March 3rd One Year Bible Readings

~ Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54 ~ Mark 11:1-26 ~ Psalm 46:1-11 ~ Proverbs 10:23
~ Click here for today's readings on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture on OneYearAudioBible.org or DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) ~

Old Testament - Today we wrap up Leviticus and transition into Numbers!  Congratulations on staying the course through the book of Leviticus!  Have you Learned to Love Leviticus this past month??  :)  Commentary on Leviticus chapter 27 by Bob Deffinbaugh titled "The Value of a Vow" is at bible.org at this link.   Numbers is an amazing book! I encourage you to reflect on words “Obedience” and “Disobedience” as we read through the book of Numbers. We’ll read much about both of these words in this book. And – I think as we read about both Moses’ and the Israelites Obedience and Disobedience, we will see many parallels in our own lives today. We have an opportunity with the book of Numbers to reflect upon where we have been both Obedient and Disobedient to God in our lives. We also have the opportunity to reflect upon the fruits and blessings of Obedience and the consequences of Disobedience – in Moses’, the Israelites, and our lives today. I hope you are ready to experience the book of Numbers!

~The Book of Numbers~
Author: Moses
Date: 1420 or 1220 B.C.
Content: This book deals with the journey of Israel from Mt. Sinai to the edge of Canaan and the Israelites’ preparation to enter the Promised Land. Because of sin and unbelief, however, they were not allowed by God to claim their inheritance but were condemned to wander in the wilderness for forty years. After the forty years they slowly made their way back to Canaan – this time ready to obey God’s commands. After winning some important battles to the east of the Jordan River, the Israelites prepared for the entrance into the land itself.
Theme: The book shows the continual faithfulness of God and the unbelievable sin of man. Israel rejected God but God remained true to his word, in leading the people through the wilderness and providing for their needs. In the New Testament the Christian life is likened to a wandering in the wilderness with the promise of a heavenly Canaan before us. (Above commentary is from “The One Year Bible Companion” pp. 2-3) Excellent commentary on the Book of Numbers is at this link.

Today in Numbers chapter 1 verse 1 we read: “The LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.” You’ll definitely notice as we read through the book of Numbers that God speaks to Moses, and through Moses to Israel. This fact is stated over 150 times and in more than 20 different ways in the book of Numbers – all the way from this first verse above until the very last verse of Numbers in chapter 36 verse 13 – “These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.” The Israelites were dependent on Moses at that time to hear from God. How do you hear from God in your life today? Do you believe that you are hearing from God as you read the Bible? Do you believe that you can hear from God during times of prayer? Do you believe that today you can hear from God through your faith in Jesus and in your participation in the body of Christ, the church? Are you hearing from God today? Do you want to hear from God today?

New Testament - Today in Mark chapter 11 we read about Jesus' Triumphal entry in Jerusalem!  This entry is an important transition point in Jesus' ministry, in large part because it is the last week of Jesus' life, which inaugurates Passion Week.  But also because Jesus' ministry will now be focused in the confines of Jerusalem, the Holy City.  Jesus' triumphal entry is a deliberate Messianic action and the clue to its understanding is found in Zechariah chapter 9 verse 9: "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Hosanna in the highest!  (Hosanna is a Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise).  Commentary on Mark chapter 11 readings for today by Bob Deffinbaugh titled "The Triumphal Tragedy" is at bible.org at this link. 

Today we read in verse 17: "Jesus taught them, "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves.""

Below is a great image for Mark 11:25 in today's readings:

Psalms - Today we read Psalm 46, which is an incredible Psalm! This Psalm represents a song of hope celebrating the certain triumph of God’s kingdom – even in the midst of times of severe trouble. This Psalm served as the inspiration for Martin Luther’s famous Hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Just after 9/11 I saw emails and posts on the internet floating around with the entirety of this Psalm. I would encourage you to keep this Psalm in your “back-pocket” as a Psalm to meditate upon whenever you personally might be going through times of severe trouble – or whenever our world might be going through times of severe trouble. Near the end of Psalm 46 in verse 10 we read a tiny little verse that I think is the key to this Psalm – “Be still, and know that I am God.” If you are going through a time of trouble in your life right now, will you take some time to meditate upon Psalm 46 and in particular verse 10? 

Proverbs - Today in Proverbs chapter 10 verse 23 we read: “Doing wrong is fun for a fool, while wise conduct is a pleasure to the wise.” This is one of those convicting Proverbs for me, as I have found myself on both sides of this coin. In my past, I’ve had fun in doing wrong. And in recent years I have found wise conduct to be a pleasure. As I’ve walked along the Way of following Jesus, I do know that I’m spending more time than ever enjoying wise conduct – thanks to the grace of God. However, this Proverb still makes me really examine how I am living my life today. Have I really stopped finding pleasure in doing wrong? Are there still some subtle ways perhaps that I am having fun doing wrong? Am I still acting foolishly at times? How about you? How does this Proverb speak to you? Have you found yourself on both sides of this coin? What does wise conduct look like to you in your life today? Will you seek to live a life of wise conduct? I believe we cannot live this life of wise conduct solely on our strength. Will you pray unceasingly to God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to give you the grace and strength to live a life of wise conduct?

Worship God: Based on my Psalm 46 reflections above, here's Steve Green in 1987 singing an incredible acapella version of Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is our God:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRJHKzU_t1M

Is God your mighty fortress?  Click here and be strengthened!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will be still today. Pray that you will seek God in the stillness. Pray that you will know without a doubt that Jesus is God.

