March 13th One Year Bible Readings

Numbers 19:1-20:29 ~ Luke 1:1-25 ~ Psalm 56:1-13 ~ Proverbs 11:8
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Old Testament - Today in Numbers chapter 20 verse 12 we read about God pronouncing that Moses & Aaron would not enter the Promised Land - "But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!""  Why did this happen?  Well, it's best to stick with Scripture - God says that Moses & Aaron did not trust God enough.  They did not trust God enough to demonstrate his holiness to the people of Israel.  Thus they will not lead them into the Promised Land.  Where was the lack of trust?   Go back to verse 8 and you'll see God tell Moses to "command the rock" for water - command meaning verbally... then in verse 11 we see Moses strike the rock twice - not using the verbal command God instructed him on, but using an action.   There also may have been a pride issue when Moses in verse 10 says "must we bring you water from this rock?"  You'll notice the little word WE - We being Moses & Aaron? -this is probably not the way to best recognize God for God bringing water out of the rock...  It looks like Moses is taking credit.   How about us in our lives today?  Are there times when we disobey God's direct commands to us?  Are there times when we take credit for God's work?  Even if we generally follow God's instructions - as Moses clearly does for the majority of his life - should we be on constant watch that we do not disobey God?

New Testament - Today we begin the Gospel of Luke!

Author: Luke
Place: Perhaps Caesarea
Date: A.D. 60-65
Content: Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. He wrote his Gospel for a cultured Greek named Theophilus in order to show the true humanity of Jesus and his place in history. For this reason Luke was careful to examine all the evidence very carefully and give precise dates for the events that took place. He begins with an account of Jesus' virgin birth, giving many details not found elsewhere. Jesus' Galilean ministry is described, followed by a lengthy account of Jesus' trip to Jerusalem. After Jesus' death and resurrection, the disciples are left rejoicing, waiting for the promised power of God from heaven to fill them.
Theme: Whereas Matthew shows Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah and Mark shows Jesus as the servant of God, Luke depicts Jesus as the perfect God-man whose genealogy may be traced back to Adam. Jesus is the greatest man in history and is placed within the flow of world events by Luke. He is the greatest man because of what he taught, what he did, why he died – and because he rose again from the dead. For this reason we ought to accept him as our Lord. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers "The One Year Bible Companion" p. 22) More commentary on the Gospel of Luke is at this link.  Below is "Saint Luke" from an illuminated manuscript, circa 1130:

In today's readings in Luke chapter 1 we read about the birth of John the Baptist being foretold by the angel Gabriel.   Gabriel shares with Zechariah this powerful message about John in verses 16 & 17 - "He will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom.""  This is a message for us to consider today - do we need to be persuaded to turn to God?  Do we need our disobedient minds changed to accept godly wisdom?  Can we open our ears to the message of John the Baptist some 2,000 years later?  Will we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord?  One interesting side note - only two angels are mentioned by name in the Bible - Michael and Gabriel.  And here is Gabriel delivering the message from today's readings to Zechariah:

Psalms - Psalm 56 verse 10 makes a One Year Bible blogger quite happy :) "O God, I praise your word. Yes, LORD, I praise your word."  Does this verse make you happy?  Do you praise God for the gift of the Bible?  Do you praise God's very Word, the Bible?

Proverbs - Proverbs Chapter 11 verse 8 today teaches us: "The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead." This is a great reminder that God rescues those who trust in Him! 

YouTube: As we're starting the Gospel of Luke today, I wanted to share with you this brief 5-minute snippet of a 70-minute sermon that Pastor Mark Driscoll gave to Mars Hill Church in Seattle about Luke, chapter 1 verses 1-4. FYI that Pastor Mark embarked on a 3-year study of the Gospel of Luke this past fall, which continues today. You can download all of these sermons for free on iTunes - search on Mark Driscoll. And, you can watch this entire sermon about Luke and the others at: http://www.marshillchurch.org/Luke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T_ku0H-_lw

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: "Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:16-17 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you, like John the Baptist, will live a life that brings many people back to the Lord. Pray that you will be as zealous for God as John the Baptist was zealous for God.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on our Proverb today, has God ever rescued you?  More than once?  Are you willing to share with us in the Comments section below a time that without a doubt God rescued you?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike

Comments

[Ramona]

Numbers 19:1-20:29

Numbers chapter 19 has given me a new perspective on Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. Although it isn’t mentioned in this section of today’s readings, it was mentioned previously and I didn’t “Get It,” then but I get it now, I think.

