Every morning now, I notice how long it takes my coordination to get it together. It usually takes me 20 minutes before my *stabilizers* kick in. Until that time, I hold onto whatever keeps me upright (countertops, door handles, door frames).
This is my new normal. Repetitive behavior until my brain kicks in.
Normally I despise acts of repetition, but I realize I read the Bible repetitively in my life, too, and for the same reason: it stabilizes my spiritual rudder for each day. (Not sure I used that metaphor correctly.)
Just like the physical limitations of my body, my spiritual life is bolstered every morning with reading and studying God's Word, good reminders of God's love, provision and guidance for me each day.
Let's stay upright today, shall we?
/1
CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
/2
DEUTERONOMY 10
A NEW COPY OF THE COVENANT
Deuteronomy 10:1-22 NLT
[1] “At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. Also make a wooden Ark—a sacred chest to store them in. Come up to me on the mountain, [2] and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark.’ [3] “So I made an Ark of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first two. Then I went up the mountain with the tablets in my hand. [4] Once again the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets and gave them to me. They were the same words the Lord had spoken to you from the heart of the fire on the day you were assembled at the foot of the mountain. [5] Then I turned and came down the mountain and placed the tablets in the Ark of the Covenant, which I had made, just as the Lord commanded me. And the tablets are still there in the Ark.” [6] (The people of Israel set out from the wells of the people of Jaakan and traveled to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried. His son Eleazar ministered as high priest in his place. [7] Then they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from there to Jotbathah, a land with many brooks and streams. [8] At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to stand before the Lord as his ministers, and to pronounce blessings in his name. These are their duties to this day. [9] That is why the Levites have no share of property or possession of land among the other Israelite tribes. The Lord himself is their special possession, as the Lord your God told them.) [10] “As for me, I stayed on the mountain in the Lord’s presence for forty days and nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the Lord listened to my pleas and agreed not to destroy you. [11] Then the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and resume the journey, and lead the people to the land I swore to give to their ancestors, so they may take possession of it.’
A CALL TO LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
[12] “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. [13] And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good. [14] “Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. [15] Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today. [16] Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn. [17] “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. [18] He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. [19] So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. [20] You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. [21] He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes. [22] When your ancestors went down into Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky!
/3
DEUTERONOMY 11
Deuteronomy 11:1-32 NLT
[1] “You must love the Lord your God and always obey his requirements, decrees, regulations, and commands. [2] Keep in mind that I am not talking now to your children, who have never experienced the discipline of the Lord your God or seen his greatness and his strong hand and powerful arm. [3] They didn’t see the miraculous signs and wonders he performed in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his land. [4] They didn’t see what the Lord did to the armies of Egypt and to their horses and chariots—how he drowned them in the Red Sea as they were chasing you. He destroyed them, and they have not recovered to this very day! [5] “Your children didn’t see how the Lord cared for you in the wilderness until you arrived here. [6] They didn’t see what he did to Dathan and Abiram (the sons of Eliab, a descendant of Reuben) when the earth opened its mouth in the Israelite camp and swallowed them, along with their households and tents and every living thing that belonged to them. [7] But you have seen the Lord perform all these mighty deeds with your own eyes!
/4
DEUTERONOMY 11 (continued)
THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE
Deuteronomy 11:8-32 NLT
[8] “Therefore, be careful to obey every command I am giving you today, so you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are about to enter. [9] If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey! [10] For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. [11] Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain— [12] a land that the Lord your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year! [13] “If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, [14] then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. [15] He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat. [16] “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. [17] If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you. [18] “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. [19] Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. [20] Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, [21] so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. [22] “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him. [23] Then the Lord will drive out all the nations ahead of you, though they are much greater and stronger than you, and you will take over their land. [24] Wherever you set foot, that land will be yours. Your frontiers will stretch from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north, and from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. [25] No one will be able to stand against you, for the Lord your God will cause the people to fear and dread you, as he promised, wherever you go in the whole land. [26] “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! [27] You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. [28] But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before. [29] “When the Lord your God brings you into the land and helps you take possession of it, you must pronounce the blessing at Mount Gerizim and the curse at Mount Ebal. [30] (These two mountains are west of the Jordan River in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Jordan Valley, near the town of Gilgal, not far from the oaks of Moreh.) [31] For you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take that land and are living in it, [32] you must be careful to obey all the decrees and regulations I am giving you today.
