The day with dianne Louise

Abraham believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: 'So will your descendants be.' He considered his own body to be already dead ( since he was about 100 years old) and also considered the deadness of Sarah's womb, without weakening in faith. He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform. Therefore it was credited to him as righteousness. Now ' it was credited to him' was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:17-25 Our God gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do...

Is this blessing only for the circumcised then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say: 'Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. In what way then was it credited- while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised. Romans 4:9-12 Abraham believed God's word to him, in faith he trusted God to keep His word. Circumcision was a painful reminder of the seal of his faith. As a Christian our seal is a circumcised heart. We can no longer do our own thing, we belong to another. However, the seal of ou...

God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented Him to demonstrate Gus righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25,26 Feel overwhelmed by this? It is so thick with meaning and our feeble minds have become lazy and unwilling to think, we find ourselves severely challenged by it. Hang in there! Jesus is our peace who has broken down every wall. The coming of Christ stayed God's wrath, that is how powerful it was to be. Even when men went their own way, God looked down through time to the day Jesus would say: "it is finished!" The perfection of Christ's sacrifice was such that not only all who come after have been given this free gift, all that went before were in Paradise waiting for Him and He came. After His death He descended and took captive the c...

Now we know that whatever the law says speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God's judgement. For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge is sin comes through the law. But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness has been revealed -attested by the Law and the Prophets- that is, God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:19-24 Romans can be a difficult book and it calls us to sit and meditate on the truth held in it, in bite size chunks. For the longest time I shunned such an activity but now am drawn to it. Verse 19 seems difficult and it reeks of legalism and judgement. However we need to know that the Law came so that we would realise h...

For circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart-by the Spirit, not the letter. That man's praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:25,28,29 We could say the same about one who calls themselves a Christian. What does the fruit of our lives say of us? Yes being born a Jew has causes much grief to many Jews during the Holicaust, many would have wished they were not Jews. Yet I could understand the clinging to th rich history and heritage that belongs to the Jewish people. However, just as being know as being born in Australia carries a certain stigma, it is of no benefit if I live a life that shames my culture. Not only would my country disown me, other countries would shun me. Being born into a Christian h...

He will repay each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory and honour, and immortality; but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth but are obeying unrighteousness; affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; but glory, honour, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. There is no favouritism with God. Romans 2:6-11 Does this passage confuse you? Do you feel like you are back under works, as you were before salvation? I think passages like James 2:14-26, where James tackles the thinking that now I am saved, Jesus did it all, I don't have to do anything. James slams such false thinking with examples of Abraham and Rahab from the Old Testament. Two people who dd not have the law but acted in faith. True faith is displayed in 'acts of righteousness,' it visits the sick, gives to the poor, ...

Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. We know that God's judgement on those who do such things is based on truth. Romans 2:1,2 At the end of the prior chapter we see that God's wrath is on those who 'did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God.' Among the sins named as a result ofGod  delivering them over to a 'worthless mind to do what is morally wrong,' ther are all sorts of wickedness yet some things that are common to the Christian world as well: unloving, disobedient to parents, gossips, slanderers etc. did the doers of such 'small' sins not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God? There is always a moralist brigade who would judge some sins, such as homosexuality, but fail to see the log in their own eyes and all the while are shameful gossips. Paul is saying in the above scripture that God's judgement is on the judge. At the end of a...

For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals and reptiles. Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served something created inst...

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: the righteous will live by faith. Romans 1:16,17 Ah! A reprieve! I have just laboured through the first 5 books of the bible and thought I would choke on the exact requirements of the Law. As Paul the apostle was a Pharisee above all Pharisees at one time, who better to bring the gospel out of the darkness. I am in Romans to bathe in the freedom of the gospel, the good news is good news indeed. Amen! God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. The Christian walk is all about faith, it is a progressive work, daily faith must be applied. The phrase: the just (righteous) will live by faith comes from Habkkuk 2:4 and it is God speaking to Habakkuk. We cannot be righteous without faith, it is impossible. The reason being that if we do not live i...

