An Attitude of Gratitude

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: An Attitude of Gratitude 
Date: Saturday February 11, 2012Today's Chapters: Numbers 11-13

Hello My Friend,

Faith is talking yourself into believing that God can do something He says He is going to do, quite often, people do not receive the things they ask God for because deep down they do not have faith that He can really do what He says. I always look at how God answers prayers like a traffic light, red means no, I am not giving you that. Yellow means, slow, be patient and wait, and green means, go, you can have it now. There is a reason why God says no, slow, and go, much of is about faith, but also gratitude plays a big part in how God answers prayers.“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear...But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him...They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” - Hebrews 11:1-3,6,37-40.

God loves to provide for His people, it thrills Him to give us what we need, but start complaining that what He gives is not good enough and, how does the saying go, “You better be careful what you wish for.” The problem with the Jews was that they had, and still have, the assumption that since they are God's chosen He will not destroy them, no matter what they do. While God did choose the Jewish nation to represent as His people that did not mean God would not cast them in hell for their sins. As they were heading toward the promised land they began complaining that God was not giving them enough to eat.“And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes...And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?..And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not...And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.” - Numbers 11:4-6,14,23,31-33.

Although God graciously allows us to complain to Him when there is cause, He is justly provoked if we keep complaining when there is no cause for it and especially when we have been surrounded with His provisions. The plague they were given was the result of their lust and greed, there was not even a mention of thanks either.

Those who do not know Jesus Christ personally as their Savior truly have no healthy appetite for the Bread of life, the things of Christ, and will desire things pleasing to the flesh over things pleasing to God. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” -Galatians 5:13-16.

Now, Aaron and Miriam were probably the most influential people in the camp, Aaron, a prophet, and the head of the service of God, Miriam, a prophetess, and first rank among the women of Israel. Both were discontent and began complaining about Moses. God heard the complaining and called them all out of the tabernacle to confront them.“And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” -Numbers 12:4-8.

Moses had the spirit of prophecy in a way that set him far above all prophets, he was able to talk with God in a free, friendly, and familiar manner, as one friend speaks to another, without any fear or dread. To have such a relationship with God would be astounding, but the greatest Christian on earth cannot compare to Jesus Christ, who removes our darkest sins. While God never leaves nor forsakes those who are saved, the removal of His presence is eminent by those who question Him and have no desire to live in His will until they repent. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” -Acts 17:30,31.

God promises to always take care of and protect His faithful servants, but fear can often get the best of us, which keeps us from letting God give us with what He really wants to give us. The time had come for the Jews to see the promised land, Moses sent twelve men, one from each tribe, to scope it out, only two out of the twelve were ready to fight for their land, the others discouraged the entire congregation by telling them that they were too weak. “And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land...And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” - Numbers 13:25,26,30,31.

We have no one, but ourselves to blame for not being grateful and thankful to God for what He has and is willing to give us, we just need to make a little effort sometimes. Remember, faith without works is dead. You can believe in Christ all you want, but unless you admit you are a sinner and ask He to save you, you will not be saved. God loves us and will do anything for us, but unless we apply an attitude of gratitude once in a while He will hold back some of the blessings. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” -Colossians 3:16,17. 
Today's Psalm: 100:4 - “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

Today's Proverb: 20:4 - “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”

Today's Prayer: God, I feel such deep gratitude when I consider how patient You are with my frequent shortcomings. You do not toss me aside and move on to a more deserving person, but You continue to come alongside me and Your Word continues to renew my hope day by day. When I am tempted to give up the fight, You never let me go and keep encouraging me to do my best. Let me not use the circumstances in my life to find a reason to complain, but use it as a reason to improve my relationship with You and to fully trust in You evey area of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus

Our Faithful Guide

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Our Faithful Guide
Date: Friday February 10, 2012Today's Chapters: Numbers 8-10

Hello My Friend,

Christians, have something in them that no person outside of the Kingdom of God, Satan, or even the angels do not have, we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us. He is our guide, our teacher, and our knowledge of Christ and everything God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him...For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith...He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” -1 John 5:1,4,10-12. What exactly is a Christian? A Christian is a real disciple of Christ, one who believes in the truth of the Gospel, and studies to follow the example of Jesus Christ, hence the word Christ-ian.

