Author: Brian

Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Jerry Bridge’s Seven Standout Spiritual Lessons – Tim Challies
Lesson One: The Bible is meant to be applied to specific life situations. This includes both God’s commands to be obeyed and His promises to be relied upon…

Why Patience Doesn’t Come Naturally – Sam Storms
First, impatience is the product of selfish entitlement in the human soul. I get impatient because I actually believe I deserve better…

How to Kill Sinful Anger– Jon Bloom (DG)
All sinful anger is hard to fight. It’s a selfish, hot-blooded passion our flesh enjoys indulging. But I find it particularly difficult to fight the sinful anger that I feel I have a right to feel…

No Normal Sundays: Interview with Bob Kauflin– David Mathis (DG)
Worshiping Jesus together with his church is an awesome privilege…

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Reflections on Numbers 33-36

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God continues to teach the people through Moses to prepare them to enter the land.

  • Pagan influences – Israel is to drive out the inhabitants and destroy all of their religious objects, lest they be ensnared by pagan influences.  What pagan influences from our culture have influenced you?  How can you protect yourself from the pagan influences around you?
  • Cities of Refuge – God required Israel to designate cities of refuge for people to run to who accidentally killed another person, lest the dead person’s kin in wrath killed the accidental killer.  Our sins are not accidental, and God’s wrath justly rests on us.  The wages of sin is death.  But Jesus is our city of refuge that we can run to and find safety and deliverance from God’s wrath.  Praise the Lord for your Savior today!
  • Polluted Land – This idea of the land being polluted by sin has come up before (see for instance Leviticus 18:24-28), and here it is again (Numbers 35:33-35).  Consider the sins of our country, and how polluted our land has become.  God’s judgment is surely coming.  Cry out to God for mercy, and a revival that turns the hearts of the people from the idols of our land to the one true God!  May he start with his church!

Reflections on Numbers 30-32

On By BrianIn OT Reflections1 Comment

God instructs Israel to attack those who had led them into idolatry.

  • Evil advice – Balaam may not have been able to curse Israel, but apparently he came up with the plan to ensnare Israel (31:16).  What evil ideas do you need to beware of lest you are ensnared?
  • God’s preservation – After the huge battle, Israel counts their men – and miraculously not one has been killed.  God will not always work this miracle.  Our times are in his hands.  But in this situation, God miraculously preserved them.  How has God preserved you?  Will you trust him with your life?
  • Offering to God – In response to God’s preservation, they give a special offering to God.  Have you ever offered a special gift to God in response to his special preservation or care in your life?  Do you respond with gratitude for his blessings?

Numbers 30-36: The Land

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(30) God promised Abraham that his descendants would receive the land of Canaan.  Now in Numbers, his descendants are preparing to enter the land.  God is faithful to keep his promises.  In that context, what does God expect his people to do (v1-2)?  Practically, how should this effect our words and actions?

When might someone be excused from keeping their vow (v3-16)?  Do you think this principle applies today?  Explain.

(33) As they prepare to enter the land, Moses reviews their journey.  Again, God has been faithful.  Have you ever reviewed your life journey?  Give one example of God’s faithfulness.

(33) As they enter the land, they are to drive out its inhabitants and all their pagan influences.  Why would this be important?

How does chapter 25 point to the urgency of this command?  What did God have Israel do in response (chapter 31)?  What does that tell you about God and sin?

We can’t drive pagan influences from our land today, but we can seek to drive pagan influences from our church and homes.  What might that look like?

(35) Scattered throughout the land, there were to be six cities of refuge.  What were they for?  How do they point to Jesus (Hebrews 6:16)?

What principles were used to determine if someone committed murder or not?  How does this relate to teaching in the New Testament (Matthew 5:21-22, I John 3:15)?

If a person killed another by accident, how long was he required to stay in the city of refuge to escape the avenger?  How might this point to Jesus?

What did murder do to the land?  What does that tell us about our own land?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

4 Ways to Cling to the Lord – Sam Storms

Four Warning Signs You May Be Wandering from the Truth – Colin Smith

Who Will You Serve and Surprise This Week? – Tim Challies

Hearing the Voice of the Lord in Your Pastor’s Sermon – Danny Hyde

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Reflections on Numbers 26-29

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God gives instructions for the people before they enter the land.  Consider:

  • Preparation – Once again it is time to prepare to enter the land.  God tells them to count the men able to go to war.  They work out details regarding the inheritance of the land.  The transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua begins.  What is God calling you to do?  Are you doing what is necessary to prepare?
  • Time – God describes how the people are to use their time, taking breaks from their regular work for Sabbaths and festivals.  God is king over our time as well.  Are you using your time in a way that pleases the Lord?
  • Sacrifices – Consider how many animals were required to fulfill all of the sacrifices in chapters 28-29!  In Jesus we have a better sacrifice whose single sacrifice forever paid the debt of our sins (Hebrews 10:11-14), making any other sacrifice unnecessary.  Praise the Lord!

Sermon Songs: Ephesians 4:25

On By BrianIn Ephesians Hymns

MusicNotes

We put off our old sinful way
We put on what is right
Renew our minds from day to day
Walk with Him in the light

We put off lies and all that’s false
Now truth is what we speak
For truth is beating in our pulse
The Body’s good we seek

And when we fail – we will repent
Our sin we will confess
Look to our Savior who was sent
To grant us forgiveness

 (To the tune of “O God Our Help In Ages Past”)