yet to receive their land would receive it by lot. Their lot would be sized according to the number of people they had. Every tribe was lead by the chief the Lord appointed. *** Each tribe was to give some of their cities to the Levites for them to live in. These cities should have pasturelands for the Levites livestock and beasts that extend outside their city a thousand cubits on all sides. Six of these cities were to be cities of refuge where a person could run to if he accidentally killed a person. There, he could present his case and be allowed to stay until the death of the high priest, then he would be allowed to go home safely. If a person murdered a person with intent then he must be put to death. *** How interesting that we are talking about cities in the Old Testament and our New Testament scripture opens with: “While Jesus was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy.” This is a great picture of what would happen in a city of refuge. The person would come to the priest at the gate of the city and present his case just like this guy did. The man at the gate would decide if his story was plausible enough to investigate. He would determine if the guy could enter the city of refuge. This man in Luke told Jesus that if he wanted to he could make him clean. Jesus was the priest who would decide. He touched him and the leprosy left him. He told him to go and present himself to the priest as proof of his miracle. Other books tell us that he didn’t do this. *** One day, while Jesus was preaching, a paralyzed man was brought to him on his bed. The crowd was so thick, the man was lowered through the roof in front of Jesus. Jesus saw the faith of this man’s friends and told the man that his sins were forgiven. The scribes and Pharisees heard this and thought he was blaspheming God for thinking he could forgive sins. Jesus told them that to prove he had the power to forgive sins, he told the man to get up and walk and he did. *** Then, Jesus went out and demonstrated his point even greater by choosing the tax collector, the chief of sinners in the eyes of the religious, to be his follower. He chose Matthew. *** When we are saved, we have entered into our land and we have to drive out all the past inhabitants of our land like fear, hate, envy, lust, religion, etc. *** Lord, thank you that you forgive our sins and chose us to walk with you. Thank you that you are our city of refuge where we can run and receive forgiveness of every sin we can imagine.

Sat.’s Devo - Possessing the Land

Read: Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psaom 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22 The children of Israel had just fought and conquered the Midianites. Their land was fertile pastureland and since the people of Reuben and Gad were shepherds, they went to Moses to ask to possess their land instead of land on the other side of the Jordan. *** Moses was not for it at first, until he learned their plan. They promised to set up cities for their families, then send their men of fighting age over the Jordan to help all the tribes conquer their land. They would not come home till every tribe possessed their land. When Moses and Eleazar and Joshua and the other leaders of the tribes heard this, they agreed. Half of the tribe of Manasseh also joined Gad and Reuben. *** Chapter 33 is a summary of the travels of the children of Israel from when they left Egypt the night of the first Passover to the day Aaron climbed Mt. Hor and died. *** In Luke, Jesus went to Capernaum, a city of Galilee and taught on the Sabbath. An unclean demon manifested in a man who was there. He began crying out that Jesus was the Holy One of God. Jesus rebuked the demon and told him to come out of the man. The demon threw him down to the ground and then left him. The people were amazed at the authority Jesus had in his preaching and over evil spirits. Word spread about Jesus. *** Jesus was staying at the house of Simon Peter whose mother-in-law was ill with a fever. He rebuked the fever and she got up immediately and began to serve them. *** Many brought their sick and diseased to him for him to lay his hands on them. Jesus healed them all and would not allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was. *** One day, when Jesus was by the lake of Gennesaret he saw some fishermen in their boats washing them nets. One of the boat belonged to Simon. He asked them to let him preach from their boat. They put him on the boat and pushed their boat away from the shore so he could speak to the crowd. When he was finished preaching, he rewarded them by telling them to cast their nets. Simon complained that they had fished all night and it was useless but he obeyed and let down his net. Their net instantly filled with so many fish they had to get the other boat to help them. They filled both boats full with fish until they were both about to sink. Simon Peter saw the miracle and fell on his knees before Jesus. Jesus told him not to be afraid because from now on he would be catching men, not fish. From that moment on, Peter, James, John and Andrew left fishing and followed Jesus. *** Lord, may we be like those disciples who quickly responded to Jesus’ word. Thank you that you have revealed to us who you are. Everything in heaven and on earth is under your control. You are our Creator and Sustainer.

