MORE BLESSINGS
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 33-34
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).
Here you can see what the breastplate would have looked like on the High Priest in Moses’ time. Each of the twelve tribes is represented before God by a precious stone. The Thummin and the Urim mentioned in today’s reading were there somewhere, but they remain mysterious objects of which we know very little. Perhaps they were instruments for testing God’s will such as casting lots (Deuteronomy 33:8).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 33:27a
The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms…
Our reading begins with praise to God and then blessings on all the tribes except one, Simeon. In Genesis 49:5-7 both Simeon and Levi are cursed by their father, Jacob. All the other brothers are blessed. Moses and Aaron came from Levi, the tribe that became Israel’s priests. It remains a mystery why Levi was chosen for special service and Simeon was not. Perhaps Levi repented of the sins Jacob mentioned and Simeon did not. God always responds to a godly sorrow for sin, followed by a turning away from sin. Restoring our relationship with God is absolutely essential to experiencing the powerful promise found in our key verse. God blessed Moses. Jesus, Peter, James and John would later meet him on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I search my heart, confess my sin, and trust You for the gift of genuine repentance. Levi became the recipient of Your blessings, and his brother, Simeon, did not. I’m desperate for Your everlasting arms under me. I lean on Your arms today and every day. Thank You for Your promise of strong support. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Often over the years I have visited the modern expression of “The Promised Land”…Israel. Bible prophecy indicates the establishment of a nation state in the end times called “Israel.” The olive tree symbolizes the spiritual life of Israel; the fig tree symbolizes political Israel (Luke 21:29-31). I, as a Gentile believer in the King of the Jews, Jesus, have been grafted into the olive tree. Jews who believe in Jesus as Messiah, Saviour and Lord (there are thousands in Israel in many congregations) continue an expression of the original olive tree. Following the birth of Jesus’ Church (Acts 2), many thousands of Jews formed the first congregations of believers in Jesus. A non-Jew, Cornelius, was the first Gentile grafted into the olive tree (Acts 10). While modern Israel has come into being, let’s not forget that the modern state of Israel is not gathered in righteousness. For example, I’m told that in Israel abortion is legal and huge numbers of little ones are being torn apart in the wombs of Jewish mothers. Jesus’ last prophecy was about this (check out Luke 23:27-31). Let us never forget that God loves all people equally; Arabs and Jews all need to receive Jesus in order to be saved. We all need to come to Him and trust His promises (e.g. John 6:37). Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll do my blog from the book of Romans. I’ve just had a head-start by reading about the “olive tree.” It’s found in Romans 11:17-24 (click here to read with me).
Yours for God at work today with Jews, Arabs, and all the rest of us…and for the growth of the “olive tree” and its grafted-in branches, of which I believe I’m a little twig,
David
P.S. Yesterday I linked you to my Uncle’s book, Pebbles From The Brink, which gives the last words of the dying at a time before modern sedatives (If you missed it, here is the link again). Most people today are not conscious when they pass away. Many of the last sayings were from a time when believers, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, were persecuted and martyred by wicked leaders from both sides (e.g. Henry VIII). My Uncle featured Heaven and Hell statements from both sides of that great divide. I hope we don’t automatically presume we are reading of only one side or the other. Below is a picture of my uncle, Rev. Manley C. Pritchard. He edited a weekly and also a monthly publication beginning approximately in 1910.
Yes, saints, we are all twigs from grafted-in branches of God’s olive tree. What a lovely part of God’s Kingdom to be–growing on earth as it is in heaven. Oh, children of God, how He loves us so! May each moment of your day be blessed, fellow saints in the Lord!
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
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.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-8 ESV
Lauren Daigle – You Say (Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8WK9HmF53w
Amen Beverly; that you for posting that scripture, one of my favorite ones!
Thank you Lord for the privilege and honor of being grafted in to the olive tree, Israel. Remember David saying that God had no favorites only intimates which I feel we are on this blog. The Lord makes it clear that Moses was one of those very important intimates as the Lord spoke to him “face to face”. Amen? Just signed a petition on my email rejecting the new loonie celebrating homosexuality. Oh Lord, how much lower is this country dropping. Please give us righteous government. Amen!
Lord God, please raise up Godly leaders in this country. Forgive us for our sin, and help us to truly turn to You. Please wake us Canadians up to see that Truth is Truth; that there are moral laws given by You, Father; and that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. Guide us as we vote.
As Paul prayed, open up the doors for your gospel to go out freely, powerfully, and clearly. As You told us to, we pray that You send out more workers, and bless and equip each one.
Give us, Your people, great boldness to stand for You in this world, in all the places You have put us. And may we glorify and please You in all we do and say.
In Jesus’s everlastingly great name, amen
Amen Ger. and Rob!
A bit late but laughter is always the best medicine. This video shows children acting out the Nativity scene:
https://youtu.be/76LcOD4aY-o
Thank you Lynda for sharing, truly enjoyable! reminds me of my childhood Christmases:)
I am adopted into His family.My son is adopted and when his son was born 3 1/2 yr ago,as he held him in his arms I said to him “Now you know how I feel about you! “I strongly suspect God feels the same when someone is saved.
The year after I ‘surrendered’ on my knees,in my livingroom,I wrote this poem.I did not realize until it was finished that it was about me…and the next one is about that ‘tree’.I’m leaving now to visit that family,just below the HFX airport and play with my grandson.God bless
Search Me
Search me,oh Lord,I’m your’s,
Remove the cobwebs that hide,
Find out what my heart stores,
Then put the wrong far to one side.
Search again,oh Lord,for light,
Let not darkness cloud my mind,
That I may freely do what’s right,
For I want a heart clean and kind.
Search my soul,Oh Lord,for me;
Don’t let me be vain and phony,
For such get lost and can’t see,
Then become the devil’s crony.
Search my heart,oh Lord again,
Leave no trace of greed within,
Then I can show,without pain,
The love betrayed by my sin.
G W Marshall / 08-Nov-013
Abide In Me
Abide in me and I will give you life,
For if you first seek Me out sincerely
Then you will share what grows rife,
In His grace where you are held dearly.
You are a branch and I am the tree,
With Me you will know life eternal,
But if cut off from your life with Me,
You are doomed to a life infernal.
So into my open arms you must flee,
For I love all who seek out my trust,
To accept the love,abundant and free,
Instead of greed that turns all to dust.
G W (Bill) Marshall/ Feb 20, 2013
Thank you William for sharing these poems with us!
Amen Rob; good poem William. Quite a play Lynda!
God is so faithful; He knows everything about us and yet He Loves us.
He was with Moses to the very end, even so Moses could see the promised land.
We can trust Him to care for all the need in our lives, even to the very end! He Loves us so much that He sent us His Son to open the door for us to the Father, and to eternal life in Him. Praise His holy name for ever and ever, Amen!!
Thank you for posting the picture of David’s Uncle and his story!
Be blessed this day, the day the Lord has made!!