But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

 Numbers 33

But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” Numbers 33:55-56

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 33 - we retrace the path Israel took as  God led the people out of Egypt on their journey towards the Promised Land, and God prepares the people to enter the Promised Land.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God commands Moses to write down Israel's path towards the Promised Land (v2) - these are the second through the fifth book of the Bible. We should remember and study this journey - Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua.  Upon reaching the boundary of the Promised Land - at the Jordan River - God gave Moses and the people explicit instructions (vv50-56) to destroy both the inhabitants and the idols in the land.  He warns the people that if they don't "[those inhabitants and their idols] shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell."  Scripture has limited mention of "thorn" but in context it has both negative and positive associations.  Thorns typically "choke" out more desired growth (negative).  At the same time, Paul is given this same "thorn" in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7) "to keep [him] from becoming conceited" (positive).  God is warning the people that the inhabitants of the Promised Land will entice and lure the people into idolatry, sin and away from Him - just as it has occurred in Israel's history.  Idolatry and sin separates us from Him and "troubles" and hurts us.  We must do as God commands.  Otherwise, as v56 shares God will do to us "as [He] thought to do to [those whom God sought to drive out from the land]."  He will drive us out from fellowship and union with Him - not a good thing.       
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People very often are partially obedient - not fully obedient (just as God commanded).  Hence God warns the people to avoid partial obedience because He knows partial obedience means a lack of submission and surrender to God.  This leaves a gap in our relationship with Him and this will not end well - we should heed the warning from Matthew 7:21-23 and Revelation 3:15–16 regarding partial obedience and moderation. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul was given a thorn in his flesh to remind him that he was fully dependent on God - he should not believe that his life circumstances and experience were anything but God's hand.   
• 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 moderation (lukewarm) or partial obedience in your journey with God.  Claim the promise that God desires to bring you enter His rest but this requires complete dependence and surrender to Him.  Follow the example of Paul who saw that he had a thorn in his flesh and relied fully on Him.  Abide in Him and follow God completely.     

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  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 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.

If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 1

If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. v6

Malachi is the last of Minor Prophets and his message from God is a word of warning for those who have ambivalent towards God, unbelieving that God will be what He says He is and do what He says He will do.

God wants all of our heart and 100% of our lives and devotion - He does not want us to hold back.

In response to questioning from the Jewish leaders regarding what the most important commandment is, Jesus responds love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.

There is danger to holding back - including being held accountable for our actions on Judgement Day.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who gave everything for me - that I could have life and have it with abundance - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I get angry too quickly.  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.  Please 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.  Please 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 I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. v6.

Yesterday, Pastor Marty gave a great sermon on chapter 6 - helping us focus on how we can avoid placing other Gods above Jesus - the one true God who is before all things and in control (Colossians 1:16-17).  

Key for me is to avoid a fake or inauthentic faith - one that has an outward appearance of faith but is weak or non-existent as a matter of the heart.  Just as God looked at David's heart vs his external appearance (1 Samuel 16:7), we should focus on our heart condition and not do what God is admonishing here in Hosea 6 - don't offer sacrifice or anything else to God as a superficial gesture.

God wants our full attention and life.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that love me - even with all of my flaws and sins - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God as I often place other gods above You.  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.

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.

Jeremiah 32

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. v39

God wants all of our heart and mind to be directed towards Him - Jesus identifies this as the most important commandment.  Jesus then says to love others as He loves them (first as yourself, then in John 13:34 as He loves us).  In Jeremiah, God identifies this singleness of heart as critical "so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them".  One follows the other.  Jesus then reinforces this when He says in Matthew 22:40 "[a]ll the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments".

However, our hearts wander in many directions - that is why time with the Lord (in its many forms) is so important.  We cannot have this singleness of heart and action without God (Ephesians 2:8).  God can renew our hearts and mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful beyond what my words can express.  I am not worthy of such love and blessings.  I worry.  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 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. Please 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. 

In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense, declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 3

In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense, declares the Lord. v10

God wants all of our heart - not some of it.  In particular, see this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God worthy of my FULL devotion, energy, and love.  Yet I often full short - 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 do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and energy.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  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. 

The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

2 Kings 10

The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit. v30-31

Jehu was partially committed to the Lord.  Yet God wants all of our heart.  Jesus calls this the Greatest Commandment.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37

This command is also found five other times in Deuteronomy and once in Joshua.

We should be careful to avoid creating a wedge between us and God because this wedge will widen over time - see also this post as well as this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You reign - You created all things, are in all things and hold all things together.  You provide for all of my needs, especially my daily manna.  I am nothing without You.  Thank You Jesus for all that You do and for all that You are.  I am not worthy of a God who would willingly send His Son to die for me.  Thank You Jesus.  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, 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 church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

1 Kings 3

Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. v3

David intended Solomon to follow his charge completely - not partially. 

Similarly, when we fail to submit to God with all of our lives, we harbor and invite Satan into those parts of our lives where we deny God.  This of course is sinful in and of itself as we are commanded to love God with ALL of our heart, soul and mind (Exodus 20, Matthew 22:34-38).

As well, this opening creates a separation that is likely to widen over time.

Hebrews 10

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15

 

Jesus, please help me submit ALL of my heart, soul, and mind to You.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus - I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 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.  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.

But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.

Judges 1

But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. v27

God desires the Israelites to take all the land given to them and to drive out those inhabiting the land - yet Israel's obedience is partial.  God wants 100% obedience - yet since the Fall this is impossible so God sent Christ for us.  Although Christ knows we cannot be 100% obedient He does desire us to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul and mind (see Matthew 22:37-40)....not some of our heart, soul, and mind but ALL.

There are consequences in this world (Ananias and Sepphira, The Rich and Kingdom of God) and in Heaven for those who are partial in their devotion to Jesus.

Jesus, help me devote ALL of my life to You.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who gave everything to me (Your life!) so that I could be spared the sting of sin and death.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift.  I worry.  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 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.