Fri.’s Devo - Jesus’ Rejection

Read: Numbers 30:1-31:54; Luke 4:1-30; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 11:20-21 When I read the laws about making vows I am so thankful for these laws because I think of the thoughtless vows I have made that I know the Lord opposed and kept me from having to keep them. Just think of things we say like, “I’d rather die than…”, or “Over my dead body…” We have so many euphemisms which are so detrimental to our health and spiritual well-being. It is a great thing that God as our Father can step in and annul it, or Jesus as our husband can also. *** God told Moses that he was to avenge the people of Israel by fighting the Midianties. They were to send one thousand warriors from each tribe to fight against them. Phinehas, the priest went with them to war with the vessels of the tabernacle and the trumpet to sound for the attack. *** God gave them total success and they killed Balaam who had been paid to curse them, only God wouldn’t let him. They took the women and children of Midian captive and all the spoil. When they brought them to Moses he was so angry with them because they let them live. These were the very ones who led Israel to worship Baal. He told them to kill every male child and every married woman. The virgins could be spared. Those who did this were to stay outside the camp for seven days to be purified. *** They made it a law that the only plunder they could take from an enemy was metal that could go through the fire to be purified and anything that could be washed in water. They were to wash their own clothes, then on the seventh day they would be clean. *** We go through battles and trials all through our lives. We try to be clean and pure through it all, but it is impossible since we are humans. On the seventh day when everyone is judged, everything we have done will go through the fire and the water and what survives will be what will stand as our good deeds before the Lord. *** When they counted all the plunder, it was split between the people who went to battle and the ones who stayed home. A small part of the half that went to the warriors was given to Eleazar as the Lord’s part. A larger part was taken from the people’s half and given to the Levites who guarded the tabernacle. The plunder was abundant as listed in verses 32-47. *** When the officers did a count of their soldiers they found that not one had died. They freely gave of their plunder to the Lord as a thanksgiving for saving them all. Their gifts stood as a memorial to the Lord of what he had done for them. *** In Luke, Jesus went from baptism to the fire of testing. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness just for this reason. He fasted the whole 40 days and nights and at the end of the time, the devil came to him to tempt him to turn a stone into bread. Jesus gave scripture saying that man doesn’t live by bread alone. *** Then the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a glimpse. The devil promised to him him authority and glory on earth if he would bow down and worship him. Jesus told him he would only worship the Lord and only serve him. Lastly, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and told him to jump because the scriptures say that he could command angels to catch him. Jesus rebuked him for testing God. The devil left him to fight another day. *** Jesus returned to Galilee filled with God’s Spirit. He taught in the synagogues and was becoming well-known. Then he went home to Nazareth and was not as well received. When he went into the synagogue that Sabbath, he stood up to read the scripture for the day. He took the scroll of Isaiah and found the place where it said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. When everyone was looking at him for an explanation, he told them that today that Scripture is being fulfilled in their ears. *** He knew they were questioning his authority because they knew he was just Mary and Joseph’s son, so Jesus reminded them that a prophet is never accepted in his hometown. Jesus told of two stories which all had to do with outsiders. God had chosen to save the widow in Sidon during the famine when there were many godly people dying in Israel. And God had healed the leper from Syria when there were many lepers in Israel that he didn’t heal. He was using these stories to tell why he couldn’t heal them of his own hometown, but could heal many people elsewhere. It had to do with their faith. This made the people so mad that he would insinuate that God would choose to help, especially the Gentiles over them, that they drove him out of town to a cliff. They had planned to throw him off, but Jesus just walked right through the crowd and left. *** May this be a lesson to us, that God is God and he can do whatever he wants for whoever he chooses. We don’t have the right to challenge his decisions. *** Lord, may we walk in gratefulness that you would move in anyone you choose. May we be joyful for those you choose to bless and not jealous or feel entitled. We choose to love and worship you because you are God and that is enough.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Offerings of the Feasts 3-19-26 Read: Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19 God went through the feasts and told them what was to be offered at each of them. Atonement was made at each feast. Passover was first followed by Feast of Unleavened Bread the next day. Then First Fruits and the Feast of Weeks. Those feast were the spring feasts. *** In the fall, on the first day of the seventh month was the Feast of Trumpets, then on the tenth day of that month was the Day of Atonement, the most holy day. On the fifteenth of that same month was the Feast of Tabernacles where the most interesting sacrifices were given. The Feast of Tabernacle lasted seven days. The sacrifices were the same each day except for the number of bulls. On the first day the number of bulls was 13, then every day it counted down one less bull ending with seven on the seventh day. Then on the eighth day it began over with only one bull. *** The feasts are God’s timetable of events. The Feast of Tabernacles, the last feast, is a picture of Christ’s reign on earth. On the eighth day, they do a celebration of the Torah which is called Simbat Torah. That is the day they begin reading the Torah again starting with Genesis One. This represents the day when everything will start over with a new heaven and a new earth. *** In Luke, Jesus begins his ministry at the age of 30 as Joseph’s son. We are given Joseph’s lineage which is taken all the way back to Adam who was the son of God. Joseph is from the line of Judah and a descendant of David. Many great people like Boaz, Abraham, Noah, Enoch, and Methuselah were in his line. *** Even though Joseph was not Jesus’ blood father, he was chosen by God to father him on earth. His lineage was important because it determined that Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. *** Lord, thank you that you wrote each of our stories. Our beginning and the end. We trust your plan for our lives even when we don’t understand it. We know Jesus had days where he didn’t understand the plan either. Help us to walk by faith and trust in the author of our book.