That teaching began with a question (Luke 10): 29 “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (The complete Parable is Luke 10:30-37)

I’ve always looked at this Parable as a rebuke to the Priests and Levites and a praising of the Samaritan, but I now think this was an expansion of who the Jews’ neighbors were not a rebuke. Based on the Laws given by Moses to Israel, both the Priests and the Levites were not to touch or be in the same room or place as a “dead” body because they were to be undefiled (Lev 5, 6; 10) Since the man may have appeared to be dead to them they obeyed the law of Moses. Now one could argue that their duty to a human being took precedent over God’s command, but I’m not sure if that argument could be won and if won would it be correct? Jesus could touch a leper, the dead the blind and lame because He had life within in, not life like we have but life that made things whole again. I’m really going to have to look and ponder this Parable under new light.

Ah, chapter 20 and rebellion, again: complaining and murmuring against God again. In this chapter we are told that because Moses struck the “Rock” twice he would not take Israel into the Promise Land. We are also told in this chapter that Miriam dies, then Aaron because he along with Moses struck the “Rock” when they were told to speak to it. What’s the Big Deal! Could never figure that one out; however, notice that I put rock in quotes and capitalized the letter R. I just realized whom that “Rock” represented, Jesus Christ. In Genesis the forty-ninth chapter, while Israel (Jacob) is blessing Joseph, this statement is made, 24 “Yet his bow remained steady, and his strong arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, …”

When they began their journey in the desert they cried out for water the first time for water and complained against God at Mount Horeb (Sinai) where Moses was told the first time to “Strike the Rock,” (Exodus 17:6) also a reference to Jesus. If I am right and I could be wrong, the first striking of the Rock foretold Jesus being struck for our sins, which would only happen once. After Jesus’ death burial and resurrection we would only have to “Speak the Word!” This was not only a violation of God’s Word, striking the rock twice; it was a perversion of the soon coming work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For all those who haven’t heard me state this before, I’ve been reading through the entire Bible for over twenty years and each and every time the Word speaks to me, reveals to me things I have never seen before. The more I read the more I know that I don’t know.

Luke 1:1-25

Hmm, I’m intrigued about Elizabeth’s seclusion once she became pregnant. Her seclusion may have been because she had complications but remember there were no fetal monitors or sonograms to give us pictures of the health of the baby. Besides God ordained this pregnancy and I’m betting that God, the great physician that He is kept every cell in Elizabeth and John’s body working perfectly.

Tradition during that time in Judaism, and maybe even today in some orthodox sects said that if a woman was barren she was under a curse from some sin. So this pregnancy would have caused a lot of talk and speculation amongst the town’s folk. Also John was suppose to be raised a Nazirite which meant separation from a lot of things going on in the world (Read Numbers 6). Since she had to take on that oath because he was suppose to be a Nazirite before birth, she may have only been protecting him.

Then there is that other thing that people do, gossip and speculation. Again, she was past the age of childbirth by man’s understanding, but not God’s. Have you ever heard the talk that goes on when a woman who is in her fifties and or sixties gives birth? It hits the news and there are discussions all over the place on whether woman (it’s never about men) should have babies at THAT age. Well, obviously they never took the question to God. Elizabeth may have wanted to forego the drama. There is nothing new under the sun and folks like to run off at the mouth now and they did back then.

