May 31

Deuteronomy 4 David Barton of Wall Builders has very convincingly demonstrated that the founding fathers of the USA based much of their concepts of government and the formation of our constitution upon principles of Scripture. While my son was serving Iraq, he developed a relationship with the interpreter assigned to his unit. His interpreter was very impressed with the way our government was established. He asked Brice for some books on the history and founding of our country. We were able to send him some of David Barton’s books on government. What would cause such a man to desire to learn more about our country, a country which many of his religion have called America, “the great Satan”? What is attractive about America? Although I cannot find the source, the following quote is generally attributed to French political philosopher and historian de Tocqueville (about 1835): I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there…in her fertile fields and boundless forests, and it was not there…in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there…in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. Whether or not he said or wrote it, it is still a great statement, filled with some truth. Its truth is found in the Scripture. The principle is found in what God promised to the nation of Israel that their admirers would say of them. 7“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8“And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? While this is a promise to the Nation of Israel and not the USA, the principle is there. When we follow His righteous judgments, life goes well for us. That is part of His glory. If you do the principles, they work whether you believe the principle giver or not. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 30

Deuteronomy 3 I’ve got a mind like a steel trap—its rusted shut. Jesse and I traveled in Pisgah. It is in modern day Jordan. You probably saw the picture a number of pages back. While travelling I wished that I could remember all of the significance events that happened around Pisgah. In general Pisgah refers to the ridge of mountains beginning just north of the Dead Sea and running south. The ridge lies east of the Jordan and Dead Sea. Nebo generally refers to the specific peak to which Moses climbed to see the promised land. While Jesse and I were up there, all that I could think of was Moses’ last stop before heaven. Of course, it overlooks where the children of Israel camped before crossing into Jordan. Their encampment also seems to be where Balaam sought to earn the reward of Balak. From Nebo you can see east and west where Moabite and Ammonite kings would have invaded Israel during the period of the Judges. From Nebo you cans see where Naomi would have crossed from Bethlehem to Moab to escape the drought and then crossed back over years later when Ruth accompanied her. From Nebo you can see where David’s army would have crossed the Jordan to begin the siege of Rabbah Ben Ammon. From Nebo you can see approximately where John the Baptist baptized at Bethabara. But the most significant thing is this is where Moses looked into the Promised Land. At least at the age of 40 Moses fancied himself to be some sort of deliverer. He committed murder to try to accomplish it. His violence was discovered, and he had to run for his life. I would suspect that 40 years of living as a shepherd in the desert caused him to abandon all hope of being a great deliverer. Then he had a face to face encounter with the living God at the burning bush. Now he had learned to let God be God. He no longer wanted the assignment of deliverer. It was too risky, but the glory of God was too great. It compelled him to go. Time and again he encountered problems whereby he learned new and afresh that God glorifies Himself the most when we are the most helpless. Time and again he learned that the LORD is slow to anger, merciful and compassionate. Time and again he heard the audible voice of God and spoke with him as a man with a friend. He even got to see the back side of the glory of God! But he had one slip up where he did not publically acknowledge God. He struck the rock rather than speaking to it as commanded by the LORD. He defamed the glory of the Lord in front of the nation. For that reason, the LORD would not let him enter into the Promised Land. But he does get to see it from Nebo. It was time for Moses to pass on the mantle to Joshua. From now on Joshua would be the conduit through whom the glory of the LORD would be revealed. Are we first of all experiencing the glory of the LORD? Secondly are we passing it on to someone else. As Moses did, so should we! Hmmm. . . to whom am I passing it on? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 28