Now, every saved born again child of God has the Spirit of God in them, once you accept Christ as your Savior you are saved, it is God's grace that saves us not our being a Christian. However, that does not mean that everyone who is saved is a Christian, to be a Christian one must follow the example of Christ, or at least keep moving toward that example. To do that, one needs to allow that amazing gift in them to guide them. We are no different today then we were before Christ came, the people still needed to be saved, they still needed the Spirit of God to guide them, and they still needed to follow by example, the difference between us and them, God dwelt in a Tabernacle. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” - 2 Corinthians 5:1.

As we learned earlier, God chose the Levites as the tribe that would serve Him in the Tabernacle, now the time has come to make it official. It was time to concentrate all the Levites and separate them from the rest of the tribes. “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them...And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.” - Numbers 8:6,11-14.

Why were they separated? To keep them from getting mixed up in the world and corrupting themselves. Did you ever wonder why there is so many false religion and even versions of the Bible out there? It is Christians who corrupted themselves by mixing the world in with Christ. To justify their behavior, which they know is sin, they remove Scripture from God's Word and created their own religion based on what they took out or in some cases added to their version of God's Word. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” -Romans 1:21-23.

Next, God commanded that all of Israel and everyone among them who were clean, observe the Passover,“Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel...But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.” - Numbers 9:2-5,13,14.

Just as God freed the Jews out of Egypt, Christ frees us from hell when we receive Him as our Savior, we should never loose sight of what He did for us on the cross and to observe it quite often. Of all the observances of Christ there is to recognize, Resurrection Day is by far the greatest, after all, there will come a day when we will all resurrect, thanks to Jesus Christ those who believe in Him and receive Him get a new glorified body and eternal life those who do not receive Him bare their own sin and receive eternal death. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” -John 5:28,29.

It had been over two years that the Jews were set free and embarked on their journey to the promised land. They had been given all the instructions and commands, now, it was time to move the camp and reach the promised land. “And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.” - Numbers 10:29-34.

Those who through Christ, are bound for the heavenly Canaan should invite and encourage their friends to go along with them. The Holy Spirit was their guide the entire journey, when He walked they walked, when He stood, they stood. When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us He will steer us in the right direction all the time, we may perhaps get off course sometimes, but thanks to His GPS He will get us back on the right path when we simply stop and ask Him for directions. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come...At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.” - John 16:13,26,27.Today's Psalm: 32:8 - “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

Today's Proverb: 1:23 - “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Today's Prayer: God, it is truly amazing that You love us so much that you are willing to live inside of us to guide us and keep us from that dangers of the world. Although we can get off course from time to time it is comforting to know that You will not leave us lost in the wilderness, but guide us to safety when we simply ask for direction. Lord, lead me and guide me, open my eyes, ears, and heart to listen for You at all times, help me to know the path I am on and whether or it is the right one. In Jesus' name. Amen.Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus

Free Will Offering

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Free Will Offering
Date: Thursday February 09, 2012Today's Chapters: Numbers 7

Hello My Friend,

We will all stand before Christ one day and one of two things will happen, Jesus will say, “Well done, thougood and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” - Matthew 25:21, and you will join Him in His Kingdom. Or He will say, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” - Matthew 25:41b, and you will be cast into the lake of fire. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” - Revelation 20:12-15.

As Christians we truly have no idea how blessed we are, I do not think we fully understand how merciful God is until we get into a situation where we are dependent solely on God. Every day that goes by I feel wretched and unworthy to even be in His presence let alone to know that I am still forgiven and have escaped hell through my faith in Christ alone. Let me tell you, the closer you get to Jesus the more wretched you feel and truly understand what He did to save you. The best thing any of us can do to thank God for what He did is to offer ourselves to Him. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” - Romans 12:1,2.The Tabernacle was all set up, the people were told what they needed to do, the time had finally come for the Jews to be able to show God how dedicated they were to Him by giving the offerings God explained. After Moses sanctified the Tabernacle prince of each of the twelve tribes stood before the tent with their offerings and every day for twelve days the same offering was offered. “And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.” - Numbers 7:1-5.

One by one, each prince brought their offerings to be presented before God, cheerfully and of their own free will. God loves a cheerful giver, He delights in seeing His people acknowledging Him, seeking forgiveness, and giving thanks to Him for all He has done for them. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.

