SCRIPTURE: Numbers 32 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’ [Luke 9:61-62] Jesus encountered a would-be follower that wanted to…
how God deals with evil
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 31 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” [Matthew 24:12-13] Although I do not like this chapter – people as plunder, kill the boys, save the virgins – in an odd way I see Jesus in this…
God’s original intent?
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 30 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” [Matthew 19:8] This verse makes me think that there are commands in Moses’ Law that God allowed him to shape according to the sin-shaped context, commands not in harmony with God’s original…
seventy seven times
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 29 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” [Matthew 18:21-22] So many sacrifices, why is God is focused on blood and sacrifice? But what if…
putting God first
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 28 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” [Mark 1:35] Jesus models the spirit of these sacrifices by starting His day first thing with God. These sacrifices — offered at the beginning and end of…
working with the Lord of the harvest
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 27 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” [Matthew 9:36-38]….
the God of second chances
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 26 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” [John 21:15] Todays reading from Numbers speaks of a new beginning. Forty years have passed, now…
one more year
Recently I have been struggling with Crossroads’ future. We’ve been working here for three years, and yet we are struggling financially, and our weekly attendance is slowly going down, and there are still few kids coming to our Sunday morning KidZone… And yet we are a part of some amazing opportunities in the school where…
one way or another
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 25 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” [Luke 4:13]. Like Israel, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness too. The devil came at Him with 3 different temptations, but Jesus stood firm [Luke 4:1-13]. But notice that the devil didn’t quit, his rationale is, ‘give it time,…
pagan missionaries?
SCRIPTURE: Numbers 24 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’ [Matthew 2:1-2] The words of…