Day 90 Numbers 30 - Vows

Keeping a vow, promise, pledge, covenant, one's word.... We see how YHWH considers our word binding, there are exceptions noted here, regarding a wife being overruled by her husband and we won't get distracted by that this morning, will we?!!

Seriously, though, if YHWH values our spoken word how much more does HE value of THE Living Word, his Son.The echo of God's spoken word at Jesus's baptism and on the mount of transfiguration.Luke 9:35 "A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."
Mark 9:7 "Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

Here are a couple of vows that I can think off which are examples of zealous commitment but in hindsight,(the 20/20 vision)are considered foolish.
Peter, when he said he would never deny his Lord. Jesus didn't ask for a deathbed commitment, but Peter blurted the promise anyway. (Mark 14:29-31)
Jephthah who made a foolish vow, but he and his daughter paid the price of following through on the vow, Judges 11:21-40.
"God did not need that bargain to aid Jephthah. Jephthah was yet another tragic figure in Judges who had not yet learned enough about God to know that God does not respond to magic or bargains, which lay at the heart of Ba’al worship. Jephthah’s battle against the Ammonites was not won because of his vow, but because of God’s presence (11:32). His lack of faith in God, and understanding of who God is, cost him his daughter." See full article - http://www.cresourcei.org/jephthah.html

The times I over reach myself include, responding to something that wasn't asked of me, like Peter, and when I haven't weighed the cost up,it was a good "spur of the moment" idea but not within my means. Then I get into a right pickle to "live up to your word even when it hurts! Psalm 15:1 "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?Who may live on your holy hill?....v5....who keeps his oath even when it hurts." Hopefully, I am learning, to be careful in what I say...
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
"When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?"

The consequences of not keeping our word are seen on court TV at least 6 hours a day!!!Ask Judge Judy, Alex, Matthis, Karen, .....and see the accuracy of God's word.
Hosea 10:4 "They make many promises,take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field".

Proverbs 6:1-5 is full of what to do when we have made unwise decisions... "My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,then do this, my son, to free yourself,since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands:Go and humble yourself;press your plea with your neighbor!Allow no sleep to your eyes,no slumber to your eyelids.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,like a bird from the snare of the fowler".

The prayer for the day has to be "Lord keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth"! May we listen to the Word more today than talk our words Amen.

Day 89 Ear to Ear - Smile

Luke 8:1-8
The parable of the sower and being a producer

11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved".
It can be difficult to let the word of God sink in, especially if our background has been one of neglect and you have been "walked over" all of your life. The means of coping have left its mark and now you are left with a hard exterior to shoulder the demands of daily life. It is difficult to enter into a Father relationship with God, when the role models have let you down. It can be difficult to let the belief that God loves and cares for you to soak in and be nurtured in you.

13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
Their life is in the limelight, on the rock, they are visible and life can be a pretty shallow and meaningless experience. Hey, they may even believe they are a rockstar! They understand the joy of life but when the darker underbelly of life is needed for growth they disappear.

14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
Being more of a "worry wart", I remember when I read this and actually realized that the thorns in life can be riches and pleasures as well as worries. I realized that a lot of the stresses I was having to deal with were to do with having plenty. Plenty of work meant cars to maintain, people to entertain, two houses with their accompanying bills to pay, more business admin, payroll and of course all sorts of taxes to keep abreast off, then there is the next business idea to be involved with.... Well, the last 10 years have made life much simpler for us, we still had all we needed and a lot of dross was loosened from our lives. As we rebuild I am very aware of the danger of cultivating thorns and not grain. Letting the peace of God rule as umpire over my life will help to identify the thorns!

15"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop". As its coming into springtime, some of us will be out in the garden, digging out old roots of weeds, adding compost and maybe a few worms for added air and nutrients. What does the ground feel like? soft even bouncy, you may say, easy to handle, light; it just flows through your fingers.

It seems to me that there are contrasts between the first group of people whose lives are on the beaten path and these who are in a more secluded area like a garden. They have more space in their lives, their lives have boundaries and are not public areas to tread on. That's what gives them the ability for having "bounce" in life.

Being resilient in life is where the "Bounce' is. Maybe this is what is encouraged in Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life". We can let the Love of God dwell richly in us because we are not clinging onto anything else in the soil, we have room to let God's word produce a harvest of righteousness in us.

Day 88 Proverbs 8 Wealth and Wisdom

Wealth and Wisdom, wouldn't it be nice if we could experience them together all the time? Thankfully, James teaches us that there are two kinds of wisdom and we attempt to get it right, but as disciples we are just learning what wisdom looks like "in the moment". The more we reflect on aspects of being wise, then, when we need it, our brain having been washed by the word, brings the answer we need at the right time. Of course then we need the power, love and sound mind/self discipline of the Holy Spirit, that Timothy talks about to put it in action. It's not simple that's for sure.

