OT DAY 242 - The Secret of Unity (Please click here for English podcast)

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Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile

2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people

3.   Open your heart to praise the Lord

        
          Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
                         your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

                                  Psalm 89:5

Confession and Repentance

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

The Word (Deuteronomy 2:1-37)

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+1&version=ESV

14 And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. 15 For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished.

16 “So as soon as all the men of war had perished and were dead from among the people,17 the Lord said to me, 18 ‘Today you are to cross the border of Moab at Ar. 19 And when you approach the territory of the people of Ammon, do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.’ 

 24 ‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. 25 This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

36 From Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, as far as Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. The Lord our God gave all into our hands. 37 Only to the land of the sons of Ammon you did not draw near, that is, to all the banks of the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, whatever the Lord our God had forbidden us.

                             Deuteronomy 2:14-19, 24-25, 36-37

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

My Listening

We can learn a good example of what listen and obey is through today's passage. Moses has that kind of relationship with God that he is able to listen to God's YES or NO. And, Moses people have that kind of trust and obedience with Moses that they believe what Moses heard is from God and they respond and act accordingly. 

Let's see how Professor John Goldingay tells us: 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

    

     Despite their hostility, Israel is not to take over their cousins' land. The activity of the God of Israel was not concerned solely with Israel. Yahweh is God of all the nations and is involved in their destiny. Israel would therefore have no right to steal their land.
     In contrast, Deuteronomy portrays the victories over the Amorite kings as part of God's plan. 

John Goldingay. Numbers & Deuteronomy for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.102.

     Today we come to a passage teaching us the secret of unity. There is a gap of 38 years between chapter one and chapter two. There were so many arguments, grumblings, distrust, division, fighting among Moses, Aaron and their people 38 years ago. That caused the life of Aaron and that caused Moses could not be able to enter into the Promised Land.

     But, open your eyes to see here a new situation. There is no argument and grumbling at all. Moses said, "I got the order from God, NO GO", and they spared the Moabites and Ammonites. Moses said, "I got the order from God, GO", and they destroyed Sihon king of Heshbon and all the cities that Moses said God gave them.

    The secret on unity is still on the trust of the leader God gives to His people. The Israelites learned that after 38 years of difficult time. Do you aware there is nothing recorded in that 38 years? Why? Nothing worth to record until you are willing to follow God's servant to do God's work.

    Can you trust your leader or the core group of your leaders so that you can experience the great power of unity to do God's mission? Today's passage teaches us the secret of unity is that you need to trust your leaders 100% so that God's mission be accomplished. If not, your church would be a war zone full of grumblings, mistrust and fighting. That's the work of Satan doing to most of the churches world-wide. Sad!

     Rise up soldiers of God! Help more people to be willing to listen and obey your leaders because in doing that they listen and obey to God. Well, unless you are sure that your leader, core group leaders are not God's servants! And then, it's none of your business because God will take care of that. It's not your job! 

     See the consequence of all those leaders and people opposing Moses and Aaron? How do you know you are not part of those rebellious group of people against God and His servant(s)? 

      Don't make your church a mess!  Trust your leader(s) and keep the unity of your church! 

Dear Lord Jesus, 
Help us to be willing to trust our leaders so that we can taste the sweetness and power of unity.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect on these questions:
1. Can you see the difference of Moses' people after 38 years? What can you learn about that? 

2. Do you agree the secret of unity is on trusting God's servant(s)? How are you going to do about that now?

Praise and Thanksgiving

Let's give thanks for God with us. Let us praise Him:

10,000 Reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

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