And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.

Numbers 21:1-3

And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah. Numbers 21:1-3

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 21:1-3 - Israel encounters a challenge in the king of Arad who sought to fight against Israel, Israel reaches out to God, and God responds.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Believers must understand the tension between how God is sovereign over all matters (Colossians 1:15-17, see also John Piper book Providence), yet we also have free will.  John Piper argues that Christians are not then robots and our free will then causes God to respond - here in the text today, God responds to a vow (form of prayer with an obligation - see also Hannah's vow to God) from Israel by "heed[ing] the voice of Israel," and giving the Canaanites over to them.  When we encounter challenges, God seeks for us to go to Him and ask for help to overcome.  We don't know how God will respond but we can be assured that He will respond, either by helping us endure or by removing the obstacle or challenge. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Israel is likely frustrated that they encounter challenges such as when the king of Edom refuses to let them pass through or today in the text.  They were given the Promised Land, yet why is getting there so hard?  We must understand how God is at work in His plan and His timing.  With Israel, we have to see how God punished Israel for its rebelliousness and how God sought to refine and purify Israel of such sin.  When we make such a vow, we cannot assume that God will always respond the way we seek - here God did, but again this very often will not be the case.  Regardless, God wants us to see Him at work always, that He reigns, and that we must depend on Him to endure and overcome challenges and obstacles.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not try and overcome or endure challenges under your own strength and power.  Claim the promise that He will help us overcome (John 16:33). Follow the example of Israel to go to God when You encounter challenges or obstacles.  Trust that God is always at work for good. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that is in control, always at work for good and You save!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love, save and bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

John 2:1-12

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:3-4

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 2:1-12 using the Sword Bible Study Method, and tomorrow I will take another pass at the text and summarize my thoughts from both today and tomorrow by providing an outline/divisions and main point for the text.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Once again, as I posted yesterday, Jesus acts with intent and purpose - He has a plan; see v4 where He rebukes His mother for asking Him to make more wine by sharing "My hour has not yet come"; yet while Jesus does act with intent and He does have a plan, He responds to the cares and concerns of His people and in this case His own mother;  clearly this was not a need that reached the same level as other requests for healing, etc. but Jesus will respond to the cares and concerns of His people and STILL make His plan work; here Jesus produces wine from water - the first of His miracles that "manifested His glory" - v10.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Jesus' mother's request can be seen as a petty use of Jesus' power as the King of Kings; people often make petty requests of God - He is not a vending machine - vv3-4. Upon Jesus' turning of the water into wine, Jesus' disciples believed 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should bring our cares and concerns to Jesus (1 Peter 5:7) and He wants to hear them - however, we should be mindful that Jesus is not a vending machine and we should seek His will not our own with our requests (see also Luke 22:42).    

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who is full of compassion and grace - You want to hear our cares and concerns and You respond.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love, grace and mercy - my salvation - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[W]henever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Mark 3:7-21

[W]henever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. Mark 3:11-12

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 3:7-21, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations from the text using the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus does not want to be known as just someone who performs signs and wonders - miracles.  He wants it to be clear that He is the One prophesied about in the Old Testament....the incarnate Son of God.  Once again we experience the Messianic Secret.  Jesus is sovereign over demons.  Jesus calls believers to specific roles - in this case the first twelve apostles.  Judas is appointed - even though Judas betrays Jesus, Judas' sin is used for good (see also Genesis 50:20) as Jesus' arrest and crucifixion is required for Jesus to rise again, defeating sin and death.        
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: There will always be people who seek something from God - more than salvation.  They are drawn to Him for what they expect Jesus can do for them not because we all sin and are in need of salvation.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey)?: We should come to Jesus in humility, not with expectations that He will do something for us - we must acknowledge that God's will and purposes reign - not our own.  We of course should avoid betraying Jesus - instead we should please, honor and glorify God as this is our purpose. When we are called to a specific role we should follow Jesus' call to do His will.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion for me - laying down Your live for me, knowing everything about me, including my sin, yet loving me first and saving me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and for my salvation. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

John 4

 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” v48

In v43-54 we see Jesus healing an official's son in Cana (see also John 2 where Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding).  Jesus' response (v48) to the royal official's request (v47) reveals perhaps an untoward motive on the part of the official.  Many people view the basis of a relationship with Jesus Christ as transactional - Jesus exists to affirmatively respond to our prayers; that He exists for us.  MacArthur writes that the official's motivation "apparently centered in Jesus' reputation as a miracle worker rather than as Messiah.

Check out this video and this post which echo my sentiment that God is NOT a vending machine!

Instead, we MUST recognize Jesus as Messiah and that we exist to glorify God not the other way around.  

In a step of faith, the official did take Jesus at His word that his son will live (v49-50).  The official's son did live and "he and his whole household believed" (v51-53).

Contrast the official in this story with that of the centurion in Matthew 8 and Luke 7 where the centurion referred to Jesus as Lord.

God wants a personal relationship with us where we spend time with Him, we get to know Him through study of His Word, we share our praise and prayers with Him, and we worship Him (including corporate worship at church).

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and You are always there - I know this - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a God.  I sin - all of the time!  Please forgive me for how I missed the mark yesterday - it happens every day!  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.