Come to think about it Elizabeth’s seclusion was a voluntary being shutting of the mouth that God did, through the Angel Gabriel, to her husband Zechariah involuntary. Our words create our world (Proverbs 18:21) and maybe Elizabeth didn’t want other people’s words constructing a world she didn’t want to live in.

Psalm 56:1-13
When it seems that the enemy has surrounded you, surrounded me this is the Psalm to pull out, study and pray.

Proverbs 11:8
This Proverb is a great companion to today’s Psalm. Ain’t God Good!!

8 God rescues the godly from danger, but he lets the wicked fall into trouble.

Grace and peace, and a whole lot of love,
Ramona

[Raeann]

3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

[Webutante]

Mike, Thank you for posting this wonderful Mark Driscoll video, with tabs for other studies too. Since I do your study daily early in the morning, I rarely listen to the music because I find it too loud and invasive at that hour of the day. On the other hand, I love this kind of preaching and hope you'll do more. Will post Driscoll on Sunday on my site. Thanks again....Oh and Ramona's comment is such a gift also.....The Rock with the first and second strikes is extremely perceptive and clearly a gift of understanding to her from the Holy Spirit. Thank you Ramona.

[Joyce]

I enjoy reading the comments, especially from learned people. However, I wish that more of the comments answered the question that was posed - today asking if God had ever rescued you. Since I'm going through a particularly tough time right now, with my husband's unemployment, the recent death of my mother and difficulty selling her house, my job difficulties, the death of my son several years ago, not to mention mental illness in several members of my family, I look forward to someone who will post instances where God has rescued them unmistakably. I'm sure He has rescued me, but I can't remember those times at the moment. Thank you.

[Dee]

Numbers 19:1-20:29
The Water for Purification
Now we start seeing some of the leadership and skills of Eleazer, Aarons son, and see some of the roles that are given to a high priest-He had to be given a clean, pure red heifer, take away from camp and watch it being slaughtered and the start the steps for purification process-dip finger in blood and sprinkle "7" times toward front of Tabernacle-then we come back to the stick of cedar, hyssop branch, and scarlet yarn-those are significant throughout Numbers in purification and cleansing-each atoning for the sin, the covering of blood (scarlet yarn) and all of our sins and defilement-its pretty neat but also a very in depth process in Old Testament, and I thank God for Jesus-the last sacrificial Lamb of God. It is neat though the significant numbers of seven and even three used over and over in the bible, the blood covering the door frames, the furniture, the people, sprinkled seven times, seven being the completion and on seventh day God rested(Gen..) three being the times the people had to be purified, on third and seventh and third day Christ death and buriel and resurrection took place on the third day. On third day, Lazarus rose from the dead..such neat tying in of God's word and the perfection of these numbers and significance of what a number means in Gods eyes.

Chapter 20 of Numbers--
The thing that stood out to me was the response of the King of Edom, the no entry allowed-it made me think, "Why didn't the Lord go ahead of them, and allow the entry to be made", but then, I look at the verses in land of Kadesh, where Aaron and Moses both didn't trust God and worked on their own might and not God's so, therefore God stood back and is letting them learn the hard way-When we get in the way and take credit for God's work, He will leave us to ourselves and His annointing at that time will leave also, so Moses and Aaron had to turn around and go another way.

in Luke--
awesome verse concerning John 1:15b He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
How great is that! interesting findings on meaning of John and Jesus names..
The word John means, "the Lord is gracious"
The word Jesus means, "the Lord saves"
Both prescribed by God-not chosen by human parents.
Throughout the Gospels, God acts graciously and saves His people. He will not withhold salvation from anyone who sincerely comes to Him.

Ps 56 verse 4, and verse 11
bears repeating,
I trust in God so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
Matthew 10:28-in reference to these verses above..
"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body;they cannot touch your soul." Instead fear God, who controls this life and next.

Proverbs 11:8a, "The Godly are rescued from trouble"
--Even if good people suffer (goes back to Ps 56) -they can be sure they wil ultimately be rescued from eternal death. :-)

This should be a reassurance for the Godly--Cast cares upon the Lord, for He careth for You!!