Deuteronomy 1 The colored glass filtered in through the stain glassed windows from the morning sunrise. While in college, I frequently came into the sanctuary to pray and seek God’s face. The beauty of the cool morning and colored light was conducive to seeking the glory of the LORD. Occasionally I would sense the presence of the Lord. It would make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, so to speak. I loved to linger there, but there is always a time to go, a time to begin ministering with and to others and a time to invade enemy territory and claim as the Lord’s. I love remembering that powerful presence of the LORD. Within this chapter there are three main points in Moses’ remembrance of their travel from Egypt to the plains of Moab. The first is the command of the LORD to leave Mt. Sinai. At the mountain they had daily received a miraculous provision of bread and water. They had seen the tremendous manifestations of the glory of the Lord as He consumed everything on the holy mountain. They had seen the fire and smoke. They had heard the mighty thunderings and trumpets. They had heard the majestic voice. They had received the weighty instructions. They had built the tabernacle where the glory of the LORD would abide while in transit. And now, the LORD says, “You have stayed at this mountain long enough.” While the physical accoutrements of Mt. Sinai would lend oneself to desiring to leave, can you imagine having the privilege of experiencing all those manifestations of God’s presence? “I alone am not able to bear you.” As Moses was recounting the administrative and leadership problems of leading 2 million people, we are reminded of a time when the strain of leadership was more than he could bear. Are there times in your lives when you feel stretched like a rubber band? Do the limits of your abilities feel like they are being squashed by the preponderance of demands weighing upon you? From the testimony of Moses, the LORD provided help for him so that he was able to bear it. His glory includes His provision such that when we are being squashed by our responsibilities or circumstances that He provides a way out. The final point is the rebellion of the people in their refusal to take the land promised to them. They maligned the glory of the LORD by that refusal! They were essentially saying that the LORD could not or would not keep His promises. Their rebellion resulted in a whole generation dying in the desert. When I have seen His glory, been given grace to bear the tasks He gives me and then refuse to obey, I am walking on very dangerous territory. His glorious light still floods our lives. There are times when He says, “You’ve stayed at this mountain long enough.” He sends us out to minister with and to other people. He gives us all that we need to bear it. Let us remember His glory when we are tempted to think that He is either unable or unwilling to empower us. His is all we need. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 23

Numbers 32 I was the last of five children. During my second though sixth grade years of school we lived in a little town NE of Stillwater called Glencoe. My mother faithfully made us all participate in most all of the activities of First Baptist Church of Glencoe. Realizing that it was too expensive to send five children to OSU, we moved to Stillwater where we could all live at home while attending the university. We had somewhat of a dilemma. The little church of which we were a part in Glencoe only averaged about 21 on Sunday morning. If our family withdrew, it would possibly really discourage those who remained. The church might wither away. My mother understood the meaning of commitment to a body. She told us, “We will remain active here until the church can survive our leaving.” Within two years the church had a new pastor who was able to bring in a few more young families. The future was looking bright for the church. Then Mom said it was time to move our church membership. What does any of this chapter of Numbers have to do with the glory of the Lord? Consider Ephesians 3:20–21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The glory of the LORD is to be seen in the church as Jesus works through her. What glory do we see? At times she shines brightly, at other times she appears to be a slut flirting with the world. What causes that flirtation? It is a desire to settle for anything less than His glory. We need a body of believers who will settle for nothing less than His glory. This chapter is an illustration of the need of the body to pursue His glory at all costs. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh wanted to live in the land east of the Jordan. They had already conquered it. They wanted to remain there. They approached Moses about making it their home. Now, view it from Moses’ perspective as their leader for the last 39 years. They had grumbled and complained and rebelled. At one point they were getting ready to stone Moses and Aaron. What kind of glory does the LORD get out of that? From Moses’ perspective this was just another in a long train of selfish thoughts and acts. He was convinced that they were so enamored with the land that they could not see beyond their own desires. The nation as a whole needed each other. If they stayed behind, how would that effect the rest of the nation emotionally and how would that effect the nation in their military ability? The glory of the LORD is revealed in His people. How would their staying behind effect the nation in revealing the glory of the LORD? Moses, understandably, rebukes them for what he saw brewing in their hearts, but Moses did not see their heart completely. They did not get mad and separate themselves, rather they explained themselves and gave a good alternative. They agreed to fight with the rest of the nation until the promised land was conquered and then they would return to their land. Now that, was acceptable! It revealed a humble commitment toward the good of the body. That is what the LORD desires in our church bodies. I learned from my mother the meaning of commitment to a body. It would have been a whole lot easier to forget about that little church in Glencoe and join a larger church in Stillwater that had all of the youth and choir programs that people desired. But Mom saw a need for us to serve there until the church was bigger and could better afford our leaving. That reflects a commitment to brothers and sisters in Christ. That reflects love. When people in a church fervently love each other by staying committed to each other, it glorifies Jesus. We are in a spiritual war, even as Israel was in physical war. Our faithfulness to each other to our own sacrifice, glorifies Him. O by the way, that church still exists today, and a grade school classmate of mine is its pastor! Let’s glorify Him! Indeed, we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 22