Comments from You & Question of the Day - Back to Psalm 46 verse 10 - “Be still, and know that I am God.”  What does it mean to you to “Be still, and know that I am God?” Do you believe that being still during times of trouble can draw you closer to God? Will you be still today before God? In this stillness will you seek to know that He is indeed God? Even in the midst of whatever might be troubling you, will you seek to know that I AM is your God?  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]

Leviticus 27:14-34

In reading this last chapter of Leviticus about redeeming things, people, and livestock that has been dedicated to the Lord is cost you the value of the item plus 20% which is somewhat in line with the rate of interest of some credit cards. Very interesting.

There is a Proverb that is brought to my mind when reading this chapter: Proverbs 20:25 It is dangerous to make a rash promise to God before counting the cost.

Numbers 1:1-54

When God called this census it wasn’t as if He needed to know the number of fighting men. The results of the census needed to be known by Israel herself. She had to know that in her midst there were over half-a-million men who were able to fight, fit for duty. Israel needed also to be in some sort of order because the God that delivered them is a God of order and not one of confusion.

Mark 11:1-26

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to me is a sad event because I know that my face could easily fit into the crowd. My voice could easily have shouted Hosanna. I’m sad because I realize that just like the crowd who welcomed Jesus I could turn against Jesus and cry out, “Crucify Him!” because my idea of deliverance just wouldn’t match up with God’s plan.

The cursing of the Fig Tree and the Cleansing of the Temple were two different actions of the same event, judgment of Israel, specifically Jerusalem and her religious leaders. The Fig Tree represented Israel and the Temple is where Israel went to worship.

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says:
"These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.

This is not something that happened 2,000 years ago. We are in danger of being accused of the same thing today.

Romans 11: 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

How are our Houses of Worship?

Psalm 46

O, if I would only remember when things seem to be falling apart all around me that,
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
O, to remember that and call on Him instead of picking up the telephone and calling on the arm of flesh that cannot help me.

Proverbs 10:23

Doing wrong may be fun for a fool, but the fool fails to consider the chain of events that he/she sets off in his/her own life and the life of others.

Sin is only pleasurable for a season and woe unto you when that season runs out.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Dee]

this is for Chris from yesterday..

thanks Chris. I felt I was off a little but anyway. Symbollically speaking, we do need to get on our knees and look up to God for help instead of holding on to our riches. But yeah all my life I had heard the other saying, Its harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven than for a camel to get through the eye of a needle, which I always did picture as something very time as in the sewing aspect. Thanks for looking that up for me, now that you mentioned it, I do remember one of our Sunday school teachers referring to "The Needles Eye" as in the gate of Jerusalem, however, Jesus knew the past, present and future, so He very well could have been foreshadowing or referring to the future gate in Jerusalum or "Needles Eye"along with making a point to his disciples about this richs mans heart. Oh well. I just love finding references in the Bible of present day or latter events and tying into the events in the Bible. Jesus' Words are always very helpful and useful for our daily needs and are never out of fashion or outdated or non existent! That is the awesomeness of the Word Of God. Its fresh with each moment we open the Book. God Bless!!

[Dee]

In Leviticus 27:28,29, However, anything specially set apart for the Lord--whether a person, an animal, or family property--must never be sold or bought back. Anything devoted in this way has been set apart as holy, as it belongs to the Lord. I understand that, such as clean animals, but not first born animals because they already are the Lords, the unclean animals, we can recompense to ourselves after ceremony and offerings to the Lord and buy back unclean, person(s) I suppose that is slaves which will also fall under family property and I know when you have land and homes it is set them apart for the Lord and blessed as in previous chapters. What I don't get is the next verse..No person specially set apart for destruction may be bought back. Such a person may be put to death. Can anyone elaborate on that one?

Mark 11:1-26..I too am saddened by the yet count down of Passion Week and the triumphant entry of our Lord. I guess because we know what is to come and it grieves us, however, I am like Ramona..I don't know if I would be any different from the others back then. I would like to say I would be as strong as His lady followers, His mom, Mary Magdelene and Salome were and stuck by Him through and through but who is to say what our mind would have fathomed because we are all mere mortals with minimal comprehension into the mindset of Christ.

Psalm 46:1-11 I love, love, love Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I believe that being still is a waiting process with you and God. Establishing the fruits of the spirit, especially the book ends as I like to call them Love being the first one, and the last one being Self Control..without these two beginning the fruits and ending them the whole parrelel of the fruits of the Spirit would fall apart. We have to realize that His thoughts are not our thoughts, His Ways not our ways..His timing is not contingent with our timing..But His sweet soft spoken words ring true..Be Still and Know I AM GOD!!! Awesome..

Proverbs 10:23
One foolish thing I think is silly and some parents go along with it for their kids, is foolish pranks kids do especially around "halloween". Egging someones home, toilet paper the yard, dumping trash in yards, ringing elderlys doors and running away..I am still a youthful mother and wife and have two youth in my home so I haven't come to the teen years where kids are really influenced in that sector. However my sister is, and it really shocks me that she lets her teenage boys do any of the ones above. To me that ties in with , "Doing wrong is fun for a fool" Now I don't think God wants you to lose your sense of humor, because our laughter comes from the Lord, however when we do wrong at the expense of another, then we are playing with fire..

God Bless and Be a Blessing to someone today!!

~~DeeDee

[Lorri]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100302/sc_space/chileearthquakemayhaveshorteneddaysonearth

I read this article this morning before reading Psalm 46:1-2

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea.

A powerful word straight from God to me today.

[Raeann]

I pray daily, read my devotional and read the Bible during my quiet time.