Now, God knows that we are not going to be cheerful all the time, and that we are even going to be a little slothful from time to time, He accepts that, in fact, He will even tell us when we are overdoing things and need to rest. Yet, even when we are not cheerful we can give ourselves completely to Him, in fact, God will bless us even more for pressing forward through the trying times in our lives. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” - 1 Peter 4:12-14.

After the princes presented their offerings, Moses presented them to God on their behalf. “This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels. All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve. And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.” - Numbers 7:84-88.

Moses was the mediator, the middleman, the one who presented the offerings before God, in a sense he was like a lawyer defending his client. He stood before God, the judge, presented his case, all the evidence, and pleaded before his clients life to be spared. If the judge saw that the offering was sincere He pardoned that man or woman for the sake of the one pleading for their lives. Today, Jesus is our mediator, He presents our case before God and pleads with Him for us, all we have to do to be spared is ask Him to save us. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” - 1 Timothy 2:3-6.

God knows our hearts and whether or not we are wholeheartedly devoted to Him or really have no interest in Him. Count it a blessing that even if you are not wholeheartedly devoted to Him Jesus wholeheartedly devoted Himself to you by giving His life for you. You only have to go before Him once and you are pardoned forever. Even if you never do anything ever again for Him you are saved, but just imagine the blessings you will receive not only here on earth, but up in heaven when you get there simply by giving some of your time to Him. Jesus said, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” - Revelation 22:11-14.Today's Psalm: 32:5 - “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

Today's Proverb: 23:26 - “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”

Today's Prayer: God, I offer myself freely to You. May my actions not be based on man’s changing words or the standards of my brothers and sisters, for I know we are frail and subject to faulty thinking. I want the standards of Your unchanging, living Word to be an anchor for my soul judging the thoughts and attitudes of my heart so that I will keep moving forward in my Savior Jesus Christ. Help me to be watchful for those who are veering off course so that I can encourage them in the faith and be prayerful for their wandering souls. In Jesus' name. Amen. 
Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus

Compensated Plus A Salary

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Compensated Plus A Salary
Date: Wednesday February 08, 2012Today's Chapters: Numbers 5-6

Hello My Friend,

A lot of people, including many Christians, are unaware that many of the things they do, which seem normal, are in fact, sin. Sin is any wrong doing in ones life that God sees as immoral, wicked, corrupted, or abominable. Now, whether we have committed sin recently or years ago, we have all sinned and that constitutes us as being sinners. There is a payment owed for sin, even the one we do not think to be sin, the payment owed is death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. We cannot earn enough wages to pay for sin, therefore, Jesus came to compensate for us.“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one...Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” - Romans 3:10-12,20-23.Before Jesus came people also owed a payment for sin also,however, in place of their life, God accepted animal sacrifices. Along with a sin or trespass, thanksgiving, and peace payment to God, the sinner had to pay compensation to the one they caused sin upon, if they sinned against themselves they had to give the payment to the priest. “Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.” - Numbers 5:6-8.

Today, those who are trusting only in Jesus Christ to save them do not owe that payment, Jesus made the payment for you. However, any sin not accounted for after you are saved will cause some affliction until you seek forgiveness. Got sin in your life that you have forgotten? Still wrestling with something that happened years ago? You are forgiven, but perhaps there is no peace because you will not let it go. Remember, God forgives all, He wants you to forgive all as well. He will tell you when you need to repent of something from the past, He will tell you when you need to forgive others, and He will even tell you when you need to ask others to forgive you, even from years past. In order for us to move on and grow as a Christian we need to seek forgiveness, be forgiving, sometimes compensate for the pain we caused others. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” - Luke 6:37.

God gave specific commands to those who were Nazarites, a Nazarite was a person who vowed to separate themselves completely from the worldly things, giving total commitment to God. Now, this does not mean that the person would be sin free, but it would mean that they would live their lives centered on God and do their best to avoid any temptations that would cause them to sin.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried...All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.” - Numbers 6:1-3,8.

When we vow a vow to God, He expects us to keep it, if we do not follow through we are going to face some difficulties until we do what we said. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” - Galatians 6:7,8. Yet, God knows our flesh and that we are going to mess up from time to time, He also knows our heart and whether or not we truly want Him in our lives or not. He will bless us tremendously when we do all we can to live our lives for Him, but is also forgiving when we seek forgiveness.“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9.