Numbers 31 A war is raging in the spiritual realm for control of the church. Outright physical assaults on the church usually result in tremendous growth of the church. Witness China which now has more raw numbers of believers than does the church in the USA. Or witness Iran where the secret church is growing by leaps and bounds. It is the subtle spiritual attacks on the church that usually lead to its death. Witness the church in western Europe. The attack upon the foundations of the faith in 19th century led to wholesale pursuit for meaning and fulfillment elsewhere. The USA is not far behind. Abandoning clear Scriptural principles of the word, churches have sought to attract people through more fleshly appeal. About 10-15 years ago a pastor friend of mine went to visit one of those churches to see what it was like. He said, “I can see why that church is popular. . . It was better than a topless bar.” Should Israel have gone to war? Clearly the text states that the LORD commanded them to attack the Midianites and kill them. Is this vicious, if so, why? What does it tell us of His glory? First, let us always remember that the LORD is the Creator. As Creator, He has the supreme right over life and death. He can decide who lives and dies, and it is just, for He has that right as Creator. Second, let us remember His reasoning for commanding the death of the Midianites. It is found in Moses’ response to the captains when they returned from battle leading a host of captive women and children: 15–16 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.” “The Midianites were among those who practiced sexual immorality as part of the ritual of their idolatrous religion.” The incident of Peor was leading young men away from the glory of the Lord. Can you imagine how popular a church would become in a college town if part of the worship included sex? I could see it right now—a wave of churches vying for the highest number of attendees through adding a ministry of sexual adoration. When there is a high probability that the whole congregation can be led astray, the Lord occasionally acts in what we would call severe forms of discipline in order to prevent the falling away of the larger group and to preserve His people. By commanding Israel to begin this war, the LORD demonstrates how serious He takes our not trading His glory for anything! This does not mean that there is no forgiveness for those who have fallen into that trap. Forgiveness, mercy and grace is always foremost in the plan of God, but if there is a recalcitrant group that will prevent that forgiveness from being received by the larger group, such as those whom Balaam counseled, then the LORD sometimes moves viciously to prevent it. I wonder if some of our congregations had been around in Balaam’s day, if the Lord would have lumped them in with the Midianites? Note that they only dispatch 12,000 warriors to deal with the Midianites, and afterward not a single warrior was missing! That is astounding in ancient warfare! Our warfare as the church is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in heavenly places. Our weapons are not human, but are spiritual and have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments. Should we not be at war upon our knees? If we would war on our knees, I think we would have far fewer warriors missing in action, and love would reign supreme. He is zealous in His love for us, and desires us to be zealous in love for each other. Indeed, that love is glorious! Indeed, we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 21

Numbers 30 I am sitting here at the donut shop. A group of 3 men are sitting at a table next to me talking about the split they had in their church about a year ago. They are speaking loudly, so it is not like I am eavesdropping. Obviously, it was a very emotional parting. When Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me,” what did He mean? What is He asking for? When Jesus said in John 13:34–35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” what did He mean? What about the lines of authority that He has established? What is our responsibility in the midst of these relationships? When do we part company? Divorce among couples in the church in the USA is running around 50%. Is it surprising then that splits within the church are so rampant? What does God expect for us to maintain unity? This chapter in Numbers deals with unity in the family. I can hear the feminists crying, “Foul! A man should not be able to rule over a woman like that! It makes women the chattel of men!” They are missing the point. As human beings, we are created, male and female, in the image of God. We are to reflect what God is like in our union as male and female and become one flesh. God is one in essence, yet He eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our unity is not the same thing, but it is to reflect the same thing. Within the Trinity the Father is the head decision maker, and yet the Son and the Holy Spirit have the ability to make decisions. They choose to submit to each other. Yet we could not describe either the Son or the Holy Spirit as the chattel of the Father. What we have here in Numbers 30 is a clear-practical-case outworking of lines of authority when a couple or family or church lives in unity in a way that reflects the unity of the Trinity. What does God expect for us to maintain unity? He expects love and purity. He expects death. Jesus died for His bride. He expects a husband to die to his selfishness in relation to his wife. He expects him to love his wife perfectly. While He still expects the wife to use her brain and contribute to the relationship, when the decision making time comes, He expects her to submit even as Jesus and the Holy Spirit submit to the Father. He expects mutual submission within the body. He expects the body and family to respect the lines of authority. You see we are to reflect the glory of the Trinity! And what glory that is! Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He died, so we can die too. He submitted to the Father, so we too can submit to each other. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 15