Then Moses went up from te plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho, an The Lord showed him all the land: Gilead as far as Dan, all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev, and the region from te valley of Jericho, the Ciry of Palms, as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him: "this is the land I promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I will give to your descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it." So Moses the servant of The Lord died there in the land of Moab, as The Lord had said. He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-Peoria, and no one to this day knows where his grave is. Moses was 120 years old when he died; his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not left him. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plain of Moab for 30 days. Deuteronomy 34:1-8 Today in Australia is ANZAC Day. Today we hold memorial services to ...

But the Lord's portion is His people, Jacob, His own inheritance. He found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness;  He surrounded him, cared for him, And protected him as the pupil of His eye. He watches over His nest like an eagle and hovers over His young; He spreads His wings, catches him, And lifts him up on His pinions. The Lord alone led him, With no help of a foreign god. He made him ride on the heights of the land an eat the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from flint-like rock, Cream from the herd and milk from the flock, with the fat of lambs, Rams from Bashan, and goats, With the choice grains of wheat; You drank wine from the finest grapes. Then Israel  became fat and rebelled...... Deuteronomy 32:9-14 This is a part taken from the last song Moses sang to the Israelites before he died and they went into the promised land. It was a song about their for fathers, themselves and their future, a warning about their...

This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, "Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?" And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, "who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to is so that we may follow it?" But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it. See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. For I am commanding you today to love The Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes and ordinances, so that you may live, and multiply, and The Lord your God may bless you in the land you are enterin to possess. Deuteronomy 30:11-16 Does this look familiar? It should. See Romans 10:5-8. Paul confronts the Jews zeal for righteousness in this chapter. I think this is one of the draw cards of Christianity also. We ...

..and the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God... Deuteronomy 28;13   I have read Deuteronomy chapter 28 many times and enjoyed all the promises for obedience,  yet you would have to agree that obedience is a hard task.   This morning while climbing my hill I thought about the scripture and realised that the Old Testament is a legal document and the principles it is governed by from Moses on was obedience, primarily and not having any other God but The Lord.   When Jesus came He said He had come to fulfil the just requirement of the law. As He had completed the just requirement it is finished. When Jesus said these words: "It is finish!" the law's demands were satisfied, once and for all.   So what do I live under? Grace and faith. My God supplies the grace and enables me to live in faith. Where the Old Testament required obedience the New Testamen...

Now if you faithfully obey The Lord your God and are careful to follow all His commands I am giving you today, The Lord your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey The Lord your God. Deuteronomy 28:1,2 These verses indicate an active, dynamic power would pursue them and overtake them rather than passively be appropriated by them. One of my most favourite verses in te New Testament is: Hebrews 4:12 Gods word is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joint and marrow. In Other scripture we are told how God actively pursues us. Our a God is active and not laying around on a throne. This is Him! He seeks us out desires to pour out His grace and mercy and mostly His love. We have a God looking for someone to bless. All I can say is: "Pick me Lord! Amen!

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, "Keep every command I am giving you today. At the time you cross the Jordan into the land The Lord  your God is givin you, you must set up large stones and cover them with plaster. Write all the words of this law on the stones after you cross to enter the land The Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God if your fathers, has promised you. Deuteronomy 27: 1-3 I have skipped many chapters in Deuteronomy as some are repetetitive and others hard to relate, some completely barbaric to my thinking. As I sat and pondered the last few chapters I wondered what parts of the Old Testament law the early Christians kept and went on a search. The first place I  landed was Acts 15. New Gentile believers were being harassed by Jewish Christians to be circumcised. There was a council in Jerusalem and Peter stood up and said: 'guys God has clearly chosen to visit the Gentiles, why do we now proposed ...

