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Christian Devotional – December 5, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 19:22–Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening. TRUTH: The idea of being clean and unclean is not one that we talk about much in today’s culture. However, God is holy and pure. Therefore, the only options are to be either completely pure and holy like God, or else unclean. The people were not “sort of” clean or “mostly” clean, they were either considered completely clean or unclean. As we look at our life, we realize that God desires for us to be pure as He is, but we cannot manage that on our own. We sin and that…
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Christian Devotional – December 4, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 18:7–But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death. TRUTH: Being allowed to serve is a gift from God. We don’t often think of service as a gift, but one of the ways that God blesses us is by allowing us the opportunity to serve Him in special ways. Have we been blessed by God? Do we have opportunities to serve that we are overlooking? RESPONSE: Father, You have given me…
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Christian Devotional – December 3, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 17:5–The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout and I will rid myself of that constant grumbling against you by the Israelites. TRUTH: The people were challenging God’s plan again. They didn’t think that Aaron should be the priest. So, God created a test to show the people who He wanted as priest. That way, there would be no more bickering and grumbling. When we continue to challenge God’s plan, He will show us His will and plan for us. We must be looking for His hand in guiding us so that we don’t miss what He wants us to be part of. RESPONSE: Father, forgive…
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Christian Devotional – December 2, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 16:48–He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. TRUTH: The people had been disobedient and rebellious to God, so God was bringing down His judgment with a plague. Moses told Aaron to go down and stand between the people and God and offer a sacrifice, so he did and the plague stopped. This is an exact picture of what God did for us through Jesus Christ. We were dying because of our sin and unable to reach a living God, so Jesus was sent to stand between the living, God, and the dead, us. Through Jesus’ sacrifice we can be saved. RESPONSE: Father, thank…
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Christian Devotional – December 1, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 15:41–I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God. TRUTH: God gave the Israelites several commands and instructions to carry out regarding their offerings and practices. Why were they to follow Him? This verse is the reason God gives them. He is God. More than that, He is their God. At the end of the day, God is to be obeyed simply because of who He is. We do not have to understand completely why God has us do certain things, we just obey Him because He is God. RESPONSE: Father, You are God of…
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Christian Devotional – November 30, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 14:9–“Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” TRUTH: Caleb was making his plea to the people of Israel. He is trying to help them understand that they could go in to the promised land and they would be successful because God is with them. The people are afraid and ultimately decide not to go in to the land, and they were disobedient to God. This speech that Caleb gives is such as wonderful speech to remind ourselves when…
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Christian Devotional – November 29, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 13:31–But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” TRUTH: Ah, logic! We use logic every day to help us choose what to do and how to do it. However, God’s will for us does not always follow traditional logic. The people of Israel were smaller than the people living in the land God had promised them, so they logically assumed that the others were stronger and sure to win in battle. However, they did not account for God. God’s will for us does not always make sense logically if we only use traditional logic. We…
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Christian Devotional – November 28, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here in the United States! VERSE: Numbers 12:13–So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” TRUTH: Miriam had spoken against Moses so the Lord punished her. Yet, it was Moses who prayed to God and asked Him to lift the punishment and restore her. When someone has wronged us, how do we respond? Do we allow God to deal with the punishments and are we praying for restoration? RESPONSE: Father, give me Moses’ attitude toward those people who have spoken out against me. I pray You will help me to seek Your restoration and not my own revenge in these situation.
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Christian Devotional – November 27, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 11:17–I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone. TRUTH: The people were complaining…again. Moses came to the Lord and told Him that he is not able to bear the burden of leading the people all by himself. God decides that He will have Moses bring others with him so that they can share the burden with Moses. Do we try to carry burdens alone? God knows that…
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Christian Devotional – November 26, 2013
VERSE: Numbers 10:13–They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses. TRUTH: The first time doing something is always the scariest. The people had followed the Lord’s direction in all the preparations, yet they still had to make the decision to act on these preparations. Will we act when God leads us or do we just want to sit on the sidelines and stay out of the way and, consequently, out of God’s will? RESPONSE: Father, even when things are new, I pray that You will lead me and guide me in everything that I do. I pray You will give me the courage to follow You…