Wed.’s Devo - In Need of a Saviour

Read: Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8 Proverbs 11:16-17 God told Moses what to do with the census he had taken. He was to divide the land and give the largest land to the tribes with the largest number of people. *** The Levites were listed according to their clans - the Gershonites, the Kohathites and the Merarites. Moses and Aaron were from the Kohathites. There were 23,000 Levites from the ages of a month old and upward. They were not given an inheritance in the land because the Lord was their inheritance. *** We are a kingdom of priest according to 2 Peter and our inheritance is not earthly but heavenly. Our inheritance is the Lord. *** This new census didn’t include any of the first census Moses had taken. They had all died in the wilderness because of their sin, except for Joshua and Caleb who brought back a good report about the land the Lord had given them. *** The daughters of Zelophehad who had no brothers came to present their case. They wanted to inherit their father’s land when he died. Moses sought the Lord’s counsel and he agreed with the women. It became a presidence that if a person died without a son, their land would go to their daughters. If he had no children, it would go to his brother, then if that was not possible it would go to his closest of kin. *** Moses was then taken on the mountain where he could see the land he had brought the people to, but he would die there and not get to enter. The land had never been about Moses, it had been about God’s promise to his people. *** Moses asked the Lord to appoint a leader for the people and God chose Joshua. He was to stand him before Eleazar, the priest and all the congregation and commission him so everyone would see who God had chosen to lead them. *** Then God gave Moses the details of the different offerings the people were to offer to him. They were to also bring offerings on the Sabbath and on their new moon at the beginning of their months. Everything was to begin with honoring him and being thankful. *** In Luke, Luke makes sure we understand that Judea was ruled by non-Jews. Iberius Caesar was in his 15th reign over them. Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea and Herod was the tetrarch over Galilee. Annas and Caiaphas were the high priest who were not chosen by God. They needed a Savior. *** God came to John who lived in the wilderness and told him to begin baptizing people who wanted to repent of their sins He was the voice in the wilderness telling the people to get their lives ready to receive the salvation of the Lord. *** John told them that being a child of Abraham was not enough to save their soul from sin. They need to change the way they lived. Stop extorting money from one another and begin honoring God in the way they treated others. *** People began saying that John could be the Messiah but he quickly put a stop to that. He told them that he only baptized with water, but the one coming was far greater than him and he would baptized them with the Holy Spirit and fire. *** John reproved Herod the tetrarch for taking his brother’s wife, Herodias from him, so Herod had John put in prison. *** Before this, John had baptized Jesus and when he did the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” *** Lord, may we remember to always be thankful every day for what you have given us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins and save us from death.

