But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.

Numbers 9:1-14

But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native. Numbers 9:13-14

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today, Numbers 9:1-14, we see the Lord give instructions to Moses to celebrate the Passover.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Passover was first celebrated in Egypt on the night Israel fled bondage - see Exodus 12.  In Exodus 12:14, God commands Israel to mark the day as "a memorial day, and [to] shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast."  In the text today in Numbers, we see God instructing Moses, while Israel has been in the wilderness for a year, to keep the Passover "at the appointed time."  The text also shares how all should celebrate the Passover, including whether you are clean or unclean due to ceremonial law (e.g. touching a dead body, etc.) or whether you are part of Israel or simply a "sojourner."  Gratitude and remembrance of what God has done for you is a critical part of a believer's daily journey.  First and foremost, we should remember that God loved us first, knowing everything about our sin, etc. as Paul and John share He loved us first while still an enemy and hostile to Him - see also Romans 5:8-10, 1 John 4:19.  Of course there are many blessings that God pours out for us - God is faithful 2 Corinthians 1:20 and working in all circumstances for good 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 8:28.        
• What do we learn from the text about people?: We (see Isaiah 55:8) often look at what is going wrong or not according to our expectations and gratitude to God is key to focus our heart on God. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeing your circumstances and thinking that God is not at work in your life.  Claim the promise that God is always at work for good and all of His promises find there yes in Him.  Follow the example of Paul and John who see God's goodness in how He loved us first while we are still an enemy and hostile to Him.  Be thankful in all circumstances. 

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 My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You are always at work for good.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  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.

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at gratitude to God and how it glorifies Him.  John Piper starts the devotion by sharing that "[g]ratitude to God is a joyful emotion. We have a sense of joyful indebtedness for his grace. So in a sense in the very emotion of gratitude, we are still the beneficiaries. But by its very nature, gratitude glorifies the giver. When we feel thankful, we acknowledge our need and God’s beneficence, God’s fullness, the riches of his glory."  Piper goes on to describe how Paul, even though he labors for the church, his ultimate goal (see also 1 Corinthians 10:31) is the glory of God.  In the verse in 2 Corinthians 4 that Piper highlights today, Paul describes how, as each new person is saved, God gets more and more glory as each new person saved thanks Him for his or her salvation - as salvation is of course a gift of which all believers are undeserving.  Believers be grateful to Him and bring glory to God - this is why we exist.

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God and worthy of all glory - You freely give me salvation and pour out Your mercies every day.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of any of this.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such 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.   

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper discusses how a life of humility and gratitude glorifies God.  Piper starts by positing that when we express our gratitude to God, we are the beneficiaries - we receive grace (and other blessings) and we in turn we are thankful. Piper then states that a posture of humble gratitude leads us to "acknowledge our need and God’s beneficence," glorifying the giver (God).  This is the key, according to Piper, as he uses Paul's words to the Corinthians to stake his claim: "this is Paul’s final goal in all his labors. Yes, his labors are for the sake of the church — the good of the church. But the church is not the highest goal....God’s all-supplying glory in giving and our humble gladness in receiving are not in competition. Joyful thankfulness glorifies God." So, believers, we should - not just on Thanksgiving (yesterday) - daily be joyfully thankful for God's grace and blessings.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and worthy of my gratitude - daily!  You died for me and You never leave or forsake me and Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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 accept 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.  

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel."

 Leviticus 23

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel." Isaiah 44:21-23

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twenty - Celebrating Our Relationship with the Sovereign Lord of Time  - covering Leviticus 23:1-44, looking specifically at the introduction and first theme for the chapter - Look at the Old Covenant Celebrations God Established.  In the introduction, the commentary states that, upon a reading of Leviticus 23, we are to observe and understand how God is sovereign over time, "and He calls us to order our time around Him, and go into His presence to regularly worship Him, thank Him, commit to Him, and seek His forgiveness....God's Word compels us to build all of life around Him and direct all of life to Him"; this includes work, family, free time, good times and bad times - all our time should center around and revolve around Him as we demonstrate spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, service, and love of God and others.  Looking specifically at the theme for today, the commentary then describes the Old Covenant celebrations found in Leviticus 23:

• Passover v4-5: celebrates how God rescued Israelites infant boys from the final plague sent from God as He demonstrated His wrath against Egypt in preparation for delivering the Israelites from bondage
• Festival of Unleavened Bread v6-8: celebrates how the Israelites rushed out of Egypt and were rescued from bondage and in their hasted could only bring unleavened bread
• Festival of Firstfruits v8-14: celebrates the beginning of the harvest
  
• Festival of Weeks v15: celebrates the harvest
• Festival of trumpets v23-25: celebrates the coming of the new year
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
• Festival of Booths (Tabernacles - Succoth) v33-43: celebrates how Israel survived the wilderness on their journey from Egypt to the promised land (see also Nehemiah 8:14-16)  

The commentary wraps but asking why believers should learn about these festivals.  It states that "[f]irst this information is important because it is in the Bible.  Second, the old covenant festivals are important because of what God did in salvation history during those festivals and how that salvation history relates to us." 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You an amazing God who loves me and who is full of mercy and grace for me - I am not deserving of such grace.  I have sin...daily...of worry and other sins.  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.

Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Daniel 6

Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10

Day 265 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a look back at Daniel during his time in exile in Babylonia - this morning we review the well known story of "Daniel in the Lions' Den". Much like the story of Joseph (see story starting in Genesis 37) where Joseph serves humbly for Pharaoh during his captivity in Egypt, Daniel makes much of his time in exile in Babylonia - focusing not on the challenges of his circumstances but instead on the opportunities of his circumstances.  

In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul provides instructions on Christian living, writing:   

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus". 1 Thessalonians 5:18

The Old Testament contains many examples of how Israel and Judah failed to remember all God has done for them and how the prophets sought to remind Israel of God's many blessings - see example post. Worship and maintaining a heart of gratitude are therefore critical as part of our walk and journey with God. We can only glorify God if we attribute all that we are to Him and be thankful for what He has done and see our lives through the lens that God is blessing us in both good and difficult times as both (or all times) present opportunities to glorify God - perhaps more so during the latter.  

I am convicted this morning to be less prideful about circumstances at work where I believe I am deserving of more than I am currently experiencing.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who blesses me EVERY single day - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving for the blessings You pour out daily.  My sin is great...and daily, pride, worry, harsh words and actions, etc.  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.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Joshua 22-24

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

Day 72 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on Joshua's farewell address to the Israelites, and he both encourages faithfulness to the Lord and warns them of harsh consequences of unfaithfulness.  He reminds the Israelites of what the Lord has done for them.  His words include the following passages:

You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west.  Joshua 23:4-5

“The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised.  Joshua 23:9-10

You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.  Joshua 23:14

This last verse echos sentiments I posted yesterday on how God keeps ALL of His promises as He is faithful.

Broadly speaking, by encouraging the Israelites to remember what God has done, Joshua encourages a heart of gratitude and thankfulness, which John Piper in this great post refers to as "an essential guardian of the soul, and therefore we should guard ourselves with gratitude".  He goes on to say:  "[e]vidently we are fair game for the devil when we don't abound with thanksgiving. Unless the song of thanksgiving is being sung in our hearts the enemy outside will deceive his way into the city of our soul, and the enemy sympathizers within will make his job easy".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has done SO much for me - my words cannot do justice for the many blessings You have and continue to pour out on me.  Thank You Jesus!  God is good!  I am not deserving of such a great God.  I continue to sin.  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 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.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

1 John 3

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! v1

We have been blessed indeed.  We have a Father that knows everything about us, including our sin, yet He chose to live as we do, suffering and dying in our place.  We are blessed indeed!

Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:6

 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

 

We should be content with what we have and because we have such a God!

