CLOSE BUT NO MEDAL

READING: NUMBERS 20:6-13

Verse 11: “Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly...”

This passage describes the great sin of Moses. God told him to speak to a rock to have it produce water for the people. Instead, Moses struck the rock twice with his rod to produce the water. God’s response to this disobedience was to prohibit Moses from entering the Promised Land. By the majority of today’s standards, what Moses did would not be classified as a great sin. Some would conclude that he basically did what the Lord wanted to have done. He was in the ballpark. He pretty much got it right, maybe not perfect but good enough. After all the water really did come forth. However, the Lord did not see it that way at all nor should we as modern Christians have that permissive type of attitude or thought. If we are to be faithful and productive for the Kingdom of God, we can’t be “in the ballpark” Believers. We need to be in the right section of that ballpark and on the right seat. We must commit to and carry out consistent precision and exactness in our responses to the Father. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Have you had an experience when “in the ballpark” was not good enough?

2. What place does tolerance have in our relationships with the Lord?

THE REST OF THE STORY

READING: EXODUS 20:1-6

Verse 5: “...I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.”

There are times when people inadvertently entertain misconceptions about God as the result of the use of fragments of scripture. For example, conclusions are sometimes reached regarding the verse above, that are entirely inaccurate. That can happen when what comes next in God’s word on the topic, is omitted or not considered. The statement about jealousy and passing on iniquity is followed by another extremely important statement. The second part of the verse limits the consequences described only to those who hate Him. A very different destiny awaits those who don’t hate Him. Verse 6 informs us that He shows mercy to thousands to those who love and obey Him. Deuteronomy 7:9 goes even further. It tells us that He is the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him. Three of four generations of iniquity resulting from hate, and 1,000 generations of covenant and mercy resulting from love. The contrast which is established by the fuller review of God’s word clearly shows that the heart of God is not a heart of jealousy and retribution. It is a heart of powerful and enduring love. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. How is God’s jealousy different from human jealousy?

2. The Bible makes a promise that is good for 1,000 years. What does that tell us about the future?

SELECTIVE MEMORY

READING: LUKE 9:57-62

Verse 62: “But Jesus said to him, ’No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

A great deal of fiction has been written, based on experiences resulting from amnesia, the absence of awareness of the past. God’s word also addresses the matter of the awareness of past affairs. I like to give the name “spiritual amnesia” to this form of biblical counsel. The verse above cautions Believers about looking back, and encourages the absence of some past awareness. There can be times when the way things were formerly, causes interference with the way they should be currently. This history can block out what God’s kingdom generously offers. And therefore should not be retained. This is certainly true for traumatic events that have occurred and are crippling. It can also be so for gratifying experiences and memories that distract a person from a godly focus. Even when these burdens of the past are the result of our sins, Christians are able to be made free. His word also promises He will forgive our sins and remember them no more. If He releases them, we should certainly not be bound by them. Regarding sin and every other historical restraint to godliness, we are free to be forward looking, and should receive that freedom. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What would happen if a person were looking back while plowing and what lesson does that teach?

2. What does the relative size of a front windshield to a rear view mirror indicate about looking back?

BURNING HEARTS

READING: LUKE 24:28-35

Verse 33: “So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together.”

Following the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, He met two of His followers who were traveling from Jerusalem to the nearby village of Emmaus. Their experience with their resurrected Lord as they journeyed, brought realities to life regarding the earthly ministry of the Lord. Then, when Jesus departed from them they said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” After that singular time with Jesus, they were no longer motivated to go to Emmaus. Instead they changed their direction and went to Jerusalem to tell the others what had happened. Their experience is completely representative of what happens when people have authentic encounters with their Savior. Just as these two men did, people no longer want to go where they were previously headed. Such a transforming encounter gives a person a new destination! To truly experience the presence of the Lord is to have a life turned around. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What is the typical new direction that follows an encounter with Jesus?

2. What do you suppose these two men said to the disciples in Jerusalem?

DO LIKEWISE

READING: JOHN 8:3-11

Verse 11: “She said, ‘No one, LORD.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’”

This passage of scripture tells of the response of the Lord Jesus toward a woman caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees wanted to put her to death, but instead Jesus established her as free from condemnation. He sent her away setting the expectation that she would sin no more. The Lord was much more interested in her future than He was in her prior actions. Sometimes we fail to employ that quality in the manner that Jesus demonstrated. We can become very involved with the backgrounds, records and experiences of others. Then, before we are even aware of it, a judgment can be formed which can easily lead to a condemning attitude. Many times, as with the adulterous woman, people need to be received and encouraged, not judged and condemned. What worthy contributions we make when we, like Jesus, send others away to sin no more and walk in redemption. That’s a thought - about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Upon sending a person away to sin no more, what would your attitude be concerning the possibility that they might sin again?

2. Jesus did not have a condemning attitude toward her. What attitude do you believe He did have?

A NEW PSALM

READING PSALM 68:32-35

Verse 33: “To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.”

Psalm 68 is inspiring as David the great psalmist establishes the power, glory, goodness, faithfulness and worthiness of the Lord. David had a way of using words to create superlative pictures of God. He could then take those images and then raise them up to a higher level showing God as being even greater than first pictured. For example, in the verse above he describes the Lord as One who rides on a heaven - but more. David elevates Him from that height to the very heaven of heavens. Later, in verse 35 the Psalmist begins with connecting God with the holy places. These places were the ultimate. to the people of Israel, they were sacred and totally exclusive locations. Then David wrote that even as holy as these places were, that God is even more awesome. That brings us to a challenge. Would you dare to do a little psalm writing of your own? If so, maybe you can start with thinking of  something you consider to be great and describing that greatness. Then you can entertain thoughts of the Lord’s greatness as exceeding what you have described, and reaching a supreme greatness. We know that your psalm of God’s greatness won’t get into the Bible as David’s did. However, you can honor the Lord with it and you can be blessed by doing so. Will you create a psalm unto the Lord? That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

Today’s response is just your psalm.

GREAT ODDS

READING: LEVITICUS 26:1-9

Verse 8: “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.”

In this passage of scripture, the Lord made some very glorious promises. The realization of these rewards was to be contingent on obedience to the Lord’s statutes and commandments, as established in verse 3. One of the rewards promised was success against enemies as described in verse 8 above. Along the same lines as that verse, James 4:4 also informs us that we New Testament Christians have enemies who are against the Lord and those who are faithful to Him. As we stand against these current opponents, we need to fully appropriate God’s eternal promise of victory against our foes. In our spiritual warfare, if we were to employ the tactics from Leviticus , the results would be staggering. Only 1,000 obedient Christians would defeat 88 quintillion of our enemies. That is the number 88 followed by 21 zeroes. I must say that is absolutely awesome! However, at the very most basic level such a great and godly victory would begin simply with you, me and a Leviticus 26 attitude toward our God. By our new covenant provision, we must walk in the statutes of the Lord, keep His commandments and perform them. Then God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. How do you personally apply today’s verse to your life?

2. How strongly do you sense that you are engaged in spiritual warfare?