Keeping Our Eyes on the ONE Who Brings the Son Shine

Reading in Numbers 25, God was angry because some began to lose their focus and worship idols. Like many organizations, teams, or societies, it’s the lack of focus that has a way of causing havoc that causes the downfall.

In today’s passage, the men were interested in having sex with the Moabite women so they joined them in the sacrifices of their gods. Since the men desired fun and pleasure, they went along with the women to feasts and celebrations involving idol worship.

To deal with Israel’s sin, God told the judges to put to death those who had yoked themselves to Baal which is the god of fertility worshipped on Mount Peor. Also, He set in motion a plague that ultimately killed over 24,000 Israelites.

We are told in today’s passage that Zimri brought in a Midianite woman named Cozbi into camp and openly took her into his tent right before the eyes of Moses. Aaron’s grandson named Phinehas reached a boiling point and took action by taking a spear, going to the tent, and driving the spear through Zimri and into the stomach of Cozbi killing both of them.

There are some occasions especially when a standard of God is being violated that anger and taking action to right a wrong is justified. The passion for God’s honor demonstrated by Phinehas made atonement for the nation of Israel and turned God’s anger around. God’s response to Phinehas reveals that our God is for justice; He hates corruption but loves righteousness.

When organizations, teams, or societies lack focus on the ONE true God and worship idols, the result is havoc. There is a downfall that happens very fast much like the weather in Texas. In just a few hours, the weather in Texas can change very quickly as the photos below prove. The first photo was taken in the morning and the second photo was taken just hours later in the afternoon.

Each day can be that way in our life. From bad to good if we keep our eye on the ONE who brings the Son shine.

This day with You Lord, we put our total focus on You. Apart from You, there is nothing good but with You, there is everything we need. You have given us a way to restart our future. Within an instant, You can change things around for us if we focus on Your plan with Jesus Christ. By accepting Him as Savior, the future is beyond what we could ever imagine. Amen.

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Joyful Blessings

Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. – Psalm 5:11

The post “Flourish in Blessings” explained a bright future for Israel because God was with them. Because of our acceptance of Christ, He is with us today and this changes momentum for our future.

We can share about this momentum shift with others so they can also receive the victory. Take inspiration from songs like Counting Every Blessing by Rend Collective. Value your blessings and keep them as mementos. Hold them in your thoughts, share them with others, and use them as stepping stones to an amazing place in the future.
 

 

Index of devotionals

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Flourish in Blessings

This day with God as we read Numbers 24, we seek ways to apply our faith and are thankful for every day in all that we receive. With technology today, we have available a wealth of knowledge that is useful now and for eternity. The Bible is all about gaining wisdom because we are learning from the past, praying in the present, and listening for instructions toward the future.

Today, we note that when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to exalt Israel, it closed the case and Balaam came right out with a blessing for Israel. The future for nations against Israel was bleak but the future for Israel was one in which they would flourish in blessings.

No one person or nation can stop God’s sovereign purpose. We live in an amazing world today with technology. With a smart phone, we can instantly get the temperature in New York, Dallas, London, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Tokyo, etc. We can text, talk, use skype, iPad/Tablet, write blogs, do Facebook or Twitter and no telling what in the future. Even with all this amazing technology that works at times and doesn’t at other times, it doesn’t come close to the dependability of God to fulfill His sovereign purpose.

With God, we flourish and by bringing others into a relationship with Him, there are many helpers to participate in bringing even more blessings and it is much more rewarding when others get to flourish in blessings too.

This day with You Lord, there is abundance when we plant the seeds of Your Word in our thoughts. The momentum for our future grows greater as we share this blessing with others. We value each victorious day and share with others our experiences as the seeds of Your Word eventually grow into the beautiful garden of our soul.  Amen.

 

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Truth and Grace

For more inspiration on being courageous … read the post below and be inspired by a video I produced with lyrics from the song “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns.

Mark Shields's avatarThis Day With God - A Spiritual Journey

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

A take away from the post “The Future is in His Hands” is the need to be truthful when telling others what they don’t want to hear. We must speak the truth knowing that God holds the future in His hands.

To have strong faith, positive actions, and the determination to be steered by God’s principles, let us take inspiration from a video I developed from the song Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns.

Also, take inspiration from this acrostic my pastor gave us years ago in a sermon: we should have no fear because grace overcomes all things.

Grace stands for God’s gift to me
Received by faith
Anyone is eligible
Christ is…

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Be Set Free

Integrity doesn’t blow in the wind and vary to best meet desires. Either you have it or you don’t. Join in on the praise from the wonderful song “If We’re Honest” by Francesca Battistelli.

Mark Shields's avatarThis Day With God - A Spiritual Journey

Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:4-5.

The post “Building Integrity” points out that integrity doesn’t blow in the wind and vary to best meet our own desires. Integrity is there as a standard for us and it sets us free. Either we have it or we don’t. Our aim should be to become aware of mistakes, confess them, learn from them, and make the necessary adjustments so they do not happen again.

Like the song If We’re Honest by Francesca Battistelli points out, we build walls of doubt that we can’t get through but if we’re honest, there are things we can do. We can lay our doubt down at the cross and have faith in what we can…

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