Scripture Nugget 3.1.2016

“Surely the LORD your God has blessed you in all your undertakings; he knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” Deuteronomy 2:7

Moses speaks to the Israelites at the end of the final stage of their 40 year wandering in the wilderness. He recounts the journey, he reissues the law, he recounts God’s promise(s) and God’s faithfulness. All this in preparation for the next phase, crossing over the Jordan into the Promised Land. Do I look forward in faith? Did I look forward in faith as confidently as I look back remembering what God has done? Do I look back and remember? Who am I confident in? As God’s people, as congregations of the church of Jesus Christ who are we confident in, do we remain faithful? Do we look back and see, give glory to God, or ourselves? Do we step out into the future in faith? Faith that God delivers His promises – confident that even if called upon to wander in a wilderness, that God will bless all our undertakings, that He is with us and we will lack nothing we need? O God, wilderness wanderings are times to draw close to you, to depend on you, to trust and have faith in you – so are journeys into the future, times of feasting and joy, of eating the fat and drinking sweet wine. May I always remember you are the God of promise and give you all the glory and remain faithful in you not myself.

Scripture Nugget 2.20.2016

“See the LORD your God has given the land to you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you; do not fear or be dismayed. All of you came to me and said, ‘Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land for us and bring a report to us regarding the route by which we should go up and the cities we will come to.’ The plan seemed good to me, and I selected twelve of you, one from each tribe. . . . They brought back a report to us, and said, ‘It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us. But you were unwilling to go up. You rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘It is because the LORD hates us that he has brought us out of the land of Egypt. To hand us over to the Amorites to destroy us. Where are we headed?” Deuteronomy 1:21-23, 25b-28a

Where are we headed? A great question to ask, a great question to be answered – individually, as families, as congregations, as communities, as the people of God. Keep it simple. As an individual where am I headed? Am I dreaming of returning to the past or am I trusting to journey into the future? I have never seen anyone grow younger only older so doesn’t it seem logical to look to and journey into the future not dream about the past? As a believer, one who experiences ongoing salvation (I was saved, I am being saved, I will be saved some more), on a journey to complete and whole sanctification, why would I look back? Why would I desire to return to a time when I was less Christ-like than I am now? Why wouldn’t I desire the future where God promises I will be more Christ-like? Why as families, congregations, communities, and the people of God would we desire to return to the brokenness, the wandering in the wilderness all under the guise of the ‘Good Ole Days’? Where are we headed? O that I always go where God leads, when God leads, and that I look to the future and live into His promises.

Scripture Nugget 2.28.2016

“You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the Israelites.”

It’s the third Sunday of Lent, God is with us, God is with you, God is with me, God says, ‘I am here with you’, then asks – ‘will you be with me?’ How do I respond, how do you respond, how do we – believers in God respond? Do we defile or build up? O God that I turn to You, that You would strengthen me in my weakness, cleanse me of my sins so that I may dwell in Your presence.

Scripture Nugget 2.27.2016

“… the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the Israelites , and say to them: ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, you shall drive out all inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their figured stones, destroy all their cast images, and demolish all their high places. You shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. . . . But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they shall trouble you in the land where you are settling. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.’” Numbers 33:50b-53, 55-56

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20

In our present day lives, there is always more land to inhabit, more idols to destroy, more false worship to destroy, and sin to be rid of. There is among us, close to me, close to you, a neighbor, who does not know Jesus, who does not know the love of God, nor loves God. By the grace of God, and with the love of Jesus we are to inhabit those places and drive out unbelief, destroy idols and demolish places of false worship. That all sounds harsh and hateful – but it is the mission of the church. With the love and authority of Christ, who is with us always, we are to go, share the love of God with others, introducing them to and inviting them to love God as He loves us/all; teaching about God, living as Jesus lived, baptizing them, beginning the transformation to Christlikeness or they will to the kingdom like barbs in our eyes and thorns in our sides. It’s the season of Lent, O that I recognize all sin that is in me, that I confess it, repent – turn away from it, and turn to God so that I not be a barb or thorn, a stumbling block to another. That I and all take possession of each and every situation with Jesus’s authority remembering He is present always. No compromises, teaching others (learning myself) to not only become disciples but be disciples, growing, learning, transforming into Christlikeness – blessings not barbs or thorns……

Scripture Nugget 2.25.2016

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Command the Israelites, and say to them: My offering, the food fort my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor, you shall take care to offer to me at its appointed time.” Numbers 28:1-2 . . . . “These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed festivals, I addition to your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, as your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your offerings of well-being.” So Moses told the Israelites everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Numbers 29:39-40

It’s pretty easy to rush through today’s reading, the words are repetitive, the thoughts similar, this was a quick read check. What’s next? These are the readings I must stop and re-read, slowly and think through what can I learn from these ancient commands from God? When God speaks directly to a leader of the people, and commands to tell the people something of importance is being relayed, we are not to rush through and take for granted what God says.

First though we offer them, all the commanded offerings are God’s, they are to be offered at specified times, for specified reasons and in exact ways. And they are not trivial, they are substantive, the best of what’s available. Lambs without blemish, choice flour, beaten oil; daily, Sabbath (weekly), monthly offerings, an in addition those offered at various festivals during which worship services are held and no occupational work is accomplished – a giving of self to God, a denying of self-service to worship Creator God.