/5
DEUTERONOMY 12
THE LORD'S CHOSEN PLACE FOR WORSHIP
Deuteronomy 12:1-19 NLT
[1] “These are the decrees and regulations you must be careful to obey when you live in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must obey them as long as you live. [2] “When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree. [3] Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods! [4] “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods. [5] Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored. [6] There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks. [7] There you and your families will feast in the presence of the Lord your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the Lord your God has blessed you. [8] “Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please, [9] because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. [10] But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you’re living safely in the land, [11] you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. [12] “You must celebrate there in the presence of the Lord your God with your sons and daughters and all your servants. And remember to include the Levites who live in your towns, for they will receive no allotment of land among you. [13] Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like. [14] You may do so only at the place the Lord will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you. [15] “But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the Lord your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer. [16] But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water. [17] “But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings. [18] You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do. [19] And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
/6
DEUTERONOMY 12 (continued)
Deuteronomy 12:20-32 NLT
[20] “When the Lord your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want. [21] It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the Lord has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you. [22] Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer. [23] But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat. [24] Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water. [25] Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the Lord. [26] “Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the Lord chooses. [27] You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. [28] Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God. [29] “When the Lord your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land, [30] do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’ [31] You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods. [32] “So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.
/7
Mush thoughts:
Even the Lord repeats himself, constantly, because we are just not good at remembering things He's taught us.
Redoing the covenant (Ten Commandments), therefore, was important enough to redo because the first tablets were destroyed.
We are a forgetful people. So He trains us *every* day, if we're obedient to the call on our lives, without reproach.
/end
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Discussing some of the medical pharma evils foisted on us over the years makes me realize I am not 100% fear-free.
I still have the what-ifs:
1. What if eliminating this drug causes another stroke?
2. What if removing this drug causes problems I'm not willing to endure?
These two examples shine a bright light on the injustice and psychological warfare the medical industrial complex (including that behemoth drug wing of the complex) has levied against us.
And I'm angry.
But I'm also thankful, in a weird way. Had it not been for that evil Dr Gain of Function, we wouldn't have witnessed an honest-to-goodness gen*cide of our own and started truly questioning *the science*.
My eyes slowly began to open. The fact that I had to get over 300 pcr tests in 2 years in order to keep working should have been my wake up call. The bosses had no problem sending me into an area that *might have* been infected by a positive case so I could clean & sanitize things meant the producers all knew that this was just performance. It was all fabrication, but they went along with the kabuki because that's show biz and grovel for that almighty dollar at all costs.
Also, the fact that I, along with a few other enlightened co-workers, had to take a separate *unvaxxed* shuttle so we wouldn't spread our germs to the enlightened. What a crock.
5 years out from covid, the distortion of the big picture is more clearly focused. And with time, prayer, & pleas to God for wisdom, I am taking back my life from these tyrants.
I jokingly say *your results may vary*, but it's been the hoax of all hoaxes, and I still assert that it was a trial balloon for an even bigger power pull for when they want to give us all that ID implantation, better known as The Mark of The Beast.
Still don't understand? Time to educate ourselves. Stand up, stand firm, and start digging into some knowledgeable end-times biblical scholars' works. If you need some recommendations, I have loads.
/1
CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
/2
DEUTERONOMY 7
THE PRIVILEGE OF HOLINESS
Deuteronomy 7:1-15 NLT
[1] “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. [2] When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. [3] You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, [4] for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you. [5] This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. [6] For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. [7] “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! [8] Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. [9] Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. [10] But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. [11] Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today. [12] “If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors. [13] He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. [14] You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young. [15] And the Lord will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies!