When you approach a city to fight against it you must make an offer of peace. If it accepts your offer of peace and opens its gates to you, all the people found in it will become forced labourers for you and serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you but wages war against you, lay siege to it. Deuteronomy 20:10-11 I never knew these verses were in the bible. I had, wrongfully, assumed that Gos had instructed the Israelites to kill all their enemies. I had struggled with it but understood as all the enemies in the territory they were moving into would corrupt the Israelites and water down their beliefs. Yet, when I think about it, these verses make sense. In other parts there is room for the foreigner wanting to join the Israelites as long as they adopted the Israeli practices. In our country, and in many western cultures were are under pressure to make room for the foreigner and his culture. In some countries we are made feel bad if we dare stand up for Christian practices ...

And now, Israel, what does The Lord your God ask of you except to fear The Lord your God by walking in His ways, to love Him, and to worship The Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Deuteronomy 10:12 Seems simple doesn't it? Yet I know before I came I Christ I wanted to do this but was unable. I would constantly wander. The day The Lord called me and I opened my heart and invited Him in, I became able not through my own strength but His Holy Spirit abiding in me strengthening me. I can will to do what is right but sin dwelling in my mortal body undoes me, oh sinful woman I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin. I praise God Jesus Christ has set me free. (My adaptation of Romans 7) Oh joy! I praise God I can now love Him with all my heart, soul and mind. All that I am can praise Him! Amen! Why would I want to live independent from Christ when His indwelling presence fulfills all the requirements of the law. He did it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crim...

"listen Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go and drive out nations greater an stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens. The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them and you have heard it said about them, 'who can stand up to the sons of Anakim?' But understand that today that The Lord your God will cross over before you as a consuming fire. He will devastate and subdue them before you. You will drive them out and destroy them swiftly, as The Lord has told you. When The Lord your God drives them out before you, do not say to yourself, ' The Lord brought me in to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.' Instead, The Lord will drive out tese nations before you because of their wickedness. You are not going to take possession of their lands because of your righteousness or your integrity. Understand that The Lord your God is not giving you this good land because of your righte...

"He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper. You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,' but remember that The Lord your God give you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. If you forget The Lord your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish." Deuteronomy 8:16-19 Prosperity carries it's own set of perils all tied up with business and ego. When the pressure is off a time of relaxation comes and with it the heady ideas: 'I have made it', 'wow! I must be special!', 'what am I going to do now? My next great conquest.' The worst of it is we are more impatient with those under us and become arrogant in our speech, condescending in attitude and a right embarrassm...

You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, may enter and take possession of the land The Lord swore to your fathers. Remember that The Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so you might learn that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of The Lord, your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these 40 years. Keep in mind that The Lord has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. So keep the commands of The Lord your God by walking in His ways and fearing Him. For The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams of water, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and...

When the Lord brings you into the land He swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He would give you- a land with large and beautiful cities that you did not build, houses full of every good thing that you did not fill them with, wells dug that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant- and when you eat and are satisfied, be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Fear Yahweh your God, worship Him, and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you, for the Lord your God is a jealous God. Deuteronomy 6:10-15   From reading scripture we know the people did indeed forget and follow other gods. They did this while with Moses and the Lord's presence in a cloud, through sexual promiscuity. When they entered their own land the people there worshipped foreign gods, gods of the flesh. God's law was strict and demanding faithfulness, the ...

"Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, The Lord is One. Love The Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4,5 Today is Good Friday. This morning I went to a service on the highest mountain around Tamworth, a good message. Tonight I watched the news cover Hillsong Sydney's service, a nice change. After this morning's service I went home and spent the day reading a book about the early church fathers. They were on fire for God, ready to be eaten alive, burned at the stake and crucified for their Lord. I read about the zealous missionaries who fronted barbarians with the gospel. The passion of Chris consumed them. They loved the Lord with all their hearts, souls and strength. They were singularly focused. Tonight I watched the news and saw how far we have fallen away from this focus. We now consider it ok for sports teams to play on Good Friday. The early kings in England went around with the priests and bishops while they e...

