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.

Tues.’s Devo - God’s Way is Narrow -

Read: Numbers 14:1-15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalm 53:1-6; Proverbs 11:4 The people had just heard the report of the ten spies who thought it would be suicide to fight the giants in the land. So, the people cried out against Moses and Aaron and some wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt. *** Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the people and Joshua stood up and reminded them that the Lord was with them and would help them defeat the giants. The people wanted to stone all three of them but God intervened. His glory came down to the tent of meeting. *** God told Moses that he was tired of working with these stubborn people and would make a nation from Moses’ offspring. He wanted to kill them and disinherit the grumblers. Moses interceded for the people and told the Lord that it would hurt his reputation on the earth if he did that. He reminded God of his promise that he was slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and he promised to forgive their iniquity and transgressions. *** The Lord answered on the promise that one day the whole earth would be filled with his glory. (We are living in expectation of this promise.) He swore that none of the people who had seen all his miracles and doubted would enter into the land. But, their children who they said would be prey to the giants, would enter and inherit the land. Only Joshua and Caleb would live to enter the land of their generation. *** When Moses told this to the people, they realized they had really messed up and some of them decided to go into the land and fight the giants. Moses told them not to go because God would not be with them and they would not succeed. They went anyway and were not successful. *** God was already preparing for the day they would go in. He told Moses exactly how much their offering would be when they entered into the land. It would be the same for them and the stranger with them. *** In Mark, Jesus was then taken to the home of the high priest. Peter stayed in the courtyard with the guards. He listened as false witnesses brought their charges against Jesus. None of them were strong enough until one of them quoted Jesus saying he would destroy the temple made with hands and in three days, build another not made with hands. That is not what Jesus said, but they liked it and Jesus had no rebuttal. When the high priest asked Jesus if he was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus answered, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his robe and called it blasphemy. The council agreed and condemned him to death. They spit on him and covered his face to strike him. They mocked him, telling him to prophesy. *** Peter was recognized by one of the servant first of the high priest but he denied being one of his disciples. The rooster crowed. He denied knowing Jesus two more times and the rooster crowed again. He remembered what Jesus had said and broke into tears. *** Lord, Thank you that we have the Holy Spirit to give us strength when we are weak and afraid. Thank you that your promises can be trusted and one day the whole earth will be filled with your glory.

Mon.’s Devo - Sending the Spies

Read: Numbers 11:24-13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalm 52:1-9; Proverbs 11:1-3 God had told Moses to gather 70 faithful leaders from among the tribes and he would give them instructions. He had also told them that he would give them meat till it was up to their nose. 
 *** Moses called the 70 leaders to the tent but only 68 came. God came down in the cloud and spoke to them and filled these men with His Spirit. The men began to prophesy and the two who had not came out began to prophesy in the camp. *** Joshua told Moses to stop the two who were prophesying in the camp. Moses refused to do it and told Joshua he wished everyone in the camp were prophets. *** God sent a wind to blow in quail from the sea which fell all around their camp. The next day, the people went out and gathered them. The least anyone gathered was 60 bushels! They were like ravenous beasts. (I wonder if they drained them and cooked them first.) Before they could take a bite, God was so angry with them that he struck them down with a plague. They were buried there named the place Kibroth-hattaavah which means “the graves of lust.” *** Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses’ marriage to a Cushite woman. Cush was the son of Ham so I can see the problem they had, but God didn’t seem to have the same problem with it. God called the three of them: Moses, Aaron and Miriam to the tent of meeting. God defended Moses who he spoke to face to face. He asked them why they were not afraid to speak against Moses. When the Lord left in his cloud, Miriam was covered with leprosy. Aaron immediately repented for both of them. Miriam was set outside the camp for seven days then brought back in. *** The Lord had Moses send out 12 spies to the promised land of Canaan. Each tribe sent a spy. Joshua went from Judah and Caleb went from the tribe of Issachar. The twelve traveled the land for 40 days and saw the cities, the hill country and the land by the sea. Everywhere they went they saw the assets of the fruitful land, but they also saw the giants living there. Moses had told them to bring back the produce from the land so they brought back the first fruits of the grape harvest which tells us this was the time of the fall feasts. They should have blown their trumpets and taken the land and set up God’s kingdom there. Caleb stood up and encouraged the people to take the land at once, but fear and the bad reports caused them to miss their opportunity. They looked at the circumstances and forgot God’s promises and all he had done to get them there. *** In Mark, Jesus gave his disciples the bread, blessed it and broke it. He told them that it signified his body. Then he gave them the wine and gave thanks. He told them to drink it because it signified his blood and the covenant they had with him. He would not drink from the fruit of the vine till he drinks it in the new kingdom. *** They sang a hymn, then Jesus took them to the Mount of Olives. He told them they would all fall away from him. Peter, of course, said he wouldn’t. Jesus told him he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. *** They went to Gethsemane and Jesus asked them to pray. Jesus was deep in prayer wanting not to have to go through this great trial, but he wanted what God wanted more than his own life. Jesus came back to find them sleeping three times. He named Peter and asked him why he couldn’t pray for an hour with him. *** Finally, the last time he returned to them it was time for his betrayer to come. Judas arrived with a crowd armed with clubs and swords. He kissed Jesus and called him Rabbi. This was the sign for the leaderss to seize Jesus. Peter drew his sword and cut off the servant of the high priest’s ear. In another gospel, Jesus healed his ear. *** There was a young man in a linen cloth who was a follower of Jesus. They seized him but he fled leaving his linen cloth behind. All through the Bible you will find these “watchers” in linen. *** Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to earth and teaching us about God. Thank you for enduring the cross so that we might have everlasting life. Thank you for your great plans for our future. May we purpose to walk worthy of your sacrifice.