Tues.’s Devo - The Father’s Business

Read: Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15 Twenty-four thousand had just died in the plague God sent to punish Israel for their rebellion. God told Moses to count how many were left to go to war - 20 years of age and older. Here are some interesting facts from our list of tribes. In Reuben’s tribe Dathan and Abiram and their families had been swallowed up with Korah. But, Korah’s family, who were sons of Aaron were not killed. *** In the tribe of Manasseh, one of the clans had no sons but had five daughters. *** The tribe of Dan only had one clan which were the Shuhamites, yet they had the most people other than the tribe of Judah. Shuhamite means “their pit.” I always think of the tribe of Dan like Judas Iscarot, the tare in the field. The tribe of Dan was know throughout the years for their idolatry and wickedness. Dan means “to judge.” *** In Luke, Mary and Joseph had brought Jesus to the Temple to dedicate him to the Lord and a prophetess named Anna was there. When she saw him she gave thanks to the Lord because she knew he was the one who would bring redemption to Jerusalem. *** When Jesus was 12, he went with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When it was over, his parents began their travel home, only to find out Jesus was not with the group. They had to return to Jerusalem and it took them 3 days to find him. When they did, he was in the Temple astonishing the teachers with his answers and understanding of God. Mary asked him how he could have done this to them, he replied, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business.” *** Jesus had just turned 12 and it was customary for the son to then begin to work in his father’s business. Jesus’ father was God and his business was in the Temple, so it made perfect sense to Jesus to stay and work there. *** Jesus submitted to his parents and returned home to do the business of a carpenter like Joseph. Jesus increased in wisdom and favor with God and man. *** Lord, may we be about your business on the earth. May we increase in wisdom and favor with you and with man.

Mon.’s Devo - Infiltrating Israel

Read: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14 Balaam realized that God enjoyed blessing Israel so this time he didn’t do all his rituals to get God to talk. God’s Spirit came upon him and he spoke. He described the dwellings of the Israelites as beautiful gardens beside a river. God himself would water them and cause them to prosper and multiply. God brought them out of Egypt to destroy other nations. Blessed are those who bless them and cursed are those who curse them. *** Needless to say, Balak was not pleased with this prophecy especially since he was the one wanting to curse them. He told Balaam to flee from his presence and he would receive no honor from him. Balaam reminded him that he had told his servants from the start that he could only say what the Lord allowed him to say. Then he added that he would tell him what the Israelites would do to Balak’s people in the latter days. *** A star and a scepter (a king) would come out of Jacob and he would crush Moab, Edom, Seir, Amalek, and Kittim (Greece and Italy). *** Balaam and Balak departed but not before he gave Balak some advise in how to take Israel down. Revelation 2:14 tells us that Balaam taught Balak how to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel - how to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. So the next thing we read is that the daughters of Moab were the stumbling block. They taught the people of Israel to worship Baal. *** God was so upset he told Moses to take all the leaders of this rebellion and hang them in the sun. Before they could act on this a man brought a Midianite woman to his family and into his tent. This was so flagrant that when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar saw it, he took a spear and went into the man’s tent and drove it through both of them. This stopped the plague that had begun. Twenty-four thousand died in the plague. *** Moses was so proud of what Phinehas did he blessed him with the covenant peace and the covenant of a perpetual priesthood to him and his descendants. The man killed was a chief in the tribe of Simeon. The woman’s name was Cozbi which means “my lie” from Zur which mean “to besiege.” So that means that she was sent to bring them down through deceit. Isn’t that what a stumbling block is supposed to do? *** In Luke, Caesar Agustus made a decree that all the world had to go register themselves at their birthplace. Joseph had to go to Nazareth to Bethlehem where he was born to register. He took Mary his fiancé with him. She was about to deliver and barely made it to Bethlehem. Jesus was born in the stable and placed in the manger because the inns were full because of the census. *** Shepherds outside of Bethlehem were visited by an angel of the Lord. He told them that he had great news. A child had just been born as a gift to them who is Christ the Lord, their Savior. They would find him in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. Then the sky was filled with angels who sang glory and honor to the Lord and peace to the earth. *** When the angels left, the shepherds wanted to go to Bethlehem and find this baby. They did find him and told many people what they had heard from the Lord. Mary treasured these words in her heart. They left praising the Lord for what he was doing. *** Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day and given the name, Jesus. Then Mary and Joseph brought him to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice. *** A old man named Simeon was there who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die till he beheld the Lord’s Christ. He took Jesus in his arms and blessed him as a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. Simeon also blessed Mary and Joseph and told Mary that many in Israel would fall and many rise because of Jesus. She would feel the sword in her own soul, but Jesus would reveal the heart of many. Boy, did that ever come true and is still true today. *** Lord, we are so thankful you sent your son, Jesus to reveal hearts, to be a light of revelation to us, and to see Israel be glorified. We trust what you are doing right now in Israel and know that you are causing the rise and fall of many. May your name be great in the earth!