"Do not defile the land where you are, for bloodshed defiles the land, and there can be no atonement for the land because I the blood that was shed on it, except by the blood of the person who shed it. Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I reside; for I, Yahweh, reside among the Israelites." Numbers 35:33,34 God had just given direction about the cities of refuge where a person who had accidentally killed another person may flee and reside until the death of the high priest. If they left before that time  the 'avenger of blood' (a close relative of the deceased) would be able to kill them. If a man killed another intentionally then they would forfeit their own life. The very upholders of the law intentionally killed an innocent man when they crucified Christ. They defiled the land and when the destruction of Jerusalem occurred some years later they probably forfeited their own lives. Yet the blood of Christ liberated us once and for all from the bond...

The Lord spoke to Moses, "execute vengeance for the Israelites against the Midianites. After that, you will be gathered to your people. So Moses spoke to the people, "Equip some of your men for war. They will go against Midian to inflict the Lord's vengeance on them. Send 1,000 mento war from each Israelite tribe. So 1,000 were recruited from each Israelite tribe out of the thousands in Israel- 12,000 equipped for war. Moses sent 1,000 from each tribe to war. They went with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, in whose care were the holy objects and signal trumpets. They waged war against Midian, as The Lord had commanded Moses, and killed every male. Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianites kings. Thy also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. Numbers 31:1-8 These were the very people who wanted Israel cursed.  Balaam waited too long in a place he should never have been in the first place and they was judged along with them not clever! With the ...

Moses told the leaders of the Israelite tribes, "This is what The Lord has commanded: when a man makes a vow to The Lord or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised." Numbers 30:1,2   We live in a world that changes the rules to suit circumstances. The biggie is to divorce because we don't love  anymore. Yet we go further. We may agree to an arrangement with a friend or brother, say a living arrangement but when circumstances try us we renig on out agreement. This habit causes loss of love, resentment and judgement. The world staggers under a load of resentment. If we train ourselves to keep our word, even to our own hurt we would do well. Last week I had a client ask if they still had to pay break costs on a fixed interest loan if they paid it out early. My short answer was "Yes!" I then explained that they had made a contract with the provider of the finance to keep the contract to term....

Then The Lord said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of the Abarium range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you will also be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was." So Moses appealed to The Lord, "May The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the community who will go out before them and come back in before them, so that the Lord's community won't be like sheep without a shepherd." The Lord replied to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and commission him in their sight. Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him. He will stand before Eleazar who will consult The Lord for him with the decision of the Urim. He and all the Israelites with him, even the entire community, will go out and come back in at his command." ...

The daughters of Zeliphehad approached; Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahiah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, Eleazer the priest, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, "Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among Korah's followers, who gathered together against The Lord. Instead he died because of his own sin, and he has no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan? Since he has no sons, give us property among our father's brothers."  Moses brought their case before The Lord, and The Lord answered him, " What Zelophehad's daughters say is correct. You are to give them hereditary property among their fathers brothers and transfer their father's inheritance to them." Numbers 27:1-7 These bold women created ...

While Israel was staying in the Acacia Groves, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. The women invited them to the sacrifices for their gods, and the people ate and bowed in worship to their gods. So Israel aligned itself with 'Baal of Peor', and the Lord's anger burned against Israel. Numbers 25:1-3 Perhaps this is why the Lord tells His people not to be unequally yoked. When a Christian gets entangled with a non-Christian they are drawn into sexual compromise. Once trapped in sexual sin the next step is to worship the god that allows it. We cannot afford to try and muddy the waters, it does not work. Trust The Lord for His plan. Amen!

The Israelites travelled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak son of Zipor saw all that Israel ha done to the Amorites. Moab was terrified I the people because they were numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites. So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, " this horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field." Since Balak son of Zipor was Moab's king at that time, he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beir at Pethor, which was by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him: "Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me. Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them an drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed." Numbers 22:1-6 This story is well worth reading in it...

