Listening to the Word

  Numbers 24-27; 1 Corinthians 13   “While Israel was staying at Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.” Numbers 25:1-3 What Balak’s scheme to curse Israel could not accomplish, the Moabite women succeeded through seduction. In spiritual warfare, a frontal attack by Satan is rarely as effective as temptation. The idolatry and sexual sin of the Israelite men defiled them and angered God.   In what ways can we see this same strategy being used today? The invitations of the enemy can be more destructive than his attacks. Satan’s purpose is to get us off- side from God’s ways. Satan tempts us to violate God’s laws causing us to grieve the Holy Spirit and anger God. Repentance is the only way back. In what ways are we being tempted to grieve God today? W...

Numbers 21-23; Mark 6,7   “…Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: ‘Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.’” Mark 6:6-8 Jesus sent his disciples out on mission assignments in his authority and power, not with the authority and power of money, education, or culture. The authority with which Jesus commissioned his disciples included authority over evil spirits. Would we rather have money and authority over evil spirits? The vulnerability of not knowing where they would stay or what they would eat put the disciples in the position of full dependency on the power of God. Have we ever allowed ourselves to be placed in these circumstances? What barriers are there to our experience of the authority of God in our lives? What will we be willing to do about those barriers for the sake of God’s mission...

  Numbers 19-20; Psalms 28; Mark 5   “While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’ Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’” Mark 5:35, 36 A desperate father named Jairus, looked for Jesus to save his dying daughter. When life and death-tests face us, everything changes. Jairus’ faith in Jesus was based on what he had seen and heard. The blind could see, the lame could walk, the oppressed were freed as Jesus lived and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God. What have we seen and heard? The enemy of faith is fear, including the fear that our crisis is a bother to God. Self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and fear keep us from calling out to Jesus. The lies of the enemy are thoughts which interfere with faith in Jesus’ saving, healing, and delivering power. It’s time to ignore, resist, and rebuke those lies and tu...

Numbers 17-18; Psalms 29; Mark 4 “’Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water’...” Numbers 20:8 “To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me…” Psalm 28:1 Where do we go with our thirst when life gets dry? Some people go to their favorite beverage, others to a satisfying job or a relationship in order to quench their thirst. Where do we go to find love, purpose, meaning, and hope?” What is our rock? Jesus invites us to come to him as our Rock. Faith is required to believe water can pour from a rock, just as it requires faith to believe our current thirst solution will help us. The Psalmist David cried out to the Lord as his Rock and believed that his life was better off in the hands of the Lord. Will we call on the Lord when we are thirsty? Will we entrust our needs and our very life into his hands? “Lord God, you are my Rock and my Source of Living Water. Thank you for filling me and satisfying my soul.”

  Numbers 14-16; Mark 3   “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders…The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon…The voice of the Lord shake the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh…The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his peace with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 5, 8, 11 The storms of God break, shake, humble, and level the proud and lofty. Those who know God in the storm worship and witness his power and glory. Like the eye of the storm, there is a place of peace in the presence of the Lord, while all around us is shaking. When God brings storms into our lives and circumstances, we are invited to worship, surrender our will, and confess our self-sufficiency and limited strength before him. In the storm, our perspective about ourselves, the things that have value, and even about God can shift. The voice of the Lord both creates the storms and brings peace. Will we find the Lord in the stor...

Numbers 12-13; Psalms 90; Mark 2   “’Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’ And the Lord heard this. Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Numbers 12:2, 3 Few things test our character more than criticism from family members. Those closest to us and who love us the most can also hurt us the deepest. Moses’ response to Miriam’s and Aaron’s rebellious words (cloaked in the language of human rights and equality), was silence. Why silence, and not defence? Moses had been in the presence of God and he knew God’s sufficiency and power. Humility is a right understanding of who we are, in the light of who God is. It was God who spoke and disciplined Miriam’s, Aaron’s, and later Korah’s rebellion (Korah was another cousin). Humbling ourselves before God each day is a choice which shapes our response to everyone we meet, as well as to those with whom we live. When our life is in God, we trust...

  Numbers 10-11; Psalms 2 7; Mark 1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Wait for the lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:1, 14 In our battle with fear, we might find ourselves “in the dark”, needing more information, or needing a rescue from an opponent too big for us. David’s exile from Saul’s court and his life as a fugitive meant he faced fear on a regular basis. David’s cave hideouts symbolized for him the deliverance of God. In the darkness, the presence of God was with David and a light for him. The anointing of the Spirit of God on David was his salvation. Walking with God was like living in an impenetrable stone fortress, or stronghold. Did that mean victory and freedom came immediately? David waited on God’s timing to ultimately deliver him from Saul’s jealous rage and murderous schemes. David pursued the presence of God rather than fighting his father-in-...