Numbers 24 “You are one of those people who makes it really hard for optometrists like me.” “What do you mean by that?” I asked. “I’ll bet that ten years ago, you had better than average eyesight.” “Yes, that is true.” “Well, you are used to having great eyesight, but now it is only average so you think something is wrong. And you want me to fix it.” “That is why I came in here.” “I can never make your eyes as good as they used to be. I can give you some trifocals that can help you at differing distances, reading, medium range and long range. Your long distance vision isn’t all that bad. Basically your eyes are just aging.” That conversation with my optometrist was about six years ago. I bought the glasses. My vision has regressed now such that I cannot read without glasses. Putting on glasses is like having my eyes opened. I cannot read anything without them. Balaam thought his eyes were opened. He was a seer. A seer would see visions which would then need to be interpreted to know the communication of God. Balaam was a dirty seer in the sense that his heart was not fully yielded to the Lord. He wanted the money Balak offered, yet because of the incident of the donkey, he was too frightened to pronounce the curse against Israel. Hoping to talk the Lord into changing his mind, he keeps coming back asking God what to say. Twice he sees that it pleases the Lord to bless Israel. Now he is ready to seek God again. He set his face to the wilderness, the place from which he thought Yahweh was coming. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Often I have heard it said, and even said it myself, “God can’t use a dirty vessel.” In this case the saying is not entirely accurate. He embarks upon a third series of oracles. He has a clear vision of the glory of Yahweh, and he has a clear vision of the coming glory of Israel. What he says is truth, yet his motive is all messed up! God is using him! He gives another famous prophecy that was still useful to the Magi fourteen hundred years later: Numbers 24:17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. Fourteen hundred years later the Magi knew to follow a star that had appeared. How did they know? I think there were at least 4 reasons. First, Balaam was from northwest Mesopotamia, a region not too far from where the Magi came. It is quite possible that Balaam recorded this incident, or it was recorded by a disciple or descendant. Perhaps the Magi came across a copy of a scroll or clay tablet which recorded this. Second, Daniel was part of the caste of people from which the Magi came. I am sure that Daniel took the scriptures with him and left them for the Magi who followed him. The Magi would have had access to Numbers 24:17. Additionally, they would have had access to Daniel’s prophecy, and would know that it would be about time for the birth of the Messiah. Third, the Holy Spirit would probably have guided their desires and interest in studies in order to lead them to the right conclusions. Fourth, the Magi were astronomers and knew that this special appearance of a different star had meaning. The unrighteous Balaam was the first to predict the star as part of the blessing that Israel would be for the whole world. How could God use such a dirty man? Well, if we don’t praise Him, He can make rocks do it. He prefers clean hearts and clean hands, but if they are not clean, He still accomplishes His purpose. His glory cannot be sullied by our sin! That brings me hope and a warning at the same time. God can use me even when I am dirty, but He would prefer to use me clean. Revelation 2:14 indicates that Balaam was responsible for the events of Numbers 25: But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Balaam was so close to God, yet so far! I like what Matthew Henry says of him: That he saw the vision of the Almighty, but not so as to be changed into the same image. He calls God the Most High, and the Almighty; no man could speak more honorably of him, nor seem to put a greater value upon his acquaintance with him, and yet he had no true fear of him, love to him, or faith in him, so far may a man go towards heaven, and yet come short. May I never be like him, gazing upon His glory but never fully embracing it, used powerfully by Him but never finding true power, aware of the purity of God yet filled with impurity. In the end, Balaam saw the glory of God but never truly experienced it. Yes God can use a dirty vessel but how sad for that vessel! O Lord, let me not only see your glory, but let your glory cleanse me inside and out that I may personally experience Your transforming power! May the opening of my spiritual eyes lead me to a deeper walk with You! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 14