 

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

My Prayer: Indeed - You are Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior!  King of Kings and Lord of Lords...all knowing and all powerful.  You DO know everything about me...yet You chose me as Your son...and gave me blessings that are overwhelming.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such showers of love.  I am selfish, lazy, worrisome, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  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.  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.

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

Psalm 105

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. v5-6

God is indeed worthy of our worship and praise.  Friday I posted how God created and reigns over all of creation.  This morning, my focus is on how we must be remember all that God has done, for His wonders never cease, and His power and hand is present in all of our lives, in the world, all of the time.  Many times we cannot recognize that suffering is either a miracle in itself for what is produces or it is a precursor to a miracle.   

We must be mindful that God has not only done wondrous things but He continues to do them and will always be full of miracles - it is in His nature.  God wants us to be in awe and in fear of Him and He also wants to love others as He loves us (John 13:34-35).  We are to be remember and be grateful.

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God full of love, kindness, generosity, patience, etc. for me...thank You Jesus.  I know I am not deserving of such love.  I am impatient, selfish, etc.  Please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Praise You for a great appointment Lisa had on Friday.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.

Psalm 85

The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. v12

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

 

If God is before all things and He controls all circumstances and if He also only good then we can trust and have faith in Him - the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  Even when times are difficult, we must not be shaken because God is using all circumstances for our good and His purpose.  We must give thanks.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My Prayer: Lord, You are ONLY good.  And I know You are for me...You know everything about me, yet You chose me then suffered and died for me.  You are able to redeem my sin for my good and Your purpose - only You can do this!  How great a God are You!  Thank You for adopting me as Your child - I am deeply grateful.  Yet I am not worthy of such an act - I am broken and in need of forgiveness and mercy.  Please forgive me for me worry and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Psalm 66

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. v12

God either allows or creates circumstances in our lives - good or bad.  God is in control.  Yes, we have free will but nothing is hidden from God and there are consequences for our sin.  Yet, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28)".

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

We must see all of our circumstances as for God's glory and our good.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

My Prayer:  Lord, You are an awesome God, full of love and compassion for all of Your children...all of the time.  You create goodness and abundance in our lives daily...throughout the day and we are often not paying attention or distracted by the world.  You tell us not to conform to the patterns of this world yet too often we do.  Forgive me Jesus for falling prey to such temptations.  I worry, I am impatient, I get angry, I am full of pride and arrogance....help me turn from such sin and turn towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa, Zach and Dustin and help me serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. v5

No doubt, Jesus has blessed me beyond what I deserve as I am witness to God's glory daily, all day long.  From sunrise to sunset and all the days of my life, I see God at work in my life, in the world, and in the lives of others.  What an amazing God You are!   

Scripture encourages us to be thankful as proper worship for the One True God who delivers, rescues, protects, provides, heals, teaches, encourages, etc.

See here for Colossians 3 and 1 Thessalonians 5 as examples.  Other examples, include Hebrews 12 and Colossians 4.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

 

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

 

My Prayer: God You are THE God, my God, one who is always there, never breaks His promises and provides life to the FULL.  You are an amazing God and You bless me beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus but please forgive me for my lack of patience, compassion and grace for others.  Help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.

Psalm 21

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might. v13

We should not fail to see God's strength, power, glory, daily in all things, regardless of where we are in our life. 

Creation alone is worthy of our praise.

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them, they all stand up together. Isaiah 48:13

And God blesses us with His Word, His Son, the Holy Spirit.  And we are blessed with a God who is able to sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15) because He lived as a man and was tempted as we are. He lived a sinless life and then died for us so that we could have eternal life and be free from the bondage of sin. Jesus, thank You for the greatness You are and for the greatness You are for us and the many blessings You pour out in our lives daily!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are!  You are so full of compassion, grace, patience, etc. for me...even though I am surely undeserving!  Thank You!  That You would even lift a finger for me is amazing.  You don't even need me...yet You come after me like the one lost sheep...thank You Jesus!  I love You Jesus and I desperately need You in my life.  Please forgive me for my selfishness.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You Jesus.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.