So Israel lived in the Amorites land. After Moses sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drive out the Amorites who were there. Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan came out against them with his whole army to do battle at Edrei. But The Lord said to Moses, "Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Hesbon." So they struck him, his sons, and his whole army until no one was left, and they took possession of his land. Numbers 21:31-35  At last they had got it! By George they had got it! Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and He will make straight your paths. They had their ears opened to The Lord, they were learning the ropes and they were gaining strength, reputation, and territory. We can learn lessons by watching their walk unfold. Amen!

Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites: "let us travel through your land. We won't go into the fields or vineyards. We won't drink well water. We will travel the Kings Highway until we have travelled through your territory." But Sihon would not let Israel travel through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness when he came across to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. Israel struck him with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only up to the Ammonite border, because it was fortified. Numbers 21:21-24 The Israelites were learning. They were becoming warriors and less inclined to bow and scrape. We can be buffeted by our enemies when we are naive and do not know the rules of encounter. As we engage again and again we grow in understanding for the art of warcraft. I must confess that my biggest frustration is lack of experience. I am learning and growing s...

Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land if Edom, but the people became impatient because of the journey. The people spoke against Moses and God: "why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water and we detest this wretched food! Then The Lord sent pipsonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many of the Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, " We have sinned by speaking against The Lord and against you. Intercede with te Lord so that He will take the snakes away from us." And Moses interceded for the people. Then The Lord said to the people, " make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover." So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered. Numbers 21:4-9 The very thing that troubled the Israelites was a critical, complaining spir...

When the Caananite king of Arad, who lived in the Negrev heard that Israel was coming on the Atharum road, he fought against Israel and captured some prisoners. Then Israel made a vow to The Lord, "If You will deliver the people into our hands, we will completely destroy their cities." The Lord listened to Israel's request, the Caananites were defeated, and Israel completely destroyed them and their cities. So they named the place Hormah. Numbers 21:1-3 What victory are you wanting? What price are you willing to pay? Are you willing to completely destroy strongholds and never allow life there again? I am talking about spiritual strongholds where the enemy of our souls has set up camp. We can be as spiritual sounding as we like, we can really worship until the dew of heaven falls, but we need to change something if we want a different result. The areas in our lives where we indulge ourselves: appetites; laziness; attitudes; opinions; secret sins, these all have to be dealt...

After they set out from Kadesh, the entire Israelite community came to Mount Hor. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom: "Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land I have given to the Israelites, because you both rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and his son Eleazer and bring them up Mount Hor. Remove Aaron's garments and put them on Eleazer. Aaron will be gathered to his people and die there." Numbers 20:22  The people's rebellion was grumbling, complaining and failing to have faith in God. This they did with regular occurrence. Moses and Aaron became angry with the people for their complaining and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Their judgement was just as important as the faithless because they failed to trust te Lord to judge the people, they entered His territory and judged them. This caused them to miss out on entering the promised land. The life of a lead...

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, " this is what your brother Israel says, 'you know of our hardships that have overtaken us. Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt for many years, but the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. When we cried out to The Lord, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your territory. Please let us travel through your land. We won't travel through any field or vineyard, or drink any well water. We will travel the Kings highway; we won't turn left or right until we have travelled through your territory." But Edom answered him, "You must not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword." Numbers 20:14-18 The Edomites were descendants of Esau and were opposed to the Israelites. Edomites attacked Israel under King Saul but would be defeated by King David. At the fall of the first tem...

The entire Israelite community entered the a Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they settled in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. There was no water in the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron. Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. They fell down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of The Lord appeared to them. The Lord spoke to Moses, 'take the staff and assemble the community. You and your brother are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock. So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence just as He had commanded him. Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them: "Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you? " Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff,...

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, " this is the legal statute that The Lord has commanded: instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red cow that has no defect and has never been yoked. Give it to Eleazer the priest, and he will have brought it outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. Eleazer the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. The cow must be burned in his sight. It's hide, flesh, and blood, are to be burned along with its dung. The priest is to take cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn, and throw them onto the fire where the cow is burning. A man who is clean must gather up the cow's ashes and deposit them outside the camp in a ceremonially clean place. The ashes must be kept by the Israelite community for preparing the water to remove impurity; it is a sin offering. Numbers 18:1-6; 9 The red cow is a type of Christ who was slain outside the city. (Hebrews 13:12) ...