/3
1. It's weird that I haven't heard from my friend & (former) business partner since April. No return texts or calls after leaving messages, nothing.
2. After checking insta and seeing she's still around, I was looking at the settings on that account, and holy wow, have *they* (Meta) been following my every move. All my purchases & websites visited. They are so invasive.
*adds "delete insta" to list of things to do today*
It was only for event planning anyway. And the Lord certainly changed *those* plans for me.
Thankfully.
/1
CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
/2
DEUTERONOMY 4
MOSES URGES ISRAEL TO OBEY
Deuteronomy 4:1-24 NLT
[1] “And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. [2] Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. [3] “You saw for yourself what the Lord did to you at Baal-peor. There the Lord your God destroyed everyone who had worshiped Baal, the god of Peor. [4] But all of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today—every one of you. [5] “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. [6] Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ [7] For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? [8] And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today? [9] “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. [10] Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’ [11] “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness. [12] And the Lord spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was only a voice. [13] He proclaimed his covenant—the Ten Commandments—which he commanded you to keep, and which he wrote on two stone tablets. [14] It was at that time that the Lord commanded me to teach you his decrees and regulations so you would obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
A WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY
[15] “But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai. [16] So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman, [17] an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky, [18] a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea. [19] And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. [20] Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today. [21] “But the Lord was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. [22] You will cross the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river. [23] So be careful not to break the covenant the Lord your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the Lord your God has forbidden this. [24] The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God.
/3
Something from Sunday's sermon keeps sticking in my head.
Pastor said he asked his wife to pray specifically for this one thing.
She honestly and openly said something to the effect of, "Why? You won't use it even if He answered the prayer."
She wasn't being mean or obstinate. She was being honest. She knew her husband well enough that he probably wouldn't utilize that answered prayer.
How many times do we pray for something specific, but because God didn't answer the prayer *our* way, we *assumed* He ignored our prayer?
We don't look at God as a deity that answers prayer according to our need and what's *best* for us. If He doesn’t answer in the way we anticipate, we look at the Lord as a punitive God.
If we remember that every single thing from God is in our best interest, even when it doesn't seem like it initially, long-term it is for our benefit.
If we look at things through His perspective, we start to understand His plan and purpose for our lives from an eternal perspective, not a temporal, instant gratification standpoint like so many of us are used to now.
I'm not going to tell you how to pray, but if you start to grasp that in every prayer, God has a *best plan* in store for your life, the frustrating things you're enduring seem more manageable.
/1
CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
/2
DEUTERONOMY 1
INTRODUCTION TO MOSES' FIRST ADDRESS
Deuteronomy 1:1-25 NLT
[1] These are the words that Moses spoke to all the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They were camped in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other. [2] Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir. [3] But forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. [4] This took place after he had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated King Og of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth. [5] While the Israelites were in the land of Moab east of the Jordan River, Moses carefully explained the Lord’s instructions as follows.
THE COMMAND TO LEAVE. SINAI
[6] “When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough. [7] It is time to break camp and move on. Go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the neighboring regions—the Jordan Valley, the hill country, the western foothills, the Negev, and the coastal plain. Go to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, and all the way to the great Euphrates River. [8] Look, I am giving all this land to you! Go in and occupy it, for it is the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all their descendants.’”
MOSES APPOINTS LEADERS FOR EACH TRIBE
[9] Moses continued, “At that time I told you, ‘You are too great a burden for me to carry all by myself. [10] The Lord your God has increased your population, making you as numerous as the stars! [11] And may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, multiply you a thousand times more and bless you as he promised! [12] But you are such a heavy load to carry! How can I deal with all your problems and bickering? [13] Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’ [14] “Then you responded, ‘Your plan is a good one.’ [15] So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten. [16] “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites & the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions [17] & impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’ [18] “At that time I gave you instructions about everything you were to do.