But wouldn't it be nice! Well, it's here for the asking!
Verse 17-18 "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.With me are riches and honor,enduring wealth and prosperity".
The country may be going into a deep economic recession but I am reminded that God's word holds true irrespective of the ebb and flow of the value of the dollar, we have to ensure that we value what God values.
Siobhan

Day87 Psalm 38 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation...

The physical and emotional trauma brought about by sin shouldn't surprise us but often it does. This is the picture of a repentant sinner, he knows he sinned, and knows that God knows also. It's "God's kindness that leads us toward repentance" Romans 2:3-5. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death". 2 Cor 7:9-11

Here is Matthew Henry's commentary....
"Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger. The way to keep the heart quiet, is to keep ourselves in the love of God. But a sense of guilt is too heavy to bear; and would sink men into despair and ruin, unless removed by the pardoning mercy of God. If there were not sin in our souls, there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in our bodies. The guilt of sin is a burden to the whole creation, which groans under it. It will be a burden to the sinners themselves, when they are heavy-laden under it, or a burden of ruin, when it sinks them to hell. When we perceive our true condition, the Good Physician will be valued, sought, and obeyed. Yet many let their wounds rankle, because they delay to go to their merciful Friend. When, at any time, we are distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been dishonored in and by our bodies. The groaning's which cannot be uttered, are not hid from Him that searches the heart, and knows the mind of the Spirit"....

How would we grade our Gratitude for His Grace in our lives today?
1- 10
1= not given it much thought to it
10 = dependent on Him as much as we need our next breath
Siobhan

Day 86 Balaam's Oracles

In the oracles of Baalam we see a statement about YHWH and another about His people:

1st Oracle
God: "How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?"

People: I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.

2nd Oracle
God:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

People: "The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims."

3rd Oracle
Statement of the relationship between YHWH and His People.
8 "God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.

9Like a lion they crouch and lie down,like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? "May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"

4th and Final Oracles
The essence of the first two oracles are repeated and now we have a proclamation of the destruction of the kings of Moab and allies. Balak wanted to pronounce curses on the people of YHWH and got judgment on his own.

25 "Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way."
When YHWH speaks, then nothing more can be said. I see that they might just have been stunned into silence, the type that reminds us to "Be still and Know that I am God"

Siobhan

Day 85 Men on a Mission, & those left behind

Luke 5:12-16 Choosing the Twelve Apostles.
When Jesus met the apostles at first, he just said "follow me" and they became followers, as they stayed with him they became disciples, and then they became the "sent ones"

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Also, this is the same list used in Acts which has Luke as its author.
Is Judas son of James the same person as Thaddaeus mentioned in Matt and Mark?

Matt 10:1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil[a] spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

The Appointing of the Twelve Apostles
Mark 3:13-16Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles —that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter) James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.


In Acts 1:19-24the group who met in the upper room were referred to as believers and then lots are cast to see who would be designated as an apostle to take Judas's place.
"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms," 'May his place be deserted;let there be no one to dwell in it,'(Psalm 69:25) and," 'May another take his place of leadership.'(Psalm 109:8) Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen

When I read the two psalms in their context I wouldn't have come to the conclusion that it was necessary for Judas to be replaced. Was this necessary or did Peter want to keep the continuity and numbers straight?

We don't hear about Matthias after his election but we hear about Joseph/Justus/Judas AKA Barsabbas. Acts 15:22 They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.

So after all that, what is to be gleaned from today's scripture.

Firstly, that Jesus prayed before sending people on a mission. He took disciples,ie trainees of the Kingdom and then they became the "sent ones" of the Kingdom.

Is this the progression we can expect to be carried forward for today?
Is there a mission brewing in your heart this morning?
Remember "God is a work in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure"!!

Secondly, in the case of Barsabbas and Matthias; The lesson I see is, just because you got looked over to be a "sent one" by others, God will still send you on the mission He intends for you. God's will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven -

Thirdly, Where is and who is "Thaddaeus"? If I resolve two out of these three points, I'll be happy!!

Blessings on your day
Siobhan

Day 84 Proverbs 8 Call of Wisdom

Proverbs 8 :2-3 & 10-11 A Call of Wisdom
"On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud":

I take this to mean that when decisions have to be made and opportunities arise, wisdom is available before we take the next step.

I remember my mother saying a "fool and his money are soon parted" and she was right.

10-11 "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her".

Before we meet our next "once in a lifetime opportunity" stop and consult the voice of Wisdom, we will gain prudence, and be able to recognize the difference between truth and deception.

Remember, the more we call on wisdom, the more we get!
May YHWH be able to bless our decisions today.
Siobhan