O that I never take for granted God’s offerings that I offer, that I give intentionally, with a glad and generous heart, not because I’m commanded to but as a loving response to God’s grace fully given to me. Not as repayment, but as offering – giving up, giving myself, giving freely back to God what is already His. Giving the first fruits, the best of me and what I have to Him for His use. Trusting there will always be more than enough. During this Lenten season, it is right and good to assess my attitude about what I receive from God and what I return – my fair share or His?

Scripture Nugget 2.24.2016

“Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward . . . They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and they said, ‘Our father died in the wilderness, he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.’ Moses brought their case before the LORD. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying: ‘The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying: you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance among their father’s brothers and pass the inheritance of the father on to them.’ Numbers 27:1-7

                                                                  Wesleyan

Life Application Topic – Justice Everything belongs to God, and humans are God’s stewards and tenants. Justice requires that all people have access to the resources necessary to flourish. The test of God’s justice is this: Do the powerless and the vulnerable have access to life’s abundance? A distinguishing characteristic of Israel’s God is this: The Lord protects the orphans, widows, and sojourners – the powerless. The early Methodists went to the people who were the least, last, and lost because they believed that the poor, those whom Charles Wesley called “Jesus bosom friends,” are special recipients of God’s justice and means of divine grace.” Wesley Study Bible, pg 200

O that I not squander any opportunity to reach out to, invite, welcome and serve those considered least, last and lost by society. We, who are less than Christ like, are all least, least and lost in some form or fashion. May I never consider myself better, more or some how above any one else. That God’s justice flow from my being as I live with others.

Scripture Nugget 2.23.2016

Read Numbers 25:1-13

“When Phineas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand, he went after the Israelite man into the tent, and pierced the two of them, the Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the people of Israel. Nevertheless those that died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.” Numbers 25:7-13

Oh that I and everyone would take seriously the consequences of sin. Not only personally as individuals but to realize the negative effects of individual’s sin on the community. If only we took seriously the vow to hold each other accountable, to stop sin and sin’s effects. That we would allow others to hold us accountable. O that I wouldn’t ever need a Phineas in my life; but please God send one before I start plague that effects many others. O that I possess the conviction and courage to be Phineas in other’s lives. That we would prevent the plague from ever starting.

Scripture Nugget 2.21.2016

“Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD spoke to Moses,” Numbers 20:6-7

On your face, how often do I get down not just on my knees but all the way down on my face in the presence of God? How often do I expect to hear from God while I sit or stand fully erect but God seems silent? Do I humble myself, am I willing to assume a posture of respect and reverence and stay there for as long as it takes? Upon hearing from God do I remain humble, then go and do what He commands, exactly as He commanded? Moses and Aaron blew that part and it costs them the opportunity to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. O that I remain humble, that I allow God to work through me as He sees fit, in His timing and may I always give credit to God for the wondrous things He does. Forgive me Lord for the times when I have gotten on my high horse. . . . .

Scripture Nugget 2.20.2016

“But whoever acts high-handedly, whether a native or an alien, affronts the LORD, and shall be cut off from among the people. Because of having despised the word of the LORD and broken his commandment, such a person shall be utterly cut off and bear the guilt.” Number 15:30-31

Woah, Pay attention! Earlier verses provide instruction for giving sacrifices to atone for unintentional sins; and make no mistake sin, any sin, all sin separates me from God, but intentional sin, the sin when I say “Whatever, whatever, I do what I want”; thumbing my nose at God, giving God the finger is not acceptable and the penalty is being “utterly cut off”. No way – you think, remember the Garden, remember Adam & Eve, they sinned and were escorted out of the Garden, separated from God. During Lent we take a very focused intentional look at our relationship with God, is there any sin, intentional or unintentional, in my life? Once the unintentional is revealed and I continue in it, it becomes intentional thus risking being “utterly cut off.” God is holy and therefore I/we are to be holy, to be in His presence we must be holy. God is slow to anger, slow to punish, but make no mistake, God hates sin and hates sin in us, especially known, intentional, thought out, pre-planned sin. We cannot re-write the rules, or re-write the definitions of holiness, God is the author, God is the judge. I either am or am not in line with God, I am both holy and righteous or not – according to God, not me. O Lord forgive me – please!

“Then the LORD said, ‘I do forgive you, just as you have asked; nevertheless – as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did ion Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it.’” Numbers: 14:20-23

Scripture Nugget 2.18.2016

“At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. . . . And they told him, ‘We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this it its fruit. Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittities, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites by the sea, and along the Jordan.’ But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we.’” Numbers 13:25, 27-31

“Though the challenges may be formidable, God’s prevenient grace goes before us. Whatever the obstacles, the future is always open because God is active, steadfast, constant, and enduring.” (Life Application Topic, God’s Adventure, Wesley Study Bible, pg 179) Where is our faith? Where is my faith? Why are so many unwilling to take on a significant challenge that God is calling us to face? Thank you Lord for sending the Caleb’s and the Joshua’s, the Noah’s and Moses’s – those who have more faith in You than lack of confidence in themselves. O God, that I remember that the Giants are defeated, Your promises are true and Your grace is sufficient!