Numbers 23 “Lend me $50.00. I will pay you back by the end of the month.” A co-worker of mine pleaded with me to help him out. In 1976 that was a lot of money for people like we who were working for minimum wage. It was half of a week’s wage. He was married. I was single. He had an unexpected expense. I was living with my parents and had few expenses apart from earning college tuition. Against my better judgment, I loaned him the money. He did not pay back the money, and he soon went to work elsewhere. One could say that he lied, or one could say that he changed his mind, or one could say that he reneged on a promise, or one could say that he had spoken and not made it good. In my mind, I let it go. Three years later, I was married and was in need of some cash. Providentially he began working at a convenience store about two blocks from my house. I reminded him of the debt, and told him that I could really use the cash. He paid me back a week later. One could say he made it good—maybe. Three years late is not all that good. Balaam placed Himself between a rock and a hard place. God had unmistakably communicated to him that he should say only what He told Balaam to say concerning Israel. Balaam was hoping that God would change his mind and allow him to earn a large sum of money from the King of Moab by cursing Israel. The incident with the death angel and the donkey had kept Balaam from cursing. Balaam, a prophet of God was only now learning this about God! Now he had to produce a curse for the king, but he couldn’t. Maybe God could be manipulated. . . Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? That is the negative side of things. But think about it on the positive side. If God gives you a promise, you can bank on it! You can trust in it. It will happen, as you go forward in faith. Be careful that you are not trying to manipulate God into doing what you want, or you will end up as did Balaam. God had once blessed Abraham and his descendants. He would bless and would not curse them. It is final. God is unchangeable in His nature and His promises. He will not promise one thing and then do another. What He promises to me, He will perform. It is interconnected with His glory! I don’t have to remind Him three years later. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 10

Numbers 19 I could smell him before I even saw him. My office was in the SE corner of our 40X80 building. The front doors were near the NE corner of the building. When he opened the door, a blast of air swept past him carrying his smell all the way into the office. It is not uncommon for homeless people to have a distinctive ‘human’ smell, but this was overpowering! I struggled the whole time that I talked with him with the physical nausea which was evoked by his presence. It was supposed to get cold that night, and he wanted shelter. One of my elders was on the governing board of the City Rescue Mission. So as a church, we supported the ministry of the Rescue Mission financially, emotionally, prayerfully and with our acts of service. I offered to take him to the shelter. He would have none of it. He said that He did not feel safe there. I thought to myself, “With a smell like this, no one would want to be near him. He would probably be the safest person there.” When he realized that the only help which he would get from me was to take him to the shelter, he left in disgust mumbling something about, “Jesus wouldn’t have done that.” I walked back to my office. I could still smell him. Fifteen minutes later, I could still smell him. Although it was cold outside, I propped open the doors and slid up the windows. After an hour I could still slightly smell him, but it was cold inside the building. I shut the doors and windows. The next morning his lingering odor was still there when I walked in. I drove to the store and bought some air freshener to mask the smell. It was a full week before I could no longer detect his residue. I wonder, “Could he smell himself?” In 17:13 the people had expressed their terror at coming to the tabernacle lest they all die. Matthew Henry speaks of it as: They seem to speak despairingly, as if God was a hard Master, that sought advantage against them, and took all occasions to pick quarrels with them, so that if they trod every so little awry, if they stepped ever so little beyond their bounds, they must die, they must perish, they must all perish, basely insinuating that God would never be satisfied with their blood and ruin, till he had made an end of them all and they were consumed with dying. Here the Lord continues to provide a remedy for their unclean state. Their rebellion was a stench in the nostrils of God, our merciful and gracious God chose to cleanse them and us of the stench. Before the priest could minister, a ceremonial cleansing needed to take place so that stench of rebellion might not nauseate the LORD God as the representative of the people came forward to intercede for the people. I wonder, “Could they smell their spiritual stench?” That question leads me to a more personal question, “Do I have a spiritual stench before God? Is it a distinctly ‘human’ smell that is nauseating to Him?” In order to remove a smell it is best to remove the cause. The French are famous for their perfumes because they developed them in an age when bathing was considered unhealthful. The perfumes effectively masked that distinctively ‘human’ smell. Today the most effective way to remove the smells is to bathe regularly. It is interesting that the invention of soap probably comes from the ancient practices of sacrifice. The major ingredients of soap are lye and animal fat. Lye is obtained by running water through wood ashes. As the water travels through the ash, it leaches out lye (sodium hydroxide). Pure lye is a dangerous chemical because its strong alkali ph lever eats just about everything. That is why it makes such a good soap. To make soap, the animal fat is rendered, and lye is added at a proper ratio. The concoction is allowed to cool and becomes soap. Lots of soap and water is usually a good way to remove the cause of bad odors. Is it not interesting that God’s solution to the uncleanness of the high priest and the people is to burn a red heifer and to mix its ashes with water and then to sprinkle that water on the object being cleaned as part of the cleansing ceremony? But why a red heifer? A pure red heifer was indeed a rare thing. The rabbis used to say, ‘If but two hairs were black or white, it was unlawful.’ The purity of the heifer speaks of the purity of our Lord Jesus Christ. The water poured through His ashes is strong enough to purify the worst stench. That is His glory! He is strong enough to purify the most defiled stench upon us. He not only forgives us, but He also cleanses us of our stench, if we let Him! But we like the homeless man, often turn and walk away preferring our stench to His cleansing water. Does that over power His glory? No, it only makes it more difficult for us to see it. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 9