Sun.’s Devo - From Curse to Blessing

Read: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13 God had told Balaam to go with the men of Moab, but he wanted to make it clear who was in control, and that he was not pleased that he was following this king who wanted to put a curse on Israel. The angel of the Lord went and tried to stop Balaam from going three times, but Balaam was spiritually blind and couldn’t see the angel posed with a sword. But his donkey could and tried to avoid the angel. Each time Balaam struck his donkey. The third time, his donkey spoke! Surely, that was not a common occurrence. But, instead of being shocked his donkey was talking, Balaam carried on a conversation with it. Balaam was probably used to strange phenomenon since he was a sorcerer. *** God finally opened Balaam’s eyes so he could see the angel with the sword. He bowed down in reverence and fear. God told him he could continue, but this was a warning to only speak what he said. *** Balak met Balaam and Balak was incensed that he had waited so long to meet with him and get his reward. Balaam told him he didn’t have the power to speak just anything he wanted. He could only speak what God put in his mouth. His ability to curse on demand had been denied him by the Lord. *** Balak took Balaam to a place where he could see a small portion of the children of Israel. Balaam went through his rituals with his seven altars and sacrifices, then he spoke what the Lord told him to say. Instead of cursing Israel, he blessed them as upright who would multiply and have a good ending. *** Balak was very upset that Balaam had blessed them and not cursed them. He took Balaam to another place where he could view a different tribe of Israel. Once again, Balaam did his seven altars and consulted the Lord. He gave Balak the message. God wasn’t a god who changes his mind. He brought Israel out of Egypt and their is no enchantment that can be used against them. They will rise up like a lion and devour its prey. (I wonder if he wasn’t looking at the tribe of Judah.) *** Balak was not happy with Balaam, even though he kept telling him he could only say what the Lord said. Balak was not giving up. He took Balaam to a third place hoping he could curse them from that viewpoint. Once again, Balaam prepared his seven altars and his sacrifices. (You would think that Balak would give up by now, but his life depended on Balaam’s curse.) *** The amazing thing about this story is that Israel had no idea this was going on. They were grumbling over food and water and their discomforts of the moment and didn’t realize God was protecting them from being cursed by their enemies. I wonder how many times this happens in our lives and we don’t even know the warfare is going on. God is a great defender and protector. He is our loving Father. *** In Luke, Elizabeth had her son, John, and just like the angel had said, many rejoiced with her at his birth. When the baby was brought on the eighth day to be circumcised, they assumed his name would be Zechariah after his father, but Elizabeth said the boys name was John. Zechariah still couldn’t talk so he wrote John’s name on a tablet and immediately his mouth was opened. The first thing he did was to bless the Lord. The people who saw this were amazed and the word of this miracle spread. They wondered what God had in store for this child. *** Zechariah prophesied that God had visited his people to redeem them. John would be a prophet of God who would go before the Lord to prepare his way. He would tell the people of God’s salvation and forgiveness of sins. He would give light to those who were spiritually blind and lead them to the path of life and peace. *** John grew up in the wilderness until it was time for him to appear publicly to Israel. *** Lord, thank you that no curse can touch us when we walk with you. You guard over us and make sure we are blessed. Thank you for your great love.