Numbers 8-9; Acts 28   “…Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command the set out…” Numbers 9:21-23 In God’s deliberate plan to form a people for himself, a holy nation, there were many stages in the molding and shaping process. God revealed his name to them, defeated their enemies, fed them, distinguished clean from unclean, instituted atonement for sin, prescribed worship, and taught them to depend on his guidance. In the new covenant through Christ, our bodies are now God’s temple containing his presence, the Holy Spirit – “those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The cloud and pillar of fire which symbolized God’s presence in the Sinai now fill the lives of those who belong to God. Are we ...

  Numbers 7; Psalms 23; Acts 27   “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you! So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.’” Acts 27:23-25 On a drifting ship in the midst of a two-week storm, 276 men were given hope by a prisoner named Paul. Without stars to chart their course and without food to give them strength, these men received leadership from a man who walked with God - a man whose life and hope were anchored in the living presence of God.   In our storms, what are we anchored to? When our marriage or health or employment is tested with high winds, where do we turn? Paul knew the Word of the Lord; his faith in that living Word gave courage and strength to others. Paul knew that he belonged to God and that everything else was temporal. Do we know w...

Numbers 5-6; Psalms 22; Acts 26   “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him – those who cannot keep themselves alive.” Psalm 22:27-29 How are we to pray for the salvation of people groups and nations? This text from Psalm 22 declares what will take place according to God’s eternal plan. We see the families of nations worshipping and bowing down before the throne of God and the Lamb (Revelation 7). Those who willingly submit to the Lamb now, declaring their lives to be the dominion of the Lord, join his mission to see his kingdom come and his will be done among every person and every nation. We pray that every nation will turn to the Lord and that they will worship the Lord, acknowledging his authority over their bodies and souls. Jesus hol...

  Numbers 3-4; Acts 25   “…the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die…Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.” Numbers 4:15, 19, 20 The Kohathites were responsible for carrying the holy things, but they couldn’t look at them and touch them or they would die. Why? God’s holiness required blood sacrifices to be given for the forgiveness of sin, before those chosen by him could meet with him. The Kohathites were carrying the presence of the Lord, but they could not become casual, familiar, or careless with God’s presence. That attentiveness required humility, self-control, and submission. They were to interact with the holy things on God’s terms, not their own. Our bodies are the temple of God in the new covenant. We, too, were bought with a price.   As ...

Numbers 1-2; Acts 24 “Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings…He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid…” Acts 24:22, 24, 25 Why was Felix, the governor, afraid at the words of Paul his prisoner? The anointing of the Holy Spirit was upon Paul as he spoke the gospel, and the Holy Spirit brought conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). We can be powerful, wealthy, and beautiful, and still be a prisoner to sin. Paul was free in spirit although he was physically in chains. Paul was filled with love for Felix and wanted him to experience the gospel, not just know about it.   Who in our life is hungry for the gospel even while appearing to be self-sufficient? Only God can save people. Paul’s responsibility, as is ours, was to share the gospel wherever God opened the door.   “Lord Jesus, I will share th...

  Leviticus 26-27; Acts 23   “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord;…Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths.” Leviticus 27:30; 26:34 The principle that everything belongs to God, as reflected by dependency on him through our tithes and sabbath rest, extends beyond the first covenant to the new covenant in Christ. We belong to God! The tithes of all we earn are the Lord’s and are a part of our grateful worship for all God has provided. Even the land required a rest, when every seven years God’s plan was for the land to lie fallow and faith to be exercised with confidence that in the sixth year, he would provide enough food for two years. For 490 years, Israel was unwilling to practice the sabbath, or jubilee rest, for their land. This meant that they endured se...

Leviticus 25; Psalms 25-26; Acts 22   “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, ‘Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!’” Acts 22:21, 22 The anger of the Jews in Jerusalem was against anyone declaring God’s desire to covenant with Gentiles. They would rather kill Paul, than share with others, the covenant they made with God. Are there people whom we believe are outside of God’s kingdom mission, people who are unworthy of God’s love and mercy? When we understand and experience God’s love and mercy we realize that we, too, are unworthy. Jesus’ message to Paul was to “Go”, the same message he gave to his disciples in the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). “Going” is a choice we make every day in order to live on mission with Jesus.   If we choose not to go, are we living in an insular, Christian subculture, unconcerned with those around us who have not...

