Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.

 Numbers 13:1-20

Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land. Numbers 13:20

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 13:1-20 - God gives Moses instructions to send men into Canaan, the land God promised Abraham and his descendants - they were to scout out the land and its inhabitants.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God often tests us by giving us challenges that without a doubt require us to lean wholly on Him.  This is one of those challenges - yet the challenge has yet to unfold.  For now, God is asking spies to scout the land. Moses gives the spies, including Joshua (originally named Hoshea), specific instructions as laid out in vv17-20.  His final charge is to be courageous and to "bring some of the fruit of the land."  God wants us to follow His will for our lives and to be courageous.  God knows what is ahead - He does not need this scouting the report, He needs Israel (us) to be courageous.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Each of the men sent to spy were chiefs of their tribes (v2), so leaders are expected to demonstrate courage as an example for the rest of Israel. 
• 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 God's instructions as burdensome or worrisome - as God is with us just as He we was with Israel in the wilderness.  Claim the promise that we can never be separated from God's love even as He tests us with challenging tasks.  Follow the example of Joshua to be courageous.  Follow God's will regardless of the challenge. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You an awesome God that is faithful and always with us.  We can follow You as we will never be separated from Your love, etc.  Thank You Jesus that You save and bless in such ways.  I am not deserving, nor are any of us, for 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 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. 

Peace be with you....Peace be with you....And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

 John 20:19-23

Peace be with you....Peace be with you....And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:19,20,22

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 20:19-23, where Jesus appears to the disciples after the resurrection.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God seeks to bring peace of mind (vv19, 21) to the disciples, first that it is truly Him, so He shows them (v20) the wounds to His hands and side (which was pierced) as He hung on the cross.  Peace of mind was important as well because of persecution of the those identified to be followers of Jesus - if Jesus could be put to death so could anyone associated with Him.  Jesus gives us peace - even in the darkest moments.  He is Light (see also John 1:4, 8:12). Jesus sought to give this peace of mind certainly through His physical presence, but also through the Holy Spirit which He gave to the disciples by breathing on them (v22). Jesus then shares that forgiveness can be given or withheld in v23 although multiple reads of this verse give me pause to discern whether the "it" being withheld is forgiveness or the Holy Spirit from v22. See also this John Piper message for more on this verse. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Following Jesus does have a cost as persecution comes in many forms.  The disciples face imprisonment, physical harm, and even death - as such they locked the doors (v19).  
• 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 fear and worry as this will cascade into other sins.  Claim the promise that Jesus provides us the Holy Spirit and we can never be separated from His love.  Follow the example of those who followed Jesus at great cost - pick up your cross daily and follow Him.  Trust Him as He is the Good Shepherd who loves, cares, and saves.   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  I am not deserving of how You save and provide peace - and I know that I can never be separated from Your love.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and 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.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

 John 20:11-18

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. John 20:17-18

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 20:11-18, where we see Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus cares for His disciples as He consoles Mary.  Yet, even as Mary seeks to ensure Jesus' body is cared for (v15), Jesus reminds us that He will be ascending to the Father and this is His mission and the Father's will - it must happen according to plan. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Mary is distraught that Jesus' body is apparently gone but encounters two angels inside the tomb, and then Jesus appears behind her.  She is initially not aware that it is Jesus with whom she is talking - vv13-14 and "clings" to Jesus by seeking to take possession of His body.  Jesus reassures her that He must ascend to the Father and she should tell the other disciples of this plan - which she does.  Mary does not fully grasp Jesus' plan to go away and leave His followers with the Holy Spirit (see John 14-16), but nonetheless follows Jesus' command to inform the other disciples.
• 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 "clinging" to our own version of Jesus.  Claim the promise that we can never be separated from God's love (Romans 8:38-39).  Follow the example of Mary who obeyed Jesus even though she was likely concerned she would not see Him again.  Often, obedience is not comfortable but we should follow the will of God.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves, saves and never leaves or forsakes me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and 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 hearts, 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.

Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

 John 11:5-16

Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” John 11:14-15

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 11:5-16, where we continue the story of Lazarus, whom we know from the larger story arc is ill and dies, and that Jesus raises him from the dead.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus loves His followers and here in v5 the text shares how Jesus loves Martha, Mary and Lazarus.  Yet in the very next verse we encounter what - from an earthly perspective - is not considered loving.  V6 shares that upon learning that Lazarus is ill, Jesus does not go to Lazarus but instead stays where he was for two more days.  At first glance, v5 and v6 seem incongruent - Jesus loves....it seems...but does he really is the question.  Jesus loves and seeks to save all and even when people doubt He seeks for us to have mercy on them as God might work through this to soften their hearts towards Him - see Jude 22-23.  However, we must understand that God's mercy is not unlimited in the sense that if you don't accept and believe in Him you are eternally condemned.  Text elsewhere - specifically in Malachi 3:6 help us see that God still loves Lazarus because once God loves someone (v5) He does not change.  Plus in John 10, based on text where Jesus is described as the Good Shepherd and His followers as sheep that He loves and cares for, we should not doubt that God loves Lazarus.  See also Romans 8:31-37. In vv7-10 we then see Jesus' exchange with the disciples after He shares that he wants to go to Judea and the disciples are concerned with His safety knowing that the Pharisees and others in Jewish leadership seek to arrest and kill Him.  Jesus response specifically in vv9-10 seems to encourage the disciples (and us) to see that they should be more concerned about not walking with Jesus (darkness and eternal condemnation) than going to Judea where there is no doubt that Jesus' life is at stake. The exchange with the disciples continues in vv11-15 where Jesus shares once again that Lazarus is not dead (see also v4) but asleep, and the disciples are confused.  Jesus clarifies in v14 by sharing that Lazarus is indeed dead, but by going back to v4 we can rest in Jesus' promise that Lazarus' illness will not lead to death. Vv14-15 are a reprise of v4 where Jesus shares that there is a purpose for Lazarus' illness and death and a purpose why Jesus was not present when Lazarus died.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Jesus' exchange with the disciples shows how people often don't understand Jesus' Word - yet this is not reason to stop believing nor is it a reason to stop engaging with Jesus.  Instead we must stick with it and ask Jesus to help us understand much like the father of the child with an unclean spirit in Mark 9:24 cries out to Jesus for help with his unbelief. See also post here and reference to Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestles with God. Thomas - not likely knowing what he was saying but instead guided by the Holy Spirit who gave him the words to say - seeks to share in the suffering of Lazarus much in the way that Jesus tells us that we share in the sufferings of Christ so that others can see Jesus (The Light) working through us. See also 1 Peter 4:13. 
• 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 walking away from God and His Word when you don't understand - instead dig in and continue to abide in Him and claim the promise that if you abide in Him you will bear fruit (John 15). Walk in the day - with Jesus who is the Light of the World.  Also claim the promise that if we share in His sufferings we will also share in His power as it works through us as Jesus grace is sufficient for us as when we are weak He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9). Follow the example of Thomas on this one.

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  You are the Light of the World who is control and in everything...and You have already defeated sin and death....giving salvation to me and anyone who calls on You as Lord Savior.  I am not deserving...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.