God promised the Jews that He would bless them for their obedience. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” - Numbers 6:22-27.

God puts His name upon all who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus not only compensated for our sins, He gives us a salary as well. The word salary is defined as money paid for work being done, or something obtained or received, it's a gift. That salary is eternal (forever) life with God in His Kingdom. A person who gets paid a salary gets compensated one amount no matter how many hours worked. He can work 1 hour or 100, regardless he gets paid the same amount. “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” -Mark 10:29-31.

So, whether we compensated years ago or five minutes ago, the same salary applies to all, eternal life. It does not matter if you were born into the godly life, left then came back, or just got saved today you will receive the same salary, eternal life through Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. Praise God!Today's Psalm: 76:11 - “Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.”

Today's Proverb: 13:21 - ”Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.”

Today's Prayer: God, may I never consider my good works or righteous acts to be a cover up for the hidden sin I harbor in my heart or try to use them as payment for my sins. May my attitude be, God be merciful to me a sinner! If I exalt myself it will eventually lead to my downfall, but when I humble myself I will be exalted by You as I fulfill the vow You made when I completely trusted in Your Son to pay the debt I owed. Now, give me the power to fulfill the vow I made when I promised to love You with all my heart, mind, and soul. In Jesus' name. Amen. 
Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus

Follow The Captain

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Follow The Captain 
Date: Monday February 06, 2012Today's Chapters: Numbers 1-2

Hello My Friend,

Because we believe in Jesus and live our lives for Him we are going to face a lot of criticism and rejection, but we are soldiers for Christ in His army, we are His very own elect, and the amazing thing is that He is right there with us. He is our Captain, He is very pleased that we have not gone AWOL on Him, like any good soldier we are going to face some difficulties for serving Him, but as long as we keep fighting we will see some lives saved in the battle. “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier...Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - 2 Timothy 2:1-4,9,10.The Book of Numbers is the forth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-six chapters. The author of the book is Moses and it was originally written to the Jews. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 1490-1451BC. The purpose of the book was to record the forty years that the Jews were wandering in the wilderness as a result of their disbelief/disobedience of God. What we are to learn from the book is that God is not pleased with anything less than a total commitment to Him. “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” - Numbers 30:2.

It had been two years since God brought the Jews out of bondage to Egypt, God ordered the first census among the people, every male 20 years and older was numbered according to their tribe and automatically drafted into the army, except for the tribe of the Levi.

“Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies...So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.” - Numbers 1:2,3,45-50.

The reason the tribe of Levi was not numbered is because they would not be serving God as a layman, but in His ministry. While God appoints an elect to serve Him in the ministry, the majority of people will be laymen, soldiers in His army to serve Him outside of the ministry. Why? There is only so many people that can be reached in a church, laymen serve God in the occupations, studies, and even their hobbies by being a testimony for Christ. The most important job God has given us is to tell the Gospel to everyone we meet, if they do not want to hear it, that's okay, your tried and that is all God asks, but a good solider for Christ, follows their Captain by preaching the Gospel, just as He did. “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him... And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” - Matthew 4:18-20,23.After the tribes were numbered they were given specific areas within the camp to dwell according to the number of people in the tribe. The tribes were to encamp about the Tabernacle, which was to be in the center of them. It was a token of God's gracious presence among them, yet, they were to pitch their tents at a distance from the tabernacle. “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch... Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards...And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.” - Numbers 2:1,2,17,34.God is a God of order and not confusion, therefore, the camp of His followers should be compact, in order, training to be ready for battle, and close to the Captain and able to reach Him at a moments notice. Soldiers for Christ are not grouped up in one bunch, they are spread abroad and scattered all over the world, teaching the Gospel to all who will listen. Why? Remember our beginning Scripture? “Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - II Timothy 2:10. We keep going, where ever our Captain leads us to find more willing souls, and more recruits for His army.

So, how do we follow our Captain? Jesus explains, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house...And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” -Luke 10:2-5,9-11.

Healing the sick is preaching the Gospel to the lost, some will accept it and be healed, some will reject it and die. “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Mark 2:17. There is nothing we can do if they reject Christ, but pray that God will soften their hardened hearts. It is God that saves we are merely the messengers of the Gospel, if they reject the Gospel, they are rejecting God, not us. There will be many, including family and friends, that will reject Christ, but we must keep going, we must follow our Captain and never stop believing that every soul can be saved if they believe. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9. 
Today's Psalm: 18:39 - “For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.”