  Leviticus 23-24; Psalms 24; Acts 21   “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;…Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?...He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior…Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in.” Psalm 24:1, 3, 5, 7 While the earth is the Lord’s and all who live in it, Satan is a usurper who has used sin to pervert God’s creation and make us enemies of God. Those who seek the face of God and find forgiveness and vindication for sin through Jesus our Savior, receive the blessing of restored relationship with the Lord. We are invited to join Christ’s mission of making disciples of all nations, declaring that the curse of sin has been broken and the blessing of God has been restored through faith in Jesus’ sin-sacrifice on our behalf. There are still strongholds of darkness, ancient gates to cities and cultures that remain closed to the gl...

Leviticus 20-22; Acts 20 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:22-24 Paul’s farewell speech to the Ephesian Church elders was focused on preparing them to serve and lead well. Paul wanted these leaders to also be led by the Spirit in all they did, endure hardships for the gospel, and testify whenever possible to the transforming power of the gospel of God’s grace. What would we say if it were our last visit with Church leaders and friends in whose lives we had invested? Would it be clear that the Lord Jesus was our leader, guide, example, and foundation?   Would we focus on ourselves, or on those whom we were leaving? Paul was an inwa...

  Leviticus 18-19; Ps 13; Acts 19   “…do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest…Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God...When an alien lives with you in the land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:9, 10, 33, 34 God’s call to love the aliens, the immigrants in the land, and to be generous toward them, is based on his very nature as a loving, just God. God also ties our treatment of aliens to his call to love our neighbors, a commandment Jesus taught as foundational. How we treat the most vulnerable and marginalized in our community should testify that we act like God because his generous nature indwells us. Who comes to mind in your community when we read the word, “alien”? What invitations toward generosity are we hearing from the Lord? In what ways has God been genero...

Leviticus 15-17; Acts 18 “Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks…Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” Acts 18:4, 5 What was Paul’s priority in Corinth? He was focused on preaching, persuading, and reasoning with Jews and Greeks, telling them that Jesus was the Christ. Once people have faith in the true claims of Jesus the Christ, they experience the transforming power of the gospel. We can get distracted by many other priorities in church planting and mission. Focusing on proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ and the answer for every person’s need is both simple and profound. How central is Jesus the Messiah to our lives, our church, our ministry, and our relationships? Paul’s life was focused on sharing the Gospel that he first experienced on the Damascus road many years before. What are we focused on? “Lord Jesus, you are the way, the truth, and the life. You are my focus. I repent for...

  Leviticus 13,14; Acts 17   “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” Acts 17:16 Life is filled with periods of waiting - waiting for others, waiting for our plans to materialize, waiting for God to fulfill his promises to us. While he was waiting in Athens for his co-workers to arrive, Paul surveyed the city and discerned its spiritual condition. Paul’s spirit was grieved at the idolatry of Athens. Rather than being distracted by impatience, Paul was engaged by purpose. During unplanned interruptions or periods of waiting, how aware are we of the ministry opportunities around us? When was the last time the spiritual condition of a city grieved us and moved us to action? Paul’s public discourse engaged the leading philosophers of Athens in public debate and led several leaders to Christ. Life’s interruptions can lead to God’s opportunities when we live each day on mission with Jesus. “Lord Jesus, awaken my s...

Leviticus 10-12; Acts 16 “Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord…’You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.’” Leviticus 10:1, 2, 10 The deaths of Nadab and Abihu before the Lord after they offered unauthorized fire probably affected attendance at worship gatherings. Their deaths remind everyone that we worship God on his terms, not ours. The same holy fire which caused the Israelites to shout for joy now caused them to cry in fear. Perhaps Nadab and Abihu approached worship when they were drunk, unconcerned whom they were approaching. Do we enter worship with that same casual attitude implying worship is more about us than about our holy God? In the new covenant, it is Christ’s blood which makes us holy and clean before God....

  Leviticus 7-9; Acts 15 “Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.” Leviticus 9:23, 24 Why is there joy among God’s people when God’s fire consumes their sacrifices?   We were created for relationship with God, including the holiness of God’s consuming fire. When in a life of worship and obedience to God’s ways we see his glory, it confirms the reality of God’s presence in our lives. Our faith is strengthened when we see God’s glory. As Paul and Barnabus testified to the power of the gospel among the Gentiles in Acts 15, it was the stories of “signs and wonders” in verse 12 that authenticated their statement that the Gentiles were saved by grace, not by circumcision. Where have we seen God...