Sat.’s Devo - Victory After Victory

Read: Numbers 21:1-22:20; Luke 1:26-56; Psalm 57:1-11; Proverbs 11:9-11 The Edomite king had refused to let Israel pass through their land so they had to go around their land the long way to Canaan. When they got to Arad, land owned by a Canaanite king, he came out to fight them. Moses vowed if the Lord would give them victory over him, they would devote their cities to destruction. God gave them victory and they destroyed their cities. *** The people began to grumble again about their conditions. The Lord sent fiery serpents to bite the people and many died. They repented for complaining, and begged Moses to ask the Lord to take away the serpents. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. When the people looked at it they would live. We see that symbol today on medical buildings. *** They came to a well and the Lord told Moses to have the people sing to the well and it brought forth water for them. They soon came to the land belonging to Sihon king of the Amorites. They asked them to let them pass through their land and promised not to touch or take anything. He rallied his troops to fight Israel and Israel took all his cities and villages. They camped in their land and their next stop was the land of Bashan. Og was the king. They fought him in Edrei and defeated him and possessed his land. *** They set out from there to the land of the Moabites. The king of Moab was Balak. He had heard of all Israel did to the Amorites and decided to take a different strategy. Since he couldn’t win fighting them physically, he decided to defeat them spiritually. He wanted to hire Balaam, a prophet to curse them. He sent ambassadors with fees to pay him to curse Israel. They found Balaam and told him what they wanted him to do. When Balaam sought the Lord, He told Balaam that he was not to go with him to do this. He would not curse these people because they were blessed. *** Balak sent princes to convince him to come and curse Israel. Balak explained that even if they gave him a house full of silver and gold, he could not do anything or say anything the Lord didn’t allow him. But, he told them to let him ask the Lord again. God told Balaam that he could go with the men, but only say what he told him to say. *** In Luke, it was the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary in Nazareth. She was a virgin who was engaged to marriage a man named Joseph. Gabriel told Mary that she was honored by God and would bear his Son and name him Jesus. He would reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom would be everlasting. *** When Mary asked how this could happen since she was a virgin, Gabriel said the Holy Spirit would come upon her and overshadow her. The child would be holy and be the son of God. Then he told her that her aunt Elizabeth was also pregnant and in her sixth month. She who was barren was now pregnant because nothing is impossible with God. Mary submitted to the angel’s words and he left her. *** Mary got up and went immediately to see Elizabeth. When she entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth began prophesying that the baby in Mary’s womb would be the Lord. She blessed Mary for believing God would fulfill his word through her. *** Mary praised the Lord, honored to be used by the Lord for so great a task. Mary stayed with Elizabeth the next three months then went home. *** We have all been called to carry his son in our belly. Scripture says that out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water. *** Lord, may our answer to your call be like Mary’s. What a blessing it is to steward your spirit in us. May we praise and honor you with our lives.

