WHAT ARE THE “BAAL”s OF TODAY? Balaam was unable to curse Israel because they were under God’s blessing. So according to Numbers 31:16 he advised another way to harm them from within by tempting them to worship other gods. The Midianites and the Moabites were distant kin of the Jews. Yet, they had fallen into… Read more »
One Year Bible Devotions
All One Year Bible devotions are based on the One Year Bible Online Reading Plan
“So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!” (Numbers 21:9 NLT).
LOOKING UPON THE SUFFERING SAVIOR WITH FAITH This is one of the more bizarre stories in the Bible. The Israelites were once again grumbling against God and Moses because of the lack of water and variety of food in the wilderness, so God punished them with poisonous snakes. God hates grumbling. Grumbling is the opposite… Read more »
“Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (Mark 16:3 NLT).
WHO WILL MOVE THE STONE? On the first Easter morning, the women who went to anoint the Lord’s body worried about moving the stone that sealed His tomb. Arriving there, they found that the enormous stone had already been rolled away, revealing the empty tomb. Do you know someone that seems close to believing,… Read more »
“Present a cake from the first of the flour you grind, and set it aside as a sacred offering, as you do with the first grain from the threshing floor” (Numbers 15:20 NLT).
FIRST GIFTS FROM FIRST FRUITS As the Lord gave the people of Israel all that they needed to live, He instructed them to make an offering of the first part of a new harvest. Even as they made the first cake from the newly ground flour, they were to offer the first cake to the… Read more »
“When you finally settle in the land I am giving you, you will offer special gifts as a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Numbers 15:2-3 NLT).
FIRST GIFTS ARE SPECIAL GIFTS TO THE LORD The Lord gave Moses specific instructions for the people of Israel concerning the offering of gifts. The gifts were to be brought from each persons own possessions, whether from their herds or flocks. When Israel offered their gifts according to God’s instruction, He promised that He would… Read more »
‘“Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”’ (Mark 14:37 NLT).
HAS JESUS INVITED YOU TO PRAY WITH HIM? Jesus invited Simon Peter, James, and John to keep watch and pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was the night of His betrayal, the day before His trial and crucifixion. He wanted them as prayer partners. They were willing, but their flesh was weak… Read more »
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!'” (Numbers 11:23 NLT).
ARE YOU WILLING TO PROCLAIM GOD’S PROMISES? When Moses expressed doubt that God could keep them in meat for a month, God gave him a stern reply, “Has my arm lost its power?” Moses probably would have kept his doubts to himself, if God would have offered to make a meat delivery without asking him… Read more »
“So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses” (Numbers 9:23 NLT).
LEARNING OBEDIENCE IN THE WILDERNESS The Israelites left Egypt as grumbling slaves, but in the wilderness they grew into an obedient army of God’s servants. Their time in the desert was preparation. They could not enter the Promised Land until they learned obedience and grew in faith. When God leads us into wilderness experiences, do… Read more »
“O God, we meditate on your unfailing love” (Psalm 48:9 NLT).
MEDITATING ON GOD’S LOVE Biblical meditation is not an emptying of the mind as the Eastern religions teach. Rather, it is a focusing of the mind on God and His Word. Here, the Psalmist focused the thoughts of his mind on God’s character, namely, His “unfailing love.” We are called to meditate on God’s… Read more »
“The divisions of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are to camp toward the sunrise on the east side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners” (Numbers 2:3 NLT).
THE LION OF JUDAH LEADS THE WAY Of the 12 tribes, Judah was given first position in the tribal encampment. They were to camp under their “family banners” emblazoned with a lion. This image came from Jacob, the father of the tribes, who had spoken over his sons, saying that Judah was like a “lion”… Read more »