Numbers 15:1-2 (KJV) Pressing Toward Home

Numbers 15:1-2 (KJV)

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

My Ancient Hebrew pictographs dictionary says the word habitations comes from the concept of “pressing the tent.” It is meant to represent: 

• returning home, 
• repentance, 
• turning toward home

Canaan represented the land that was their home. Though they had been away over 400 years, they were returning to where they belonged. 

There is a great need today to call souls to return where they belong. Though none of us are born inhabitants of eternity, our blood in Adam was originally designed to dwell there. Sin has captured the whole human race. By turning to the Lord, we press toward our tent, our habitation in heaven. 

As believers, we must constantly press ourselves away from this world and toward what is God’s design for us.

Even so, come quickly Lord so that we may “come into the land of our habitations.”

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

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Numbers 15:1-2 (KJV) Pressing Toward Home

Numbers 13:2-3 (KJV) Send Thou Men

Numbers 13:2-3 (KJV)

Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

“Send thou men.”

Moses chose twelve men as he was called to do. 

• They were from every tribe
• They were acknowledged as leaders of their tribes
• They were willing to go, that is bravery
• They went throughout all of the land, that is industry 
• They brought back the fruits of the land, that is income

What they did not do is to see God in the land.

We tend to think that the marks of manliness are things like:

• Leadership 
• Bravery
• Hard work
• Prosperity 

I say that the one true mark of manliness is to trust God against giants. If a man will not rest his faith in God, he is no man at all. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Numbers 13:2-3 (KJV) Send Thou Men

2 Peter 3:6-7 (KJV) In Light of This

2 Peter 3:6-7 (KJV)

Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:10 (KJV)
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

I see a “past, present, and future” in the judgments.

Then was

Vs 6
We no longer live in the same world as was before the flood. Despite the fall, between the fall and the flood, the world that then was would have been something else. The Garden of Eden would have been paradise and fallen man was restricted from it. But all of the pre-flood world would have been paradise compared to the post-flood world.  

Are now
Vs 7
This present world is kept today through the promises of God. Those promises have an expiration date. The promise is that the world will never be judged by a flood again. Some other judgment is coming.

Will come
Vs 10
The bulk of this chapter concerns what will come. 

In light of all that was, is, and is to come, the chapter ends with this application.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

2 Peter 3:6-7 (KJV) In Light of This

2 Peter 2:1 (KJV) Concerning Future Things

2 Peter 2:1 (KJV)

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Peter can speak with authority concerning future things: 

• Because of what had happened in the past
• Because of what was happening in his present and
• Because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit

He prophesied several future things:

• That there would be false teachers 
• That many would follow them
• They they would “make merchandise of” believers
• They they would be suddenly judged

I’d rather trust the Lord and trust the Word of God and have the assurance of eternal life and heavenly blessing. 

Wouldn’t you?

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

2 Peter 2:1 (KJV) Concerning Future Things

2 Peter 1:1 (KJV) What We Have Obtained

2 Peter 1:1 (KJV)

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us 

I focus today on the word “obtained.” Like precious faith is something given to us through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not our own doing. It is not something we work up. This faith has been handed down, provided, graciously given to us. 

It’s not the only thing the immediate context tells us we are given. 

We’ve been given “all things that pertain to life and godliness”

• 
  
  We have the Word of God 
• We have the open altar of prayer
• We have the house of God which is our church
• We have the guiding of the Holy Spirit

Those things equip us to live and grow in our relationship with the Lord. 

We’ve been given precious promises
Those things we look forward to in heaven. Those assurances of the Scriptures that give us hope and insight and help us to navigate in this world until we get to heaven. 

All of these have been given to us. They were bought and paid for by Jesus Christ. The next segment of this chapter gives us some things to work at. There are things for the Christian to be diligent about but there is no work involved in obtaining faith. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

2 Peter 1:1 (KJV) What We Have Obtained

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Pastors, Preachers and Teachers

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

This very well-known passage is very easy to use but maybe not so easy to accept in its context. 

The context is an exhortation to elders: pastors, preachers, and teachers in the churches. 

• They are to feed the flock of God and they are to take the oversight thereof. 
• They are not to be lords over God’s heritage. 
• They are not to do their work for “filthy lucre” but willingly (and I think that means with a sense of calling.) 
• They are to be clothed with humility and trust the Lord to exalt them in His time. 
• They are to cast their cares upon God trusting that He cares for them. And then,
• They are to be sober and vigilant because their adversary the devil seeks to devour them. 

I take it that he might devour the preacher:

• With materialism
• With pride
• With jealousy of others
• With authoritarianism
• With overwhelming despondency 

It’s not necessarily to the weakest Christians we have this warning. Preachers need to be sober and vigilant lest they are devoured in the temptations the ministry presents. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Pastors, Preachers and Teachers

Numbers 7:9 (KJV) The Key to Contentment

Numbers 7:9 (KJV)
But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

Moses was given six wagons and teams to pull them. God instructed Moses to use those wagons for the service of the tabernacle and to give them to “every man according to their service.” They were to receive in consideration of the task they had been assigned. The sons of Kohath received no wagons because their mission was to bear their burden upon their shoulders. 

No need to have what you don’t need 
I can imagine some member of the family coveting one of those wagons. 

Why do others get to have them, and I do not?
I can imagine someone calculating that if they could get hold of a wagon, they could bear their burden on a cart instead of their shoulders. We all know how that worked out for David, don’t we?

I can imagine some son of Kohath, feet sore from the walk, begrudging those who were riding those fancy wagons
The thing is the work they were assigned was some of the most significant. They carried the ark of the covenant. They were the ones, I expect, whose feet touched the waters of the Jordan when it stood up before them so the nation could cross on dry ground. 

The key to contentment is to accept the assignment God has given you and trust Him to provide you with all you need to do your mission. You may not have what another has, but he may not have all you think he has. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Numbers 7:9 (KJV) The Key to Contentment

Numbers 6:27 (KJV) Nothing God Blesses More

Numbers 6:27 (KJV)

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

This is one of my favorite passages in the Word of God. It is also, I believe, a solemn responsibility of those in ministry to bless the people of God and to “put God’s name” upon them. 

Having considered the various commentaries about this, it seems to me to be something more than merely mentioning their names before God or preaching God’s Word to them. It seems to me that the implication is to work to mold them into the image of the Lord. In other words, to make them Christlike.

 There is nothing God blesses more. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Numbers 6:27 (KJV) Nothing God Blesses More

Numbers 4:18 (KJV) The Best Time To Forgive

Numbers 4:18 (KJV)

Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:

In Numbers 16:1 we learn of Korah, of the family of the Kohathites, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron, gathered a group of dissenters, and was all killed at the hand of God. 

I wonder if this passage isn’t given in anticipation of that traumatic event and meant to prepare Moses and Aaron to “lay not his sin” to the charge of his family? 

I see here in the Words of God wonderful mercy, grace, and foresight. The very best time to forgive is before an offense is committed. Not that the offense isn’t addressed, but that the offender and those associated are restored whenever possible. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Numbers 4:18 (KJV) The Best Time To Forgive