Deuteronomy 2,3

The event of Moses striking the rock with his rod causing water to gush out (Numbers 20) hardly seems to warrant the penalty of prohibition from entering the Promised Land. Moses prayed, apparently more than one time, for forgiveness and permission, until God said “Enough!  Speak to me no more on this matter” 3:29. 

Sixteen hundred years later, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him to a mountain in Galilee to pray. Luke 9:30 records a visible glory was present, and Mos

Deuteronomy 1

“These are the words of Moses…. After he had defeated Sihon, the king of the Amorites and Og, the king of Bashan… who had lived across the Jordan in the land of Moab,” v1-4. The first time Israel had come this far, the simple report of giants was enough to frighten Israel. This new generation, however, had already defeated a huge giant (Deut. 3:11) and was prepared for the words of Moses to move forward. They had learned giants could be defeated.

Failure does not have to b

Mark 10

A wealthy young professional ran to Jesus (10:17-39) and apparently sincerely asked Him how he could attain eternal life (life from above). Jesus pointed out the Commandments that protected human relationships. The man quickly affirmed his obedience to all of them. What Jesus had not pointed out were the Commandments that dealt with relationship with God – serving God alone, refusal of any type of idolatry, honoring God’s name and day. Instead, He instructed him to sell a

Mark 9

The “transfiguration” of Jesus and His conversation with Moses and Elijah were in stark contrast to the real need at the foot of the mountain. The disciples were not able to help a father whose son was “possessed.” When Jesus came from the mountain and observed the problem, He simply said, “Bring him to me.”

No words in any language have more hope than that invitation. The difficulty of the father was his recognition of the limit of his own faith. Even after encouragement

Psalms 26

David begins this Psalm with a prayer, “Vindicate me, O Lord.”  He feels that he has been unjustly treated despite his integrity and trust. He even asks God to examine him, to try him, to test his mind and heart, v2. His concern is that when judgement for sin takes place, God might fail to see the difference between his actions and the actions of “sinners.”

Despite everything however, David is determined to “walk in integrity,”  yet trust in God’s redemption and grace, v11

Numbers 36

This chapter, an interesting way to close the book of Numbers, gives us a practical application of the Golden Rule (Matt 7:12) the basis of justice. The passage is a follow up to Num. 27:1-7ff which records the death of a father, Zelophehad, who had five daughters and no sons. To whom would he leave his land?  God said through Moses that the land should be the daughter’s. Numbers 36 then questions, “To whom should the land go if the girls died?” The answer was that the gi

Numbers 35

When the new land of Israel was to be divided among the tribes, the tribe of Levi was not given a single large piece, but the Levites were given 48 towns scattered throughout the land. Six of these were called cities of refuge to which a person could flee if he or she had accidentally caused the death of another Israelite. To make this possible, the towns were less than forty miles from each other so that all were less than twenty miles from refuge, in reach of everyone. 

Numbers 33,34

The last chapters of Numbers are a synopsis of Israel’s 40 years of travel, the last 38 ½ years because of their rebellion. The challenge they are facing is the command to eradicate the source of the terrible evils practiced by the former inhabitants (Lev. 18:24-30). Failure to do so would allow the former influences to become as thorns in their eyes (Num. 33:55,56).

No one can follow Christ without some challenges and problems; we are in a fallen world. But complete obedi

Numbers 31, 32

On more than one occasion my parents reminded me of Numbers 32:23, “Be sure your sins will find you out.” In this chapter, Moses is reminding Reuben and Gad, whose land is on the east side of the Jordan River, that they had committed to helping the rest of the tribes. Failure to do so would be evil:  their “sins (of omission) would find them out” i.e., have a price.

Romans 3 tells us that all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. It was that finality to which Moses w

Mark 8:22-38

When asked by Christ who the disciples thought he was, only Peter could give the right answer, “You are the Christ the Son of the living God" (v29, Matt 16:16). But when Jesus began to talk about his coming suffering and death, Peter rebuked Jesus, assuming that the Lord’s identity and his coming suffering were incompatible. 

Sometimes we look at suffering as incompatible with our identity as “children of God” forgetting that Jesus identified that idea as coming from Satan

Mark 8:1-21

Two people can go through the same experience and learn opposite lessons. The disciples had just participated in the amazing miracle of 4000 men (plus women and children) being fed from seven “loaves” of bread and a few small fish. Prior to this they had witnessed 5000 being fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Yet they interpreted a warning about Pharisees as being a concern by Christ for lack of food (v15). 

Of all the lessons they could have learned from their experiences, two

Psalm 25

David is struggling with three realities in this psalm; he knows his own sins, both in the past and the present (v7). And he knows his enemies will try to shame him for his failings. But he also is aware that God is his only resort and so he cries out to Him for help. 

Problems in this world are real. There is hatred, resentment, unfairness, inequalities and tragedies – and many times our answers seem insufficient. But God is more than a comforting idea. He is not limited

Numbers 29-30

“If a man vows a vow to the Lord ... he shall not break his word” (30:2). As well as collective worship, individuals could make vows (29:39) to the Lord that often included either special offerings, promises, or acts of self-denial. These vows were sacred between worshiper and God. However, women embedded in family relationships needed a father or husband’s approval for their vows. This prevented vows (promises/offerings) from conflicting with family life and gave women a

Numbers 27-28

“Let the Lord ... appoint a man over the congregation ... that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd” (27:16). Moses could not go into the Promised Land with the Israelites, and so they needed a new leader. Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit” filled that role. But the Lord also reminded the people of his commands for regular sacrifices and holy festivals (ch 28-29). Their lives were to center around worship, more than a human leader.

“On

Numbers 26

“But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai” (v64). The new census of Israelites taken “by the Jordan at Jericho” counted all the men able “to go to war”. It was a new list, because all the men that Moses and Aaron had counted in the wilderness had died there due to unbelief, except Caleb and Joshua (v65). “Israel” continued, with those of the new generation who were willi