The Lord told Aaron, "You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent I meeting. Numbers 18:20,21 The Lord was guaranteeing an income for the Levites, However there was no land. I wonder how they took that? Modern ministry took up a similar behaviour. Priests and nums live in church property; many other evangelical churches provide a manse for their ministers until it is time to leave, what then? Some actually buy homes and rent them out. I have a girlfriend in Japan, she has been a missionary since 1989. She will stay tree until she retires and can obtain an Australian pension. I remember her trying to organise super but it did not happen. She wondered where she would go. I have since heard she will inherit her parents home, which is good. The Lord provi...

The Lord instructed Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from each of them for each ancestral house, 12 staffs from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man's name on his staff. Write Aaron's name on the Levi staff, because there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral house. Then place them in the Tent if Meeting in front of the Testimony where I meet with you. The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of the Israelites complaints that they have been making about you. The next day Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord's presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, each man took his own staff. The Lord told Moses: " Put Aaron's staff back in front if the Testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to ...

Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, with Darhan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Rueben, took 250 prominent Israelite men who were leaders of the community and representatives in the assembly, and they rebelled against Moses. They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, "You have gone too far! Everyone in the entire community is holy, and The Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the Lord's assembly?" Numbers 16:1-3 Korah and the Kohathites had a favoured status among the three Levites clans in handling the holy things of the tabernacle, but they desired greater glory. Moses replied to Korah: " now listen, Levites! Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelite community to bring near to Himself, to perform the work at the Lord's tabernacle, and to stand before the community to minister to them? He has brought you near, and all your fellow Levites wh...

The Lord said to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel of each corner. These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord's commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes. This way you will remember and obey all My commands and be holy to your God. I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh your God. Numbers 15:37-41 This practice was in place at the time of Christ and still is in practice today. A Christian does not have such a practice as we have been given the Holy Spirit to reside in our hearts. Just as the Jew must decide to put the tassels on their garmets, to look at them with significance, we Christians must decide to take time to look at what God has done for us and remember, fellowship the Holy Spirit and ...

all the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if we had died in the wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt? So they said to one another, "Let's appoint a leader and go back to Egypt." Numbers 14:2-4   This was not a good day. All hell was breaking loose. The Israelites were ready to stone Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, Moses and the boys were on their faces in the dirt and God was angry and wanted to wipe all the rebellious of the face of the earth. Moses had to step in and remind God about His reputation in the neighbourhood, God does wipe out the 10 scouts who brought a bad report and the people are antsy and God decides none who were over 20 and rebelled will enter the promised land, they would die in the desert.   After a sleep ...

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Send men to scout out the land of Caanan I am going to giventhe Israelites. Send one man who is a leader among them from each of their ancestral tribes." Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran at the Lord's command. All the men were leaders in Insrael. These were their names: Shamua from Reuben;  Shaphat from Simeon,  Caleb from Judah;  Igal from Issachar;  Hoshea (Joshua) son of Nun from Ephraim; Palti from Benjamin; Gaddiel from Zebulun; Gaddi from Joseph; Ammiel from Dan; Sethur from Asher; Nahbi from Naphtali; Geuel from Gad. At the end of 40 days they returned from scouting out the land. Numbers 13:1-15; 25 The 40 days represent the approximate time it would have taken Israel to get to the promised land (350-400 miles) on foot. However, we know they took several years. At last the tribe of Israel was at te border of their promise, how exciting! They waited for the spies to come back with anticipation, trusting those they sent to d...

Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he married. They said, " does The Lord speak only through Moses? Does He nod also speak through us? And The Lord heard it. Moses was a very humble man, more so than Anyang on the face of the earth. Suddenly The Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "You three come out to the Tent of Meeting." So the three of them went out. Then The Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and sum minder Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, He said: "Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from The Lord, I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all my household. I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; for he sees the form of The Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?" The Lord's anger burned against them, and He left. As the cloud move...

