GOD’S CHOICE
Today’s Reading: Numbers 17-18
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Evening sets on the Eastern Gate, or Golden Gate, of the Old City of Jerusalem.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Numbers 17:10
And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.
King David wrote, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4b). The “rod” was the shepherd’s aggressive weapon. With this, leadership was established, both with the sheep and an attacking animal or person. This instrument of authority, the rod, was God’s choice as a sign of His authority. The dead stick, Aaron’s rod, sprouted buds, blossoms and ripe almonds. By putting this in the Ark, the leadership issue was settled once and for all. Chapter 18 has to do with the remuneration of those who served full time in the work of God on behalf of the people. It’s not so long ago that Pastors and Evangelists serving in farming communities were paid with a side of beef, vegetables, chickens, etc. During the 1930’s and into the Second World War, cash was hard to come by. No doubt it was the same in Israel’s case.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord, if necessary to stop murmuring, give Your people a sign which confirms Your call on the lives of the leaders You have chosen. Enable me, O Lord, to have that inner witness of Your Spirit with my spirit, that my leaders are Your choice, whether or not I have a physical manifestation such as a dead stick that springs to life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I was born in 1936, the height of the depression, and our family lived by the gifts of meat and other produce given by those great people called “Farmers.” Every evening from about ’41 to ’45, I would run over to Mr. White’s farm across the field. I would carefully walk back as I was carrying a pail of fresh milk, still warm from the cow. The White family were of a different denomination than we were, but it made no difference. A portion of the tithe of the milk went to our family while my father served as a missionary in Egypt. Our family stayed behind in Canada because of the danger of the war raging in North Africa and Europe. When Daddy arrived home in December of 1944, Mr. White, Chairman of the local School Board, asked my Father to take over teaching the 52 pupils from grades 1 – 8 in our one-room schoolhouse. He did, and believe me, there was absolutely no murmuring, particularly from me, about Dad’s authority and leadership.
Yours for obedience to God’s directions and loyalty to those He has chosen,
David
P.S. Below is a photo of a time of prayer at Caesarea Philippi, where Peter responded to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” Find Peter’s answer in Matthew 16:13-26.
Thank You, Lord, God, our Jehovah Rapha, our Jehovah Jireh, God of healing, God of protection. Our Deliverer, our Prince of Peace, our Lamb of God, our Risen King. For we are everything with You, but nothing without You. Oh Adonai, it is to to You that our hearts cry out and sing praises to Your Holy Name. Wishing all saints a most blessed day.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. PS 18:2 ESV
Chris Tomlin – Good Good Father (Lyrics And Chords)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBmwwwiHrOk
Thank you for these inspiring words, Beverlee!
I have read them out loud as a prayer and declaration of Who God is to me, personally.
Blessings on you and all the saints!
Ahhh… that is so sweet, Luisa. God bless you, dear sister-in-Christ!
Amen,amen
Blessings
Hope you are staying safe out in the east, Ger, and that the storm has passed.
Thank you for your prayer, scripture and song Beverlee. Today I go out and clean up from the storm on Tuesday and prepare for the next one tomorrow. our God is a good God and is faithful to His servants as is shown in the reading today and David’s personal words. Amen?
Amen, Ger. Praying for Angels to be with you, preparing for and facing the next storm. We await our first, here–no sign of it coming.
Finally got our first snow storm, Ger. I drove home from the church in it and could not find my car scraper; had to use a canvas to get the snow off. Tons of it is coming down–so pretty.
100 Words did not come in today for one of my friends nor me but I always use the link on my toolbar.Storm related,I assume.Thank you Beverlee for your words too.I did a google on “the keys…”Here is an link to an interesting article.Is it a good teaching??It seems valid.God bless
https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/what-are-the-keys-of-the-kingdom-referred-to-in
Catch The Fire (4 David Mainse)
Though you have walked many oceans
And spread My word to many nations,
I saw in you and your devotions
A servant of joyous exhalations.
You have not asked for earthly wealth,
But just to be my most humble voice
And when adversity was kept in stealth
You still worshiped Me out of free choice.
So out of free choice I give you
More time upon the stage of learning,
Whereby My word you show to be true
And catch the fire that’s forever burning.
G W(Bill) Marshall / 01 February, 2014
Loyality (obedience) are vastly important.We are so far below God that we forget or can not even imagine how high His thoughts are above all of mankind’s that we think in ‘mortal’ terms,within a box (the rebels),and so many never think outside that box as in today’s lesson.Blessings
I am constantly amazed at David’s memory of things from the past !
I didn’t get my email this morning either.
I like to read everyone’s comments.
We are in Florida for the winter, it is a cool day. After it being so hot , I welcome the cooler temps.
God bless you all today.
Neither did I..although I am able to access on clicking on previous date and brings up the blog of the day!
Blessings to all this day!
Mine did not come either but I have the app so I click on that. What a lot of snow & cold today! Be careful all – it takes time to remember how to drive in snow for the first fall of the white stuff!!