SCOUTS EXPLORE THE LAND
[19] “Then, just as the Lord our God commanded us, we left Mount Sinai & traveled through the great and terrifying wilderness, as you yourselves remember, & headed toward the hill country of the Amorites. When we arrived at Kadesh-barnea, [20] I said to you, ‘You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the Lord our God is giving us. [21] Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go & occupy it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’ [22] “But you all came to me & said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take & which towns we should enter.’ [23] “This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes. [24] They headed for the hill country & came to the valley of Eshcol & explored it. [25] They picked some of its fruit & brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.’
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I'm trying to be joyful, but instead I'm starting to dread Mondays because I usually have to reschedule clients at the last minute because of a certain person's inability to respect other people's time.
I've repeatedly told this person I won't lie for him. He laughs & just thinks I'm being bossy.
Why is truth so negotiable with younger generations? This verse, spoken by Jesus, as I said once last week, comes to mind:
Matthew 5:37 NLT
[37] "Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one."
IOW, don't make promises (or appointments) you have no intention of keeping.
Integrity is a lost art (and disappearing character trait) these days.
Them:
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CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
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NUMBERS 34
BOUNDARIES OF THE LAND
Numbers 34:1-29 NLT
[1] Then the Lord said to Moses, [2] “Give these instructions to the Israelites: When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your special possession, these will be the boundaries. [3] The southern portion of your country will extend from the wilderness of Zin, along the edge of Edom. The southern boundary will begin on the east at the Dead Sea. [4] It will then run south past Scorpion Pass in the direction of Zin. Its southernmost point will be Kadesh-barnea, from which it will go to Hazar-addar, and on to Azmon. [5] From Azmon the boundary will turn toward the Brook of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea. [6] “Your western boundary will be the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. [7] “Your northern boundary will begin at the Mediterranean Sea and run east to Mount Hor, [8] then to Lebo-hamath, and on through Zedad [9] and Ziphron to Hazar-enan. This will be your northern boundary. [10] “The eastern boundary will start at Hazar-enan and run south to Shepham, [11] then down to Riblah on the east side of Ain. From there the boundary will run down along the eastern edge of the Sea of Galilee, [12] and then along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. These are the boundaries of your land.” [13] Then Moses told the Israelites, “This territory is the homeland you are to divide among yourselves by sacred lot. The Lord has commanded that the land be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes. [14] The families of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received their grants of land [15] on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho toward the sunrise.”
LEADERS TO DIVIDE THE LAND
[16] And the Lord said to Moses, [17] “Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun are the men designated to divide the grants of land among the people. [18] Enlist one leader from each tribe to help them with the task. [19] These are the tribes and the names of the leaders:
Tribe, [followed by] Leader Judah: Caleb son of Jephunneh [20] Simeon: Shemuel son of Ammihud
[21] Benjamin: Elidad son of Kislon
[22] Fan: Bukki son of Jogli
[23] Manasseh, son of Joseph: Hanniel son of Ephod
[24] Ephraim, son of Joseph: Kemuel son of Shiphtan
[25] Zebulun: Elizaphan son of Parnach
[26] Issachar: Paltiel son of Azzan
[27] Asher: Ahihud son of Shelomi
[28] Naphtali: Pedahel son of Ammihud
[29] These are the men the Lord has appointed to divide the grants of land in Canaan among the Israelites.”
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As you've probably gathered, I've been opening up long-forgotten boxes shoved and stored into the garage lately in an effort to downsize my *stuff*: parents' belongings, grandma's belongings, my own belongings and pictures from my own long-ago life.
And while it's been sort of fun reminiscing, I'm largely over it.
As they say, life is looking through the car's large windshield but only occasionally checking the rear view mirror.
Forward. Only move forward. Don't get stuck in the past. That's not who we're meant to be, in God's eyes.