Be blessed
DeeDee

[Chris D]

Joyce,
I'm in the midst of a rescue right now, and the blog is a part of it. After five or so years of great growth as a Christian, I have been in a very stagnant phase for about a year -- very little time in the Word or in prayer, praise times that became rituals and entertainment, lots of wasted time playing Sudoku for hours on end, wondering if I was now retired because our business has been so slow for the past year or so, and more. Late last fall, in the midst of a Sudoku game, I heard my ice maker drop a few cubes into the tray. Say what? Well, my ice maker has not dropped ice for years [except once in a blue moon], and as part of a longer story, I'll just say when I hear it, I immediately think of God, smile big time, and know He is with me. That's my time to listen. I decided then and there that my stagnation would end. I prayed and I listened. I quit the Sudoku game and started searching for different reading plans. That's when I happened upon the blog and knew immediately that I would do it this year. As you've seen, as it is a blessing to so many, it is a blessing to me.
Next, I visited a men's prayer group at a neighboring church. I could tell immediately this was not for me, and I had no intention of going back --- except that in my quiet times, I kept getting the message to go back. That was in December, and now it is another major blessing for me--to be with men of similar faith, praying for one another, for the church, and more. This was not a desire I had: it is definitely God's hand in my life. Also in December, through a series of not-too-probable circumstances and a few closed doors, I was led to contact the chaplain at a local hospital. Came to be they were just about to start an orientation for volunteers to visit and pray with patients -- and they had one more opening. I'm now a part of that team, being blessed week after week by patients in the oncology wing as they open their doors to me and together, and across faith borders, we pray together for their needs and desires. Time and time again, there are no words adequate for what need to be said, yet the words are always there -- and they can only be coming from the Holy Spirit.

So it this a rescue? It's surrendering to God, desiring to draw near to Him ... and having Him lead me in ways I never would have gone on my own. My path was not a good one. It is now. May I never stray far.

God bless you Joyce, and may always know and rejoice in the mercy, grace, power, strength and comfort of Jesus.

[Dee]

Joyce,
you precious sweet woman of God! He hears and He listens to your situations and is and always will be there for you and me. God rescued me and is continuing to be such a present help in my time of hurt and trouble currently right now. I had a dream about a month ago concerning my eyes. It was a quirky dream, one of those you wake up, realize everything is as it should be and go back to sleep and not think about it again until it confirms or affirmates your suspicions or the thought becomes a reality, just like my dream, as silly or wierd as it could be became the reality or warning God was giving me. I went to an annual checkup with my spouse. He checked out fine, my eyes were the ones in question, I was sent to a retina specialist with a concern of possible retina schisis or retina detachment. I saw one specialist at the office, he thought the same as my opthomologist, and recommended me to his colleague who was more current and learned on this type thing, and it confirmed I had retina detachment, the same term and dream I had month or so ago, it took three "specialists" to see and confirm what the master physician knew all along. I have surgery next week to get it fixed and to get a little work on the other eye to prevent it from causing same problem. I was warned and I almost didn't heed the warning. I was rescued by the hands of God and it let me know that I am loved by Him and as long as I trust in Him and put my cares in His hands He will guide my steps and my ways and come to my rescue everytime. So, you see Joyce, we all struggle and have trials go on in our life but it is what you do with the trials you receive, that make you who you are today. He said there would be trials and we would go "through" the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid, for thou art with me. (Ps 23) He is with us and He cares for us. Read your 91st Psalm and meditate on it alittle, He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. 91:2 He will cover you with His feathers, He will shelter you with His wings. 91:4 and verse 7 is wonderful: Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, those evils will not touch you., Verse 14 talks about rescuing in Psalm 91: The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in My name. 15, when they call on me, I will answer them, I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

Bless you and keep you In Him all the days of Your Life, Joyce, know God loves You, He Cares, I Love You and the ministry of this blog cares and loves you sweetie!!

Be Blessed~~DeeDee