A wind sent by The Lord came up and blew quail in from the sea; it dropped them at the camp all around, three feet off the ground. About a days journey in every direction. The people were up all day and night and all the next day gathering the quail- the one who took the least gathered 50 bushels. And they spread them out all around the camp. While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the Lord's anger burned against the people, and The Lord struck them with a very severe plague. So they named the place Kibroth-hattaavah, (grave of cravings) because there they buried the people who had craved te meat. Numbers 11:31-34 It is not good to crave that which was not yours. I wonder if the people had not complained what God had planned anyway? When we walk in the flesh we can miss God's best. I am so grateful for Christ. As I read about the Lord's anger and intolerance of sin I am so grateful that I was born in such a time as grace. I know I complain and Go...

The Lord answeredMoses, "bring Me 70 men from Israel known the you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself. As the Spirit rested on then, they prophesied, but they never did it again. Numbers 11:16,17:25b I have just finished a book called: 'Birthing the Miraculous,' by Heidi Baker A brilliant book that tells how the miracohlus manifested in Heidi's life. As she learned to rest in God and allow herself to sink deeper in Him, amidst huge trials, the miraculous came. God insisted Heidi come aside and spend more time with Him, thus the need to delegate more became an issue. This morning I watched a service on-line with a prominent church and the head pastor was saying how tired he was, Sunda...

Now the people began complaining openly before the Lord about hardship. When the Lord heard, His anger burned, and fire from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. SO that place was named Taberah, because the lord's fire blazed among them. Numbers 11:1-3   Nowhere else is such intolerance and harsh judgement metered out to the Israelites. They were in close communion with their God, His presence was on them and there was a price to pay for grumbling. God was providing them with manna from heaven 6 days a week but they wanted meat. God was so cross He actually gave them meat and said they would have so much it would come out of their nostrils and then He became angry again and disease broke out.   Have you ever experienced such feelings of intolerance for whinging and complaining from others? You have rage like fire wanting to spill forth against the ungr...

During the second year, in the second month, the cloud was lifted up above the tabernacle of the testimony. The Israelites travelled on from the Wilderness of Sinai, moving from one place to the next until the cloud stopped in the Wilderness of Paran. They set out for the first time according to the lord's command through Moses. The military divisions of the camp of Judah with their banners set out first, and Nahshon son of Ammindab was over Judah's divisions. They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three day journey with the ark of the Lord's covenant travelling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them. Meanwhile the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from camp. Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say: "Arise Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, and those who hate You flee from Your presence." When it came to rest, he would say: "Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel." Num...

Then The Lord spoke to Moses: " make two trumpets of hammered silver to summon the community and have the camps set out. When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel's clans, are to gather before you. When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched at the east are to set out. When you sound short blasts a second time, the camps pitched on the south are to set out. Short blasts are to be sounded for them to set out. When calling the assembly together, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones. The sons of Aaron, the priests are to sound the trumpets. You use of these is a permanent stature throughout your generation. When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who is attacking you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before The Lord your God and will be delivered from your enemies. Yo...

On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. it remained that way continuously; the cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night. Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped. At the Lord's command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord's command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord's requirements and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord's command and set out at the Lord's command. Sometimes the cloud remained from evening to morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and night, they ...

In the first month of the second year after their departure form the land of Egypt, the Lord told Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: "The Israelites are to observe the Passover at the appointed time. You must observe it at the appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances. Numbers 9:1-3   Remembering is good. The Passover remembered how God delivered His people from the hand of Pharoah. In Christendom we remember our deliverer, Christ, at Easter.   The Jewish Passover begins on 14th April this year. It involves eating yeast free bread for 7 days before. In The Jewish Faith the first born is to fast the day before, to remember how God redeemed the firstborn of the Israelites and killed all those in houses not marked with he blood of the lamb.   The Catholic Church observes Lent which involves fasting, of some sort, for 40 days before Easter, starting on Ash Wednesday (5th March...