Numbers 17-18 I remember reading somewhere once that Martin Luther froze in fear of God at the first occasion of His presiding over communion. He could not do it! The fear of God was so great upon Him! At one point in His quest to love God, he indicated that He hated God because the standard God set was so high that he could not attain it! In his ill-directed pursuit of God he pursued all kinds of self-inflicted penance in hopes of satisfying the wrath of God against his sin. He descended to the depths of self-flagellation in hopes of bringing life under control to appease God. But it was to no avail until he embraced salvation by grace through faith. He could not provide the sacrifice needed. The people were terrified as they considered the wrath of God in relation to His design for authority. Finally, they are beginning to get the importance of His wrath as it related to them. There is a set order of authority that God gives to bring the removal of sin from His people. Yes, the path is through sacrifice, but the people thought anyone could sacrifice. That was the essence of Korah’s rebellion. The people accused Moses of killing the rebels. They still did not get it. The problem was one of a recognition of authority. They did not realize that they did not have the authority to take matters into their own hands. They did not understand their place in God’s redemptive purpose. They wanted a place which did not belong to them. Then the Lord brought forth another miracle to designate to them the source of redemption. The leader of each tribe had to bring his staff or rod. The rod was a symbol of their authority or power to rule their tribe. The rod was left in the tabernacle overnight. The next day only the staff of Aaron, representing the tribe of Levi, was fruitful. It bore buds, blossoms and ripe almonds. Clearly the miracle indicated that only the line of Aaron bore the authority for priestly intercession. Then they began to understand a little bit more that redemption comes from God, not man. They realized that they had been trying to grasp a place which they could not obtain and had made a mockery of God’s mercy and grace. Num 17:12–13 So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD must die. Shall we all utterly die?” They get it. Chapter 18 is God’s answer to their fear. Yes He is the one who redeems, but He chose a specific order for the distribution of that redemption. The Sacrifices spoke of the redemption to come, but it was administrated through the priesthood. They would bear the guilt of the people. The people could relax and let the sacrifice take care of it. But they also needed to remember their place among the people of God. Because of their tremendous responsibility, the priests had no inheritance in the land. The Lord was their inheritance. Today, Jesus is our sacrifice. It is still administered through Him as our High Priest, but we are all now all a holy priesthood. Our inheritance is in Him. Is that not marvelous? I have the awesome privilege of having Him as my inheritance! But there is still a principle that was seen in Aaron’s day. There still are appointed positions of responsibility that God appoints and raises up within the body of the priesthood of believers. There are still apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers etc. Everyone has a position appointed to them by the Lord, we need to find who we are and be that. We also need to be careful about taking someone else’s responsibility. The Glory of Jesus is that He takes away our sin so that we can come boldly before the throne of God. He takes our fear and replaces it with joy. We need not cringe before Him, but we should repent and enter into his courts with praise, with thanksgiving and with joy. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 8