Fri.’s Devo - God Speaks

Read: Numbers 19:1-20:29; Luke 1:1-25; Psalm 56:1-13; Proverbs 11:8 The Lord commanded Moses to find a red heifer that was without defect and had never been yoked. Everything about this heifer would point to Jesus as our sacrifice for sin. Moses was to have Eleazar the priest take the heifer outside the camp and slaughter him there. Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem. Then Eleazar was to take some of its blood and sprinkle it on the front of the tent of meeting seven times. Jesus blood was the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all who believed. The heifer was to be completely burned before him. Jesus body was totally given to the Lord as the Lamb of God. The priest would take cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn and throw them into the fire with the heifer. These were all the props we see at the cross. The cedar wood was the cross. They offered Jesus vinegar on hyssop and the scarlet thread was the story of redemption that runs all through God’s plan. *** The one who burns the heifer was to wash his clothes in water and bathe his body and be unclean until the evening. We who appropriate what Jesus did for us on the cross must be baptized to wash away our guilt and shame. Then we will still be unclean until we are resurrected a new creature in Christ. *** A man who was clean was to gather the ashes of the heifer and deposit the outside the camp in a clean place. Joseph of Arimathea was a devout man who came and asked for Jesus’ body and took his remains to his own grave that had not been used and laid it there. The ashes of the heifer were to be kept for the water of impurity for the people as a sin offering. What Jesus did for us on the cross forever frees people from sin. *** Whoever touches the dead body of any person was unclean for seven days. He was to be cleansed on the third day and the seventh to be completely clean. If he doesn’t do this on the third and seventh day, he will not be clean. *** We all are responsible for the death of Christ so we have all “touched a dead body” and are unclean. But, if we give our life to Christ and experience his death, burial and resurrection then we are clean on our resurrection day which will be our third day. We will then be clean on our seventh day which is the day we complete our life on earth and enter heaven. *** This same concept is true no matter where the person gives their life to the Lord. *** In the wilderness of Zin in the first month, Miriam died and was buried there in Kadesh. *** The people ran out of water and blamed Moses for bringing them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. Moses and Aaron sought the Lord and he met with them and told Moses to go out before the people and tell the rock to bring forth water. *** Moses took his staff and struck the rock twice and water came gushing out, but the Lord was very upset at Moses because he didn’t do what he told him to do. He didn’t have faith to just speak to the rock. 
 *** We know that 1 Corinthians 10:4 says that the rock that followed them in the wilderness was Christ and he died once for our sins. Moses had already struck the rock once for the water to represent Christ being struck on the cross. Now, he was to speak to it showing us that salvation comes by confession. Moses messed up the picture God was giving us. We don’t crucify Christ again for our sins, we confess he is the Lord and believe in our hearts that he died, was buried and raised to life. Because Moses disobeyed, he was not allowed to enter into the land the Lord had promised them. They called this place Meribah. *** Moses sent a message to the king of Edom reminding him that they were relatives and had been oppressed for years and now were free. He asked that they be able to peacefully pass through their land. They would not take water or anything from their land, but the king refused to let them go through his land. He even brought an army out against them to verify his decision. *** So, Moses had to take the people around the land of the Edomites to Mount Hor. The Lord told Moses that Aaron was to die on this mountain because he rebelled at Meribah. Moses, Aaron and Eleazar went up Mount Hor while the people looked on and Moses took the high priest robe off of Aaron and put it on Eleazar. Aaron died there and Moses and Eleazar returned. The people of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days. *** We begin the book of Luke today. Luke was written in order of events and was a compilation of those who walked with Jesus and saw with their own eyes what he did. We begin the book with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was a priest from the line of Abijah, the one who rebelled with Korah in the wilderness. Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. They had no children and were very old. *** The priesthood was divided into 24 groups that served one group per month. It was Zechariah’s month to serve in the Temple. He was at the table of incense when an angel appeared to him and told him that God had heard their prayer and was granting them a son. Elizabeth would have a son and his name would be John. He would be a Nazarene from birth, like Samson. He would turn many of the children of Israel back to the Lord and would have the spirit of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, and to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. *** Zechariah doubted the Lord could bring a child from Elizabeth’s aged body so the Lord told him he would not be able to speak till it happened. *** Zechariah was in the Temple so long, the people began to wonder what was going on. When he came out and he couldn’t speak, they realized he had seen a vision. He tried to act out what he saw. *** Elizabeth became pregnant just as the Lord had said and Elizabeth stayed hidden in her house. She knew the Lord had blessed her and taken away her reproach of being barren. *** This was what God was doing for Israel. He was taking away the reproach of not being fruitful as a people. God was answering the prayers of the faithful. *** Lord, I thank you that you are taking away the reproach of America and other nations who have been under evil leadership. Guide the plans of our godly leaders and expose those who are not following you. May you turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. May we make ourselves ready for your coming.

Thur.’s Devo - God Decides Who His Leaders Are

Read: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7 Yesterday we read where Korah, Dathan and Abiram who were leaders rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were swallowed along with 250 of their followers into the earth. Today, we see that the people blamed Moses and Aaron for killing them. How absurd! Did they really think that Moses had the power to open the earth? God wanted to kill the whole bunch of them but Moses told Aaron to run and put fire and incense in his censer and make atonement for the people. A plague broke out and before Aaron could get there with his censer, 14,700 had dropped dead. *** God spoke to Moses and told them to have each leader of each tribe bring a rod with their name carved on it and lay it before the Lord in the tent of meeting. God would cause the man who he chooses by making his rod sprout. When Moses went in the next day Aaron’s rod had sprouted, bud, blossoms and ripe almonds. Everyone could see this when they came to get their rod. God had Moses keep Aaron’s rod as a reminder in case they grumbled over who was in charge again. *** The people were now afraid of the Lord and claimed that everyone who came near the tabernacle died. So God put on Aaron and his sons the responsibility of the people’s sins. The Levites wee to help them in their jobs and guard the tabernacle. The Levites were to be a gift to the priests. *** The Lord gave to Aaron and his sons every offering - grain, sin, guilt and wave offering for them as food. They were to treat it as holy. They also were given the first fruits of what the people gave. Even of their children and their animals. The people were able to redeem them with five shekels of silver. But, the Levites and the priests were to own no land in the promised land. God was to be their inheritance and their portion. *** The Levites were given the people’s tithe as payment for their service to the Lord. They were to give a tithe of the best of what they received back to the Lord. *** In Mark, Mary Magdalene and Mary, James’ mother and Salome brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body. It was the third day since Jesus had died. They were amazed to see that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. A young man was sitting on the right side in a white robe and told them that Jesus was not here but risen. They were to go and tell his disciples and Peter that he was going to meet them in Galilee, just like he told them before. *** After Jesus had risen from the dead, he appeared to many people first Mary Magdalene, then the two walking to Emaus, then the eleven disciples. He told his disciples to go into the world and preach the gospel. Those who believe, they were to baptize, but those who didn’t believe would be condemned. *** They will have signs that now with them. In his name they will cast out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up serpents in their hands and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover. *** After Jesus had given them their commission, he returned to sit at the right hand of God. His disciples went and did as he told them to do and experienced God’s miraculous power. *** Lord, we have been given the same commission. May we go out in boldness and power and experience your miracles working through our hands.

