Two days to the exciting new version of Discipler123!
Please take a look at the new Evangelist123 keychains and bookmarks that will be given to members of all ACiC/AI churches on Easter Sunday(April 8, 2012), two days later. And the two main references for me to write a better blog and podcast.
I am going to stop in this chapter on DAY 399 because this is a good one for us to move our focus back to Jesus. We will start from DAY 1 on Easter Sunday with the Gospel of Mark. For those who would like to continuous using the book of Numbers and other Old Testament books following that can go to my original blog, Devotion on Fire. I am sorry that there isn't any podcast. Please click here for that link:
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Today's Reading: Numbers 21
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfr5rOfimnU&feature=related
Chinese praise song - 全因為你 All Because of You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpQNGKSbiZ0&feature=relatedPlease click this link to read Numbers 21
Bible Study
1. God's final judgement on those who were never going to change
The Lord listened to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah. (means destruction) Numbers 21: 3
God, through Israel, totally destroyed the Canaanites. This was a justified and necessary act of God against those who were completely committed to sin, immorality, violence and were never going to change.
Under the new covenant, God no longer uses his followers to destroy the ungodly. He came now on earth to die on the Cross for us to pay the price for our sins and open the way for us to have a personal relationship with Him. Today is Good Friday, a good day to remember how Jesus died on the Cross for us.
2. God's punishment and salvation
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" Numbers 21: 4-5
If you go back to the beginning of the Israelites journey of exodus, you can find numerous time of this "losing faith" moment. And you can see numerous time of how God made a swift punishment to teach them a big lesson, then they begged for forgiveness.
This time God made a simple act of telling Moses to make a bronze snake and all those who were bitten could just look at the snake and live.
The life-giving power God worked using this symbol pointed toward the death of Jesus Christ who would one day be lifted up on the cross in order to bring life to all who look to him. Jesus said, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3: 14-15)
Let me have three questions for you to start your listen and obey process:
1. How many times God used you to completely do away with some people's sins like He used the Israelites? How much willingness do you have to let Jesus to take away your sins completely?
2. Do you have similar kind of complaint to Jesus of how difficult your life has been?
3. What have your heard from Jesus now?
Click this link, listen to the music from the Movie "Mission" and listen to what Jesus would like to tell you:
My Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Repeatedly wrong focus!
What I received from Jesus of how to avoid the same mistake as the Israelites are:
1. Always count the blessings of how God has been leading you, protecting you and loving you.
2. Don't focus those difficulties and hardship because they would make you very miserable and lose faith. Always focus your eyes to Jesus daily. Enter into a daily intimate personal relationship with Him and everything will be fine, or more than fine, grrrrr....eat!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to turn our eyes to you daily that we won't be focusing on wrong things. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us - Turn Your Eyes to Jesus
Chinese praise song - 因著信 Because of Faith