Numbers 16 He was one of the most impressive men that I have ever met. He had many degrees, which I believe included a certificate from Moody Bible Institute, a BA, a Masters in Counseling and a Th.D., all from institutions which I greatly admire. He was extremely articulate and a great teacher of the word. He immediately attracted people to himself and began teaching a Bible Study which was wonderfully beneficial to those involved. But there were some things that he saw that were wrong about my ministry, among them was that he said that I was arrogant. He led a group of people that demanded my resignation. At one point during the struggle he suggested that I was mentally ill, and was afraid I might commit suicide. Eventually he called me a hireling and said that my life was a ‘waste.’ After leaving our church he went to another where he did a similar thing with the pastor there. He claimed that he had no desire to promote himself, but that we were deficient in our service. In terms of gaining a following, he was indeed a man of ‘renown.’ How is it that people who have seen the glory of God can be so obstinate in seeking their own glory? I am not sure that I can answer that question, other than the simple answer that it is inherent in the heart of all humans as part of the sin nature. We do not see a clearer example than in this chapter. If God had not so clearly been involved in Moses’ leadership, then one might be able to excuse Korah, Dathan and Abiram, but by this time God had many times revealed himself through Moses and his ministry. This speaks to me that I must be very careful, in as much as my heart is extremely susceptible to self-deception! Yes, Moses had taken on much authority, but it was all at the call of God, not his own. The events of the Exodus and the first year and a half out of Egypt should have clearly demonstrated it! Why would these ‘men of renown’ (v.2) criticize Moses in this way? Well, certainly God had told the nation that He wanted them to be a ‘kingdom of priests’ (19:2), but they had rejected it by their response to God’s appearance at Mt. Sinai (20:18-19). It is almost as if after there was enough time for the shock and awe of the appearance of God to wear off, that the people forgot His awesome glory. How is it that these ‘men of renown’ could so easily forget? How is it that they became known as ‘men of renown’ anyway? First of all they were apparently heads of their families, that helped. Secondly, by this time the nation had already gained a major military victory against the Amalakites (Ex 17). Undoubtedly they had gained reputation by the way they fought and/or helped organize the battle. However it happened, the point is that the text clearly states that they were men of renown. Could it possibly be that their own renown ‘went to their heads?’ I think it had. There was one cure to it. God once again revealed Himself in His glory. This time it was the glory of His wrath. In response to the glory of God, the ground opened up and ate the 250 men of renown for lunch. Mmmm. . . tasty. I’d better be careful about His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