Wed.’s Devo - Judgement and Atonement

Read: Numbers 15:17-16:40; Mark 15:1-47; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 11:5-6 When they came into the land God promised they were to bring him a sacrifice from the first fruits of the land. *** If they as a congregation sinned by mistake, they were to offer one bull for a burnt offering, a grain offering, a drink offering and a goat for a sin offering. Then, they and everyone who lives among them will be forgiven. *** If just one person sinned by mistake he was to offer a female goat as a sin offering and the priest will make atonement for the person. But if a person sins purposely to defile the Lord, that person would be cut off and bear his own sin. There was no repentance for him. *** They found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath and the Lord said to stone him to death. *** God told them to make tassels on the corners of their garments and to put blue tassels in the corners of their shawl. This was to remind them of the commandments of the Lord and to not follow the desires of their flesh. *** Korah who was a son of Levi, Dathan and Abiram who were sons of Eliab along with 250 of the chiefs of the congregation joined together to stand against Moses and Aaron. They were tired of following Moses and Aaron and wanted to rule instead. *** Moses told them to bring censers with fire and incense in them to the tent of meeting and the Lord would choose who was holy and who was not. Dathan and Abiram refused to come but Korah showed up. The Lord wanted to kill them all but Moses cried out for the innocent. The Lord then told Moses to get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Moses stood before their tents and told the people to stand back or they would be judged along with them. Dathan and Abiram and all their families came to the front of their tent. Moses told them that the ground was going to open its mouth and swallow them if they had despised the Lord. That is exactly what happened and they went to Sheol alive along with their families and all their belongings. The earth closed over them and all Israel fled with fear. *** God told Moses to tell Eleazar to take their censers and scatter the fire to make them holy. Eleazar obeyed then took their bronze censers of the ones who had died and hammered them out as a covert for the altar. It was to remind the people of what happened and that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron should draw near to burn incense before the Lord lest they die like these men did. *** We have a mirror of that same rebellion in Mark. The chief priests and scribes and the whole council bound Jesus and took him to Pilate. Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was the King of the Jews. Jesus told him he said it. The chief priest told Pilate all the things they were accusing Jesus of and Jesus refused to give a rebuttal. Pilate was amazed at that. ** It was the feast and Pilate would customarily release a prisoner each year. He had a man named Barabbas who was a murderer and a insurrectionist. He brought him and Jesus before the crowd and asked which they wanted released. Because of their jealousy of Jesus, the priest instigated the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released. When Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus, they yelled to crucify him. Pilate could make no sense of their request but he released Barabbas and had Jesus scrounged and delivered to them to crucify. *** Jesus was led inside the palace of the governor and they clothed Jesus in purple cloth and a crown of thorns was placed on his head. They mocked him as the King of the Jews and spat on him and beat him. Then they put his own clothes back on him and led him to the cross. *** They made Simon, who was just passing by, carry his cross for him and led him to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. They cast lots for his garments and crucified him between two robbers. He was taunted and mocked by those who walked by. *** At the sixth hour, darkness covered the whole land for three hours. Then Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus cried out and then died. The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom and the centurions who were guarding him said, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” *** The two Mary’s and many of the women who had followed Jesus watched all this from a distance. *** Joseph of Arimathea, who was a respected member of the council went to Pilate and asked for Jesus body. and took a linen shroud and wrapped him in it and laid him in his own tomb. He rolled a stone over the entrance. The two Mary’s saw where Jesus was brought. *** Lord, thank you for tearing the curtain between man and You. Thank you that we can come boldly before your throne any time we want and need to. Thank you that you are accessible and forgiving. You are our perfect High Priest.