  Leviticus 4-6; Acts 14 “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.” Acts 14:21, 22 How many of the new disciples in Lystra expected to see Paul and Barnabus again after they had been stoned in that city only a few weeks prior? Their message when they returned to Lystra was a reminder that discipleship has a high price. This is the full gospel. We are saved by grace, not by works, so no one can boast. Jesus died in our place to give us life. In exchange we offer our lives and willingly endure every hardship for the sake of the gospel. This high-cost, high-value gospel will transform lives. A low-cost gospel has low value and is focused on Jesus fulfilling our lives and bringing us happiness. When we face hardships after embracing a low-cost gospel, we easily blame Go...

Leviticus 1-3; Acts 13     “While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabus and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’…Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ‘You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right!’…And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:2, 9, 10, 52 The Holy Spirit leads and empowers in God’s mission. Is that our experience? For those of us who began with our own Pentecost experience with God, are we now trying to accomplish God’s mission with our own strength and strategy? In prayer, the Spirit called Barnabus and Saul for the mission work to which the Spirit of God had called them. Then through prayer, the Spirit empowered Saul to confront a demonized leader who was blocking the advance of the gospel. The fruit of Barnabus’ and Paul’s Spirit-led and empowered mission work was disciples w...

  Ex 39-40; Psalms 15; Acts 12 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him…he went to the home of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Acts 12:5, 12 In response to the arrest of Peter, and Herod’s intent to publicly execute him, the Church in Jerusalem gathered at Mary’s home to pray. The Church didn’t write appeal letters nor lobby government leaders; they appealed to the highest authority, the Lord God. When they brought the financial gift from the Antioch Church to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabus probably stayed at Mary’s home. The crisis prayer meeting in Jerusalem led to a missionary call for John Mark which changed the course of his life. What the enemy means for evil, God can use for good if we are willing to humble ourselves and cry out to the Lord. In what areas of our life is the Lord inviting us to call out to him, “‘It’s not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord ...

Ex 37-38; Psalms 19; Acts 11 “During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world…The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabus and Saul.” Acts 11:27-30 Does God still warn or prepare the Church for natural disasters or significant challenges through prophetic words today so that we can both pray and become a blessing to others? While the famine covered the entire Roman world, the Church in Antioch chose to send relief aid to Jerusalem, the home city of the prophets whom God used to bring the prophetic Word. Their first concern in the famine was to support the Church which had blessed them spiritually. Are we listening to the Word as we, too, experience natural disasters? Are we available to the Holy Spirit to make us a bless...

  Exodus 35-36; Acts 10   “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all…While Peter was still speaking those words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.” Acts 10:34-36, 44 This God-ordained visit by Peter to Cornelius’ house changed the course of mission history to include every nation and people group on earth. God does not show favourites. Some nations and people fear God and do what is right while not yet understanding the good news of Jesus and the peace that God offers to everyone who believes. God’s mission heart is to reach these people with his gospel. For those among us who know the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is available to fill us and empower us to live on mission with Jesus. What is ...

    Exodus 33-34; Psalms 16; Acts 9   “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance…my body also will rest secure.” Psalm 16:5, 6, 9 Living within the boundaries of God’s provision and promises for us brings peace and joy to our body and soul. It is the Lord who assigns us our portion and cup. Have we thanked him for his provision, providence, and protection over our lives? Some people live with dissatisfaction and selfish ambition. They would like to shift the boundary lines in their lives and live for their own inheritance. This leads to frustration and emptiness, rather than freedom and peace. When we accept the Lord and his kingdom as our inheritance, we find joy, peace, and abundant life. We also rest at night knowing our lives are in the hands of the Lord. What is God inviting us to surrender into his hands so that we would have what is ...

Exodus 30-32; Acts 8 “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem…Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went….Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’…The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’” Acts 8:1, 4, 26, 29 How does the Lord of the harvest guide us into mission opportunities? In the life of Phillip, God redeemed the persecution and Philip’s refugee circumstances to put him in proximity with Samaritans who were ready to hear the gospel. God also sent an angel to give Phillip very specific “GPS” coordinates so he could intersect with a strategic, Ethiopian leader who was seeking truth as he traveled home from a Jerusalem pilgrimage. The Holy Spirit counseled Phillip as to how he was to engage conversation with the Ethiopian eunuch, not just where he was to go. Are we living on mission each day, available to the promptings of th...