May 6

Numbers 14 It was a hot Oklahoma day. The sand was deep on the red dirt road. My bicycle tires were bogging down in the sand. My 8-year-old legs were worn out from our 6.5-mile-one-way trip to Yost Lake. It sounded like a great idea when my older brother suggested it. “Let’s ride out to the lake and back.” I think the temperature peaked out that day at over 100 degrees. When we were in eyesight of the lake, our dog Lucky headed straight for it and without hesitation dove in the water to cool off. The swimming beach was on the other side of the lake. At that time it cost $0.25 for non-members to enter. My brother and I did not have the quarter to pay, nor did we have our swimsuits with us. But the entrance guard was a friend of ours so he gave us some cool water to drink and let us sit in the shade of his guard shack to cool off a little while. Then we headed back home. Whenever we hit the thick sand, I did not have the momentum to keep the bike going. As a result, I had to get off and push my bike through the sand. I was exhausted and frustrated from pushing my bike. My brother was frustrated with me for not being able to keep up. He had the strength to keep going through the sand. I didn’t have it. A little ways down the country road we came across the railroad tracks. The railroad tracks formed the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the country road and highway as the legs. My brother had a great idea. “Let’s take the railroad tracks back. It’ll be a lot shorter.” He had no problem negotiating the railroad ties. I couldn’t do it. Now instead of pushing my bike through four miles of occasional deep sand, I was pushing it constantly on railroad ties. I was hot, tired, frustrated, crying and grumbling against my brother. I think, that was a day that I could identify with the Israelites. They had been almost a year and a half in the desert. The spies returned home with the news that while the land was indeed a land of milk and honey, the inhabitants were giants. Sitting camped in the southern Negev desert, they were hot, tired, dirty, and frustrated. They did more than a little grumbling against Moses. Joshua and Caleb sought to intercede for Moses and Aaron. The congregation picked up stones to kill Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. They would have done it too, except that at the last moment God let His glory appear. He was ticked. They had not just rebelled against Moses, but against the Lord. Ever wonder what His glory looked like when it appeared? Whatever it looked like, it was scary enough to stop the mob action dead in its tracks. They learned a new form of the fear of the Lord. Do you suppose the children of Israel could hear the conversation which transpired between Moses and the Lord? When God appeared in His glory, why did He threaten to kill all the Israelites? He knows the beginning from the end. He knew that He was not going to kill them. Why did He threaten this? I think He wanted to instill a greater fear of Himself in the Israelites, and He wanted to teach us the importance of intercession for others, even those who would kill us. Jesus modeled that intercession upon the cross when uttered, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!” Stephen modeled it when he was dying and cried out, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” Moses unlike Jesus and Stephen was spared death at this point, and he was successful in interceding for them! What was his appeal? It was God’s own glory! After all, what kind of glory would it be if God took them out of Egypt only to kill them in the desert? This incident is recorded to cause us to know the importance of His glory! The Israelites also heard the delayed sentence which was pronounced upon them. Everyone except Caleb an Joshua, twenty years old and older would die in the desert never being able to enjoy what should have been theirs. So what importance do you think we should put on the glory of God today? I should put my everything upon it! Life may feel like I am bogged down in the sand. I may feel like I am pushing a bike across railroad ties. I may feel like grumbling against my brother. But remember, He wants to show His glory not only to me but also in me. So keep on pushing! He will show it! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

April 29

Numbers 6 I stood in her backyard and watched as she came toward me escorted by her father. It was his last act of authority over her. She was beautiful. She was wearing the traditional white dress for the occasion, and in her hands were a bouquet of yellow roses. We exchanged vows to each other of extreme devotion. The vows were to separate ourselves to each other till ‘death do us part.’ My life now ought to be lived to make her happy, to protect her, to smile upon her, to be gracious to her, to give her peace. In exchange for her devotion, I pledged to her my undying love, all that I am, and that which is most precious to me, I gave her my name. While not a marriage vow, this ‘Nazarite Vow,’ as it is often called is described by Dr. Ronald Allen as, “An act of unusual devotion to God, based perhaps on an intense desire to demonstrate to the Lord one’s utter separation to Him.” The more negative person would look at it and say, “Why should I have to keep myself from using any grape product, cutting my hair or touching anything dead?” Simply one would do it to express ones utter devotion to the Lord. Why would one want to do that? One would desire it only because one has found His great glory and tasted of it. That one taste makes the denial of any other thing worth it. If you have tasted of His glory, then you know exactly what I mean. So here it is, the Nazarite Vow. It is the vow of one who desires to give themselves in extreme devotion to the Lord. I find it more than a coincidence that at the end of the Nazarite Vow description and requirements that the Lord instructs Aaron to bless the people with these specific words. Notice that in this blessing, the name of the Lord is repeated three times. As Christians, we read into this that the whole Trinity is desirous of blessing us. Yahweh, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, desires to make us happy. Those who have given themselves to Him receive His blessing, His protection, His enlightenment, His grace, His smile, His peace. When He desires to do this for us, why wouldn’t I want to devote myself wholly to Him? But wait! There is still more. He puts His name upon us! I have a new name now. It is His name. He wants to glorify His name. It is done in us! It is His desire that all the world should see extreme love and extreme devotion when it sees us. The normal way in which the world will see His glory before the Day of Judgment is as He has placed His name upon His bride. Hmmmm. . . will the world see extreme devotion or will it be sullied by our spiritual adultery? He is all about blessing His bride. What will our world see? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john