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CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
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NUMBERS 31
CONQUEST OF THE MIDIANITES
Numbers 31:1-24 NLT
[1] Then the Lord said to Moses, [2] “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.” [3] So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the Lord’s war of revenge against Midian. [4] From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.” [5] So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle. [6] Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge. [7] They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men. [8] All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. [9] Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder. [10] They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived. [11] After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals, [12] they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho. [13] Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. [14] But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle. [15] “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. [16] “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people. [17] So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man. [18] Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves. [19] And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days. [20] Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.” [21] Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The Lord has given Moses this legal requirement: [22] Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead— [23] that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone. [24] On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp.”
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I realized through a dream of being in a sleep study last night that I haven't had one leg cramp since I stopped my acid reflux meds.
I'm 100% positive now that my body has been deprived of nutrient absorption for decades. And my sleep is sound and restful.
Thank you, Lord, for your wisdom.
P.S. The wisdom still struggles to sink in during my wakeful hours: I forgot to put coffee grounds in the set-up last night. Anyone care for a nice, hot cup of coffee residue?
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CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR THROUGH THE BIBLE
with Daily Grace
Reminder: before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray that God will help you know Him more today than yesterday. As you read today’s chapters, consider these questions:
1. What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
Consider places where the text directly states the character of God, as well as how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
2. How does the passage point to Jesus?
Consider how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
3. How should the truth of this passage change me?
Consider how you fall short of God’s character, how the text reveals your sin nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
Consider how you might pray for God to change your heart or what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
4. How do the events of today's reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
/2
NUMBERS 28
THE DAILY OFFERINGS
Numbers 28:1-25 NLT
[1] The Lord said to Moses, [2] “Give these instructions to the people of Israel: The offerings you present as special gifts are a pleasing aroma to me; they are my food. See to it that they are brought at the appointed times and offered according to my instructions. [3] “Say to the people: This is the special gift you must present to the Lord as your daily burnt offering. You must offer two one-year-old male lambs with no defects. [4] Sacrifice one lamb in the morning and the other in the evening. [5] With each lamb you must offer a grain offering of two quarts of choice flour mixed with one quart of pure oil of pressed olives. [6] This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. [7] Along with it you must present the proper liquid offering of one quart of alcoholic drink with each lamb, poured out in the Holy Place as an offering to the Lord. [8] Offer the second lamb in the evening with the same grain offering and liquid offering. It, too, is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
THE SABBATH OFFERINGS
[9] “On the Sabbath day, sacrifice two one-year-old male lambs with no defects. They must be accompanied by a grain offering of four quarts of choice flour moistened with olive oil, and a liquid offering. [10] This is the burnt offering to be presented each Sabbath day, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its accompanying liquid offering.
THE MONTHLY OFFERINGS
[11] “On the first day of each month, present an extra burnt offering to the Lord of two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. [12] These must be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil—six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram, [13] and two quarts with each lamb. This burnt offering will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. [14] You must also present a liquid offering with each sacrifice: two quarts of wine for each bull, a third of a gallon for the ram, and one quart for each lamb. Present this monthly burnt offering on the first day of each month throughout the year. [15] “On the first day of each month, you must also offer one male goat for a sin offering to the Lord. This is in addition to the regular burnt offering and its accompanying liquid offering.
OFFERINGS FOR THE PASSOVER
[16] “On the fourteenth day of the first month, you must celebrate the Lord’s Passover. [17] On the following day—the fifteenth day of the month—a joyous, seven-day festival will begin, but no bread made with yeast may be eaten. [18] The first day of the festival will be an official day for holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day. [19] As a special gift you must present a burnt offering to the Lord—two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. [20] These will be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil—six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram, [21] and two quarts with each of the seven lambs. [22] You must also offer a male goat as a sin offering to purify yourselves and make yourselves right with the Lord. [23] Present these offerings in addition to your regular morning burnt offering. [24] On each of the seven days of the festival, this is how you must prepare the food offering that is presented as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These will be offered in addition to the regular burnt offerings and liquid offerings. [25] The seventh day of the festival will be another official day for holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day.
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