Today's Proverb: 21:31 - “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.”

Today's Prayer: God, We want to march on as good soldiers for Christ, as our Captain gives the orders to go out and tell the Gospel let us not be weary in the fight for victory over Satan and death to every soul lost. Give us Your power and might to be bold, to march on even when we are rejected, and to keep going no matter how difficult it gets. In Jesus' name. Amen.Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus

Redeemed & Restored

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Redeemed & Restored
Date: Sunday February 04,2012Today's Chapters: Leviticus 25-27

Hello My Friend,

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Was there a time that you said in some form, “God, I admit I am a sinner, I believe that Your Son died to pay my sin debt, and that He arose from the dead to give me life too. I ask You to save me and from this moment on I am depending only on Him for my salvation. Amen.” If you said something like that than you are a sinner saved by grace and child of the One And Only Living God. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”- Romans 10:9,10. Praise God! Regardless of whether you said that prayer today or forty years ago, you are a child of God. Have you messed up since then? Sure you have, we all have, but you are redeemed and God has restored you, not only that You will receive an inheritance that no one can take from you.

God gave specific instructions to the Jews on how they were to behave when they got into the promised land. But knowing the flesh He came up the with year of jubile. The year of jubile would be a time of restoration, a yearlong period to be observed by the Jews once every fifty years, during which Jewish slaves were to be set free, alienated lands were to be restored to their original owner or an heir, and allagricultural labors were to be suspended until the next year. “And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field...And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.” - Leviticus 25:10-12,24,25..

The kinsman redeemer is an illustration of Jesus Christ who took on our nature in order to be our next of kin to redeem a piece of land for our inheritance in the Kingdom of God, which we forfeited through sin. Jesus, who is our Redeemer, restores us when we receive Him. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” -1 Peter 1:3,4.

We should never disregard nor take for granted the wonderful gift that God has given us, while obeying God has nothing to do with our salvation, it has everything to do with honoring and respecting Him for giving His life for us. Keep in mind, Jesus died once on the cross, that means we only have to ask Him once to save us. No matter what we have done or will do in the future we are still saved. Now, that does not mean that we will not face any chastisement for future sin, but it does mean that you are saved by grace alone and that you will not lose your inheritance in the Kingdom of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8,9.God promises the Jews if they obey His commands, He will continue to bless them, but if they disregard them they can expect to face some consequences, in fact, they will be seven times more severe. “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit...And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.” - Leviticus 26:3,4,15-18.When we allow Christ to live through us it only gets better, however, those who choose to live the same life they lived before they got saved with no intention of repenting are going to face some serious tribulations. While God wants to see everyone trust in His Son for their salvation, He will not stand for a person receiving Him for the sake of remaining in their sinful life. Jesus said, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” - Revelation 3:15-20.

God foretold to the severe punishment the Jews would receive if they did not walk in His statutes and commands.“And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate. And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.” - Leviticus 26:21-24.

Once in a while I will get someone quoting Bible verses like these to me, claiming that God is cruel and will strike you down if you do not do exactly what He says. That is just absurd. All the events that took place happened because they did the very things He warned them not to do. God does not give us commands so we cannot live He gives so we can live. The things that these people did to get God that angry were things that would anger us. And let me tell you, God is more forgiving than we are, I did some pretty cruel things to people out of anger before I repented of the life I lived in the world. People reap what they sow, and unfortunately innocent people get tangled up in the reaping, but God will get the vengeance upon anyone who hurts His child. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:19-21. 
Today's Psalm: 49:16 - “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”

Today's Proverb: 23:11 - “For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.”

Today's Prayer: God, it is because of the great love of Your Son, Jesus, and His willingness to take on our sins to redeem us that we can receive Your inheritance. It is truly amazing, the love You have for me and everyone, when I was lost, broken, and without hope, You took me in, You accepted me, and You made me one of Yours. Lord, I want to be grateful and honor You as Your child, lead me and guide me to understand and obey Your statutes and commands. In Jesus' name. Amen.Enjoy the rest of your day/night. God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? You Can Be. Visit: God's Price
Missed A Devotional? Visit: The King James Bible Study Blog
Subscribe To This Devotional Through Google Groups: King James Bible StudyVisit The Official Site Of: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus