Numbers: Preparing A Place For You

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 34-36
Message: Numbers: Preparing A Place For You

Hello My Friend,

Inheritance, The reception of an estate (fortune, possessions, property) by hereditary right. Rich or poor, every saved born again Christian has an inheritance waiting for them in heaven. We may have lost everything we own here on earth, some of us may even only have the clothes on our back right now, but it is only temporary. Jesus has much better things for us in the promised land. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” - John 14:1-3.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating things to do as a Christian is wait on God to answer our prayers, we all want things, but we cannot have them all when we want them. Sitting by the plains of Moab by the Jordan River near Jericho, the Israelites had to wait out a forty year sentence that kept them from being able to enter the promised land. They are at the end of those years, God had a few more things to say to them before they crossed over the Jordan and into Canaan. God appointed Eleazar the high priest and Joshua to be the ones who would divide the land for the tribes, each was given a amount according to the number or people in the tribe.
“Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:” - Numbers 34:2,13,14.

“have received their inheritance;” Those who refuse to receive Christ as their Saviour have their inheritance, the things of the world. We who have received Christ on the other hand have much more waiting for us beyond the Jordan, we have God. Most Christians can live a pretty decent life here on earth, we may go through times of famine, but God always provides, do not focus on the things of the earth, focus on Jesus and He will take care of the rest. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21.

Since our inheritance is in the Kingdom of God and we have to be here a while God allows us to dwell all over the world, but keep close eye on us. After God gave the instructions on where the nine and a half tribes would dwell, He gave instructions on where the Levites would dwell. They were appointed cities and suburbs, right in the center of each tribes inheritance. They were to be given forty-eight cities throughout the country, six of those were known as cities of refuge. This is where anyone who had killed someone either by force or accident could hide out without worrying that they would be killed themselves, but God warns them murder is still murder.
“And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.” - Numbers 35:6,15,30-32.

“that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.” Did you ever stop to think that if those who refuse to receive Christ have a death sentence placed upon them? Not just some ordinary physical death, the death of the soul? There is no way to flee or escape this judgment,even if they were unaware, except by Christ. We should never rejoice over those who die and end up in hell nor should we take our salvation for granted and live the way we want because we are saved. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” - 1 John 5:16,17,20,21.

God will give us anything we ask for here on earth, as long as it will not harm us or anyone else, but the key, we must ask Him, yes, He knows what we need, but just like anyone else, He will not give us anything unless we ask for it. After Israelites got told where they would be and what was appointed to them, they remind Moses about an inheritance that was to be given to a man who only had five daughters. “This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.” - Numbers 36:6-9.

“that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.” God loves us and wants us to have things here on earth as well, in fact, He delights in giving us things we need and desire. We must not forget that this is not where our inheritance is, it is with Jesus, and no one can take it or give it away. God will give us anything we ask for, and more as long as it will not harm us or anyone else, but the key, we must ask Him. Then, comes the hard part, waiting. Whether it takes four minutes, four years, or forty years for God to show us an answered prayer, we are to never stop believing or give up asking. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” - Matthew 21:21,22.
Today's Prayer: God, I know that everything is in Your timing and in Your will, I also know You promise if I ask anything believing I will receive it. You know what is best for me and You know when I am truly ready to receive the things I am asking You for. While You are preparing me to receive them Lord, help me endure the waiting, keep me serving You with all my heart, mind, and soul, and help me remove any hindrances that may be keeping me from receiving some of the things I am asking You for. Open my eyes to see beyond the surface and envision the amazing life I wait the place You are preparing for me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Being A Good Soldier

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, February 19, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 31-33
Message: Numbers: Being A Good Soldier

Hello My Friend,

As Christians we are to be a light that always shines Christ through us, and while we are to be as meek and mild as Jesus, we must realize we are in a war. With every war it needs trained soldiers, and since every person who has received Christ has the qualifications to become a soldier we can be sure that God is going to bring some challenges in our lives to train us to be good soldiers. “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.” - 2 Timothy 2:1-4.

Part of being a good soldier is obeying orders, as with any armed service it is important to obey orders as it may be a matter of life and death. After God set the Israelites back in order, it was time for Him to get vengeance on Moab for enticing them with idolatry, immoral behavior, and trying to curse them. They were commanded to gather soldiers from each tribe, and kill every man, woman, and child who worshiped these idols, but they did not do exactly what they were instructed to do. .
“And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.” - Numbers 31:7-9,14-17.

“these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam,” Our worst enemies are those who draw us into sin, no matter who they are. God will either convert them, chasten them, or destroy them. You see, while we are accountable for our own actions, those who entice and introduce us into sin get it much worse because God always avenges those who cause His people to turn to sin. “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:6,7.

Being a good soldier means that we are going to have to fight sometimes, but victory comes with great rewards. We have to be careful not to let the rewards we receive distract or tempt us to accept things that will hinder our walk with Christ. After their victory, the tribes of Ruben and Gad saw that the plush land of Gilead was ready for the taking, they saw it as an opportunity for them to stay there. After some pleading with Moses, he allows them to dwell there under one condition, they help the others get to the promised land and obtain it.

“Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” - Numbers 32:1,5-7,20-23.

“and be sure your sin will find you out.” Hidden in that beautiful land was the wickedness and corruption of the world, they were blinded by the dangers of it because all they saw was the surface. While the promised land had much of the same, the one thing that was different, it had God. While God does put His people in the midst of the world, He expects us to remain faithful to Him, and the only way we can do that is to stick to Him like glue. We can be saved and live as we please, we can even appear to love God, but our sin will find us out. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” - Matthew 7:15-17.

Being a good soldier also means that we are always on duty. Yes, God gives us rest from fighting, but we must always be prepared and ready for a fight. An account is given for the Israelites journey through the wilderness from the time they left Egypt to Mt. Hor where Aaron died, then their final stop before the promised land, Jericho. It is there that God tells them what He expects of them once they get there.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” - Numbers 33:51-56.

“that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes,” God gave them all a stern warning, once they crossed the Jordan, they were ordered to drive out the worldly people and every thing that would tempt them to sin. If they did not they would face constant affliction and suffering, not only by them. God instructs all His people to drive out anyone and thing that would cause them to sin. It is not as though we cannot live among them who are of the world, but if we do we can be sure that it will cause great sorrow for us. Why? No matter how strong we are, or how close we are to God, if we dwell with them we will fall right into their sin. “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:15-18.

Today's Prayer: God, It never ceases to amaze me just how loving and merciful you are to us, no matter what we have done with our lives. You call all of Your children to be the light that shines Your Son in this dark world, You call Your faithful to be good soldiers that not only lead others to Your Son, they stand by You and fight the good fight of faith in Your word. Lord, lead us and prepare us to be good soldiers, give us Your power to resist the temptations of the day and to be a witness to others so they too can know of Your great love, mercy, and grace also, and let us always be prepared for the return of Your Son. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Offer Unto Me

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, February 18, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 28-30
Message: Numbers: Offer Unto Me

Hello My Friend,

There is a quote to this effect that I have been seeing a lot lately, God does not want weekend visits, He wants full custody. A relationship with God begins the second we call on Christ as our Saviour, just like any father ought to form a bond and everlasting relationship with his child, God wants to form a bond and everlasting relationship with us. Now, once you become a child of God you are always a child of God, nothing can change that, but to have a real bond with God until He takes us home, we need to give ourselves completely to Him. “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” - Galatians 4:3-7.

Part of giving ourselves over to God is spending time with Him daily. If we understand that there are twenty-four hours in a day and at least eighteen of those we are awake, and if we gave special attention to Him ten percent of those waking hours we would be giving Him about a hour and a half of our time each day. As Moses was preparing everyone for their entering the promised land, God reminds the new generation of the offerings they were to give to Him, beginning with the daily offering. Daily the priest was to offer up on the altar two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening, this was to be a continual burning day and night, even on the Sabbath.

“Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering.” - Numbers 28:2-7.

“shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.” While some days God is content with an hour and a half of our time each day, most of the time He wants a continual offering, which is to talk to Him all day long. He loves us and understands that life does not always give us that option, which is where prayer and fasting come in. Praying and fasting is a great way to get God's attention and see Him answer some tough prayers. Jesus teaches us how to pray and fast. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” - Matthew 6:6-8,16-18.

I for one have seen the power of praying and fasting, ashamedly I admit that I do not do it as often as I ought to.

Another, and perhaps the most important part of giving ourselves over to God is confession of sin. Those who do walk with God daily and learn His word do learn of the things that are sinful, things like frustration and anger are not necessarily sinful, but they do cause some tension between us and God. Out of all the observances made to worship and give thanks to God, perhaps that most valuable before Christ was the Day of Atonement. The first of that month they were to observe the feast of trumpets, this was their sign that the Day of Atonement was coming.

“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.” - Numbers 29:1-6.

“Beside the burnt offering of the month,” The second we accepted Christ as our Saviour the atonement for our sins was made, we were pardoned of all our sins, past, present, and future. And while that does give us some comfort, day to day life can drag us down and cause us to talk to God less frequently in the day. That is why we need some reminders that we are children of God. Wednesday night church service, it gives us a chance to clear our heads of the middle of the week. Once a month our church observes Communion or the Lord's supper, it is a great reminder that we are a part of Christ, and we need to do extra things to remind ourselves who we are and what we ought to be doing. Resurrection Day is coming soon, it too ought to be observed, a yearly reminder that we are redeemed, Jesus is our atonement, and we are forgiven children of the living God.

“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” - 1 Corinthians 11:24-28.

Another part of giving ourselves to God is following through with the things we tell Him we are going to do. Vows are extremely important to God, when He gives vows He keeps them, likewise, when one of His children make vows He expects them to keep it. God gave specific commands concerning vows, only through certain exceptions was a woman forgiven if she did not fulfill her commitment.

“If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.” - Numbers 30:3-5,10-12.

“and the LORD shall forgive her.” God knows that people can hinder us from fulfilling our vows, which is why He is so forgiving, even to men as well. It has been nine years since I began reading the Bible through and writing these devotions, most days I am up at 4:30am to spend time with God, read the chapters for the day, and write the devotion. I actually write them a day ahead so they get published early, but my body does not always want to cooperate with me and it can be hard to keep that schedule some days. Nevertheless, I get up, even when I am late, and I do what I told God I will do. All this is not grievous, it not only keeps me accountable, it strengthens my relationship with God. Whatever He calls us to do follow through with it because He is counting on us, and will reward us for our good works. “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” - Titus 3:7-9.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your life, through Your Son, so that we can not only have eternal life, but become one of Your children. I never want to lose out on the amazing life that I can have by a close relationship with You. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to be walk with You daily, help me to keep my eyes on You, not on the circumstances or people trying to hinder me. Give me the strength to endure temptation, let me never forget Your promises, and keep giving me those reminders that You are always with me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Enough Restrictions

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 25-27
Message: Numbers: Enough Restrictions

Hello My Friend,

There are literally thousands of diets out there, the most common comes from the government, dictating how much and what a person can eat. Do you know what diets have in common with religion? They all place severe restrictions on people that have nothing to do with keeping them healthy. What works for some people does not work for others. We often see religious signs that say something like, “Jesus is my Saviour, not my religion.” To the world Jesus is a religion, filled with restrictions, but to the saved, born again Christian, they understand not by works of righteousness or restrictions are we saved, but by Jesus Christ. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” - Titus 3:4.5.

Do not get me wrong, we do need some restrictions in life, there are just some things in this world we need to stay clear of, but we need to learn exactly what it is that we need restrict from our lives. The problem with that is just like the same diet is not good for everyone, not all restrictions are good for everyone. You see, God knows what we can handle, while He may allow a stronger person in faith to say work with people of different religions or cultures, He will not allow a weaker one to do so. Why? Because the weaker will fall. The Israelites stayed quite a while in Moab, the problem with that was they began to fellowship with the Moabites, who were notorious for idolatry and even sacrificing children. It did not take long for the weaker in faith to start worshiping their god.

“And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.” - Numbers 25:1-5.

“and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.” The very first commandment of God, “Have no other gods before me.” Since God gives everyone the gift of free will, He allows us to choose whether or not we want to worship Him. If you choose a false god so be it, but choose God you better not follow another otherwise you are at war with Him, that includes people and lifestyles that compete with Him. “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” - Exodus 34:14.

Another thing that places needless restrictions on people is those who preach the Gospel. There is only one way to preach the Gospel, and that is the sinless death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we believe in Christ and understand that none of our works can save us from hell, that only He can, we are saved, it is that simple. So many people want to restrict us from teaching this simple plan. Let me tell you, as long as we teach this simple plan it does not matter what illustration God gives us to explain it, one way is not better than the other because not everyone is the same, therefore, God gives us ways to explain it so all can understand. Now, after all that, God ordered a second census to be taken of the Israelites, 602,730 men twenty years old and above were counted, out of those 602,730 only two men were from the first generation that came out of Egypt.

“Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.” - Numbers 26:2-4,63-65.

“And there was not left a man of them,” Not one single person from the generation from Caleb and Joshua lived to see the promised land, and many of the new generation lost that right as well for rebelling against God. Those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior receive not only eternal life, but an inheritance from God, and while the things we do after we are saved do not keep us saved, they do increase the amount we inherit. “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” -Matthew 16:27.

Now, since we must have some restrictions in life, we must not let those restrictions hinder us from doing what we ought to be doing in the first place. We are not going to always get the things we want, and we are going to lose out on some things because we disobey. The Israelite's were days from the promised land, before He gave Moses their final instructions, God sent him up to mount Abarim, the mountain that gave a perfect view of the promised land. It was there that He reminded Moses of that he would not be joining them, while he may have been a little disappointed, he continued to do what God commanded him to do, making sure He had someone who would take his place.

“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.” - Numbers 27:16-20.

“And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him,” Moses wanted to make sure that someone with some honor and obedience in leadership would take his place. While Moses was restricted from entering the promised land,

he knew that as beautiful as the sight of Canaan was, it did not compare to the Kingdom of God. You see, while Moses might have been restricted from going into the land that was promised to Israel, he was not restricted from entering God's Kingdom. All saved, born again children of get to enter His Kingdom, no matter what they have done after they are saved, nothing restricts us from entering His Kingdom. It is not by our works that we are saved, but by the mercy and grace of God through Jesus Christ, His Son that we are saved. “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:8-10.

Today's Prayer: God, It never ceases to amaze me just how loving and merciful you are to us, no matter what we have done over the years. It is so easy to be led astray when we take our eyes off You, but Your mercy endures.

You do not hold restrictions on us that are grievous, You do everything to make our stay here on earth as easy as possible with what we are given. No matter how many times we mess up in our attempts to make something out of this life You gave us, You are always there to pick us up and dust us off. Lord, lead us and guide us, let us not be deceived by trusting any other doctrine, let us not be weighed down by restrictions that have nothing to do with You, and give us Your power to resist the temptations of the day and to be a witness to others so they too can know of Your great mercy and grace, through Your Son. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: For They Are Blessed

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 22-24
Message: Numbers: For They Are Blessed

Hello My Friend,

As Christians we might get into some messes, but that is between you and God, no one else has a say in what He allows and does not allow, and the blessings He gives or takes away. Now, if anyone else messes with us that is a different story. If we are His saved, born again children, no one can change that, and He always has our back. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” - Jeremiah 29:11.

Curse, To utter a wish of evil against one; to imprecate evil upon. As the Israelites were getting close to the promised land, news got around of how strong and powerful they were and that scared the other nations. As they were passing through Moab, the king of Moab tempted a prophet named Balaam into putting a curse upon them. Little did they both realize that God had blessed them as a nation, and there was no way He would take it away.

“And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” - Numbers 22:3,7-12.

“thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” Jesus broke the curse of death and hell when He gave His life on the cross. Now, anyone who believes in Him and receives Him as their Saviour is blessed with the gift of eternal life. “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:15,18.

God will use any means to get us to see that we are going in the wrong direction. There is one culprit behind all curses, Satan, and he will use anyone to try to curse God's people, even if they are saved. You can be sure that if that person does not repent of that evil, God will make sure they learn their lesson one way or another. Balaam, still determined to find a way that Israel could be cursed so he can get his riches and honor, did not listen to the warnings and met up with Balak once again, this time God let him to go there with a message.

“And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder. And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.” - Numbers 23:14-20.

“and I cannot reverse it.” Once saved, always saved, the blessing of eternal life cannot be reversed no matter how many time we mess up after being saved. While Satan cannot take one single soul that belongs to Jesus, he can cause a lot of disruption in one that does not live their lives with Christ in it. While evil things happen to us that we cannot explain, the majority of the time, all curses come when we take our eyes off Jesus. “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. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” - 1 Peter 5:12-16.

There is a reason why God's children are to be separate and not conform to other nations, we fall victim to it's evil, but even if we do God never lets us go because He made a promise never to leave nor forsake any soul that believes in and receives His Son. Each time Balaam tried to curse Israel it was reversed as a blessing. God was well aware of the sin that plagued Israel, but remembers His promise to make a great nation out of Jacob. One more time Balak pleads with Balaam to curse Israel, and now after three tries, and much bigger blessings. Balaam finally realizes he cannot curse Israel, and Balak was mad.

“And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.” - Numbers 24:1-5,10,11.

“the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.” How often are we told that our faith in Christ is what keeps us from getting things? I have had people turn me down for business because of my faith. While we may have to contend with some worldly people who are just plain scared that we might receive something far greater than them, it is really God that we have to contend with. God does not hold us back from anything of value, and He will bless us tremendously if we remain faithful to Him. He may give some things and take some things, but what He takes He replaces with greater things. Never let anyone make you think that because you follow Christ you are losing out, no one loses with Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. Praise God!

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us the power to break the curse of death and hell. When we call on Your Son, He instantly breaks the curse, but we can still be held in bondage to a corrupt world. Lord, give us Your power to break free from the things that hold us bondage. Help us keep our eyes on Jesus so that we do not fall into the temptations of the devil, give us the strength we need to walk away from evil, and even know when getting near it. Lead us and guide us in Your will, and Your ways, and continue to bless us with Your mercy and grace so that we can turn any curse into something for Your glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Because Ye Believed Me Not

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, February 15, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 19-21
Message: Numbers: Because Ye Believed Me Not

Hello My Friend,

I worked with this guy that I had the biggest crush on when I was a teenager, he was probably the nicest guy I ever met. There was a connection between us, but neither one of us went beyond that boundary as friends. He quit his job and a couple of weeks later came in and asked me if he could take me home, I said no only to find out later on that he really did like me. Every once in a while I think back, only if I had said yes I probably would been married to him. How many times do we forfeit things because of unbelief? We just cannot believe that something can happen to us? Jesus explains how unbelief keeps us from seeing many things happen, but faith is the key to open any door of unbelief. “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” - Matthew 17:20.

Dead, useless; unprofitable, empty; vacant; lifeless. As we walk this earth and the journey we take while we have our breathe in us many things take the life out of us, but we do have a way to be resuscitated, that is Jesus Christ. He not only is the life of our very soul, He is the life of our livelihood, but the key to seeing Him work is keeping ourselves pure. While God allowed ordinary fresh water as a means to cleanse the flesh of it's impurities a special water had to be used for any person who touched a dead body, whether it was human or animal flesh, it was called the water of separation and it began with the sacrifice of a female cow.

“And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.” - Numbers 19:6-10,13.

“Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead,” A soul that does not have Jesus Christ in it is dead, the body is literally a walking talking dead body. Any soul that does not have Christ in them when their body dies will be cast into hell and suffer eternal death. A soul that does have Christ in it is going to come across a lot of many unsaved souls who defile us, make us unclean, they do not necessarily cause us to sin, but they do subject us to the things of the world. Jesus makes us clean by His living water, but we are to constantly wash our feet in prayer and supplication to God to cleanse us from the day to day things of the world that take the life out of us. “Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” - John 13:10.

Now, it had been thirty-eight years since the Israelites had the chance to go into the promised land. All the adults except Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua had died and now they were allowed to head back toward Canaan. While passing through they came to Edom, but had to go another route because they would not let them pass. Now, here is the new generation complaining that there was no water for them to drink. God commands Moses to strike his rod on a rock to bring water, but Moses and Aaron both did something that caused them to forfeit their right to enter the promised land.

“Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” - Numbers 20:8-12.

“Because ye believed me not,” Unbelief will causes us to lose many rewards from God. How is it that we, and we are all guilty of this, believe in Christ to be saved, but do not believe He can do far more than that? I caught myself last night saying to God that I do not want to ask Him for too much, but I was guilty of unbelief. God wants to give us things, He wants us to ask Him for everything we want, and He delights in giving them to us, but He will not if we have this attitude that He is not able to do it. We must understand that while Moses and Aaron could not go into the promised land, they did not forfeit their salvation, they just lost the reward of being able to go into Canaan. Unbelief can cause us to lose many rewards, including eternal life if we do not believe that Christ died a sinless death, was buried in a tomb, and arose three days later to give eternal life to every soul who believes in Him, but we must believe that He is capable of much more than that. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” - John 14:12-14.

As you can imagine, the Israelites were rather wearied after such a long march round the land of Edom, this time not only did they blame Moses they speak against God. Out of anger He sent fiery serpents among them and many died at the result of their unbelief. However, once they realized they sinned, God made a way for them to be saved if any more got bit. “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” - Numbers 21:5-9.

“when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” They had to look up to the serpent and when they did they were healed from the bite. Discontent, discouragement, and unbelief often cause us to question God's ways, we will never understand God's ways, as He always has a reason for the things He allows in our lives. The fiery serpent represents sin, sin of any kind, even unbelief, it too separates us from God. The brass serpent represents Jesus Christ, and just like anyone who looked to the brass serpent was cured, we are cured when we look to Jesus. We must have faith in Him, faith is talking yourself into believing that what God says He will do. Without faith we cannot please God, until we get some faith, we will lose out on a lot that God has to offer us. “If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” - Luke 12:28-31.