Sun.’s Devo - The Trumpets

Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32 God told Moses to make two silver trumpets to use to bring the congregation together and to signal the time to break camp. When both trumpets were blown, the people were to gather. When only one was blown, only the heads of the tribes were to gather. When an alarm was blown, which consisted of several short blasts, the tribes on the east were to begin their march. When it was blown again then the tribes on the south would begin their march and it would continue till they were all moving. *** To gather all the people a long blast was sounded like the one that sounded when Moses went up on Mt. Sinai. A separate alarm was blasted when they were to go to war. This one would reach heaven and God would save them from their enemies. They were also to sound these trumpets at their appointed feasts and at the first day of their months. These trumpet blasts would remind them that they belong to the Lord. *** On the 20th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year the cloud lifted and the people set out by their stages from Mt. Sinai. It took them to the wilderness of Paran where Ishmael had ended up (Gen. 21:21). They traveled for three days. At the start of each day, Moses would declare, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” Then at the end of the day, when they stopped to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” *** The Holy Spirit is the trumpet in our spiritual ears who warns us, calls us to meet with the Lord and tells us when to go to minister. It is up to us to heed the sound. *** The people complained about how unfortunate they were and when the Lord heard it, he sent fire to burn among them and it consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. The people went to Moses who prayed to God for mercy. He called the place Taberah which means “burning.” *** The instigators among them complained there was no meat to eat. They reminded the people of the fish they ate in Egypt and all the vegetables they had there. All they ate day and night now was manna. *** Moses went to the Lord and complained that the people complained all the time and the burden of them was too much for him. *** God told Moses to find 70 elders and meet with them. They were to help Moses carry the burden of all the people’s complaints. He also told him to have the people consecrate themselves because they were eating meat the next day. In fact they would eat meat a whole month till it was coming out of their nostrils. When Moses questioned how the Lord was going to do this since they didn’t have enough animals to kill and feed this crowd, God told him to wait and see. He was true to his word. *** Is there anything too hard for the Lord? In our lives, that is the question God is asking us. Nothing comes as a surprise to the Lord. He has already come up with the solution to every problem we have and will ever have. *** In Mark it was two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The chief priest had decided they would kill Jesus in private after the feast because there were too many people during the feast. God had other plans. *** In Bethany, Jesus was anointed for his burial by a woman who would always be remembered for her act of love. *** This was the last straw for Judas Iscarot when he saw the costly perfume being wasted on Jesus. He went to the chief priests and made a deal to betray Jesus for money. *** On the first day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus sent two of his disciples to find a place for them to eat the Passover. It was a room God had prepared for them. *** At this last meal, Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. They were all sorrowful, hoping it wasn’t them. Jesus exposed him as the one who was dipping out of the same dish. Jesus pronounced a curse on him. He said it would have been better for him if he hadn’t been born. Judas had seen all the miracles and had experienced deliverances from his own hand and yet he turned his back on Jesus and gave him over to his enemies. *** Lord, today’s Psalm is our prayer. May we not judge but be humble and grateful for your merciful salvation. Thank you for giving your life as a ransom for our souls.

Sat.’s Devo - Stay Awake!

Read: Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30 Moses was to set up the lamp stands so that the light was in front of the lamp stand. It was made of hammered gold to resemble almond branches. *** The Levites were to be cleansed by shaving all of their skin and washing themselves and their clothes in the water of purification. Moses was to bring the whole congregation to watch him lay his hands on the heads of the priests and offer them before the Lord as a wave offering from the people. Then the Levites were to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls transferring their sins to the bull and offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord to make atonement for their sins. This was to make them separate from the people. The priests, now, took the place of the first born. *** This purification made them authorized to minister in the tabernacle. The Levites were also authorized to do their duties of serving the priests and guarding the tent of meeting. *** A year from when they had left Egypt, they were going to celebrate the Passover for the first time in the wilderness. There were a few men who were unclean because they had touched a dead body. They wanted to be part of the celebration so Moses asked God what they could do. *** The Lord told them that if they were unclean or out of town on the day of Passover, they could wait and serve it in the second month instead of the first month. But, if they were clean and present and didn’t celebrate it then they would be cut off from their people. Passover represents salvation from sin. Our only way to eternal life is to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ. *** When the tabernacle was all in place the cloud of God’s glory covered the tabernacle. It became fire at night. Whenever the cloud lifted and moved, they broke camp and moved with it. *** In Mark, Jesus continues his teaching about the end times. When they witnessed abomination going on in the Temple they were to run. This will be the sign that great tribulation was upon they land. God will shorten those days for the elect. False saviors will arise, but don’t be fooled. They will try to deceive even the elect, if possible. *** The sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine and stars will fall from the sky. The powers in the sky will be shaken. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Angels will be sent out to gather together God’s elect on the earth. *** These signs will be like the fig tree bearing its leaves. That happens in the summer. This will tell us that the time is very hear. This generation will not pass away till all the things he said, take place. Heaven and earth will pass away but his words will not pass away. *** No one knows the hour that will happen, not even the angels or the Son, only the Father. Our job is to always be awake, alert and ready. *** We have seen many of these things already manifested in the natural. 1 Corinthians 15:46 says that first we see the natural, then the spiritual comes afterwards. Paul goes on to say that our mortality will be swallowed up in immortality in the blink of an eye. I have more questions than answers. Revelation becomes clearer and clearer the closer we get to the time of its revealing. *** Lord, we may not understand all you said, but we can be awake, alert and ready. May we not get entangled with the things of this world and become spiritually asleep.