Today's Prayer: God, You are truly the One who meets all our needs. There is nothing we lack when we commit our faith and trust in You. You know what we have need of before we ask it, You are pleased when we come to You and acknowledge that You to be our provider of natural, physical, and spiritual resources. When our hearts are secure in You, we have no fear because we know that You have everything taken care of. Lord, lead us and guide us, give us Your power to keep believing when things look impossible. Increase our faith, show us Your Light when all we see is this darkness. Help us to remain faithful to You, keep our hearts open to receive Your rewards for our faithfulness, and let us not be deceived by our own unbelief. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Separate From The Rebels

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 16-18
Message: Numbers: Separate From The Rebels

Hello My Friend,

Rebel, One who willfully violates a law; to renounce the authority of the laws and government to which one owes allegiance. Every one of us has at one point done something to willfully violate a law, examples of this would be disobeying our parents law, a traffic law, or God's law. Just like any violation of a law, consequences come if we do not follow it. We many not even get caught at the time, but no sin goes unpunished. Now, there is another rebel, this one renounces or rejects the authority of God, this literally comes with the consequences of death and hell. The sad thing is, rebels have a way of attracting people to them, if they follow them, they too will die and end up in hell. “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 1:32.

Did you ever get the urge to do something when you were told not to? Of course you did, All of us have. There is something about our flesh that, even if we never thought about doing something, the second we are told not to, we are tempted. While many will resist the temptation quite a few will give in. As you can imagine, the news of the eldest Israelite's not being able to go into the promised land did not go over too well. Even though the Levites were not part of the group, Korah and some Reubenites revolted. Korah gathered every disgruntled person he could find and tried to overthrow the authority of Moses and Aaron, stating that they were making these rules, not God. On top of that, they thought because they were Levites, they were not under the same law.

“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.” - Numbers 16:21-26,31,32.

“lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” How often do innocent people die because others refuse to obey the rules? You would be surprised at that number. Moses could have kept silent as God was about to destroy them all, but he pleaded for the lives of those who did not follow them, and God heard His plea. While God is in control of all things and will do anything He wants, He is still merciful to those who do not follow the rebels. Today, Jesus stands before God and pleads with Him for every person that comes to Him for salvation. There will come a time when that door will be shut, all of His people will be raptured or risen to meet Him in the clouds, while the rest of the earth will be consumed in all their sins, including those who followed the rebel who started it all, Satan.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 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 20:10,12-15.

Rebellion is an example of false religion, people who go against God's commands to serve Him on their own terms. They too will find themselves cast straight into hell for their rebellion. It does not matter if we accept false religion out of ignorance, the same judgment applies to all. To prove that God gave authority to Aaron He commands every tribe to bring a rod and set it before the tabernacle.

“And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.” - Numbers 17:6-10.

“to be kept for a token against the rebels;” I have this jacket that I bought my ex-boyfriend, I refused to give it back to him because of it's value, but wear it myself. Since I live in the south I rarely need to use it, but once or twice a year I do and am reminded of all that God He has done for me since I dedicated my life to Christ. We all need something we can look back on to remind us that Christ is the one we follow and He truly is our Saviour from more than just hell, He literally saves us from the life we lived when we live under His authority. Following Christ is the single most bravest thing we could do, and when we truly understand what He did for us and saves us from we learn that His commands are not grievous. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” - 1 John 5:2-4.

If rebels are going to cause the righteous to sin God will separate them, sometimes He is subtle, but most of the time He is going to let the whole congregation know that rebels are not welcome in His Church. God reconfirms the covenant that He made with the Levites, stating that they are given as a gift for Him.

“And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” - Numbers 18:1-3,6,7.

“and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” Many people will come and try to serve God under some false religion, but God knows who are His, and unless we are saved no amount of work done in His name will be any good. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” - Matthew 7:21-23.

Today's Prayer: God, At times we can foolish and rebellious people, we need Your guidance and patience at all times even to get through the day. Through Your Word You teach us what is good and what destroys us, bringing us down and others along with us. Lord, cleanse our soul, create a hunger that gives us spiritual cravings for more of You and give us the power to be obedient to Your Word as we study to be approved by You. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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