Graves' This and That

    Numbers has been full of repetitive accounts of the Israelites and their disobedience.  They have now made several laps around Mt. Sinai, many of the original people have died off, or been killed for their arrogant and presumptuous actions against the LORD, Moses, and Aaron. The overriding truth of the accounts is the merciful grace of the LORD! Moses is in his last days of leadership.  The forty years are coming to an end and they are moving toward a second attempt to enter the Promise Land.  They have been victorious in taking land, and they are moving further into the interior of the land of Moab.  The king and the residents of Moab are "filled with dread because of the Israelites.  The king of Moab, Balak, sends messages to Balaam, who is a sorcerer and is able to to place curses or blessings on others.  King Balak wants to know how to defeat "this horde" that is licking up everything around them.  Of course, he is desirous that Balaam curse the Israelites'

  Wide-eyed and unbelieving, the Israelites have traveled the distance from the land of Goshen, Egypt as freed slaves and now they are at the threshold of the Land promised by to God to them.  Even with the promise of the Land, God going before them, a land of "milk and honey", Moses and Aaron,  the  report is given and the people choose to believe the report of the majority of the spies, and rebel against the LORD GOD.  Moses intercedes in prayer for them, God forgives their rebellion, however the cost for rebellion and unbelief will be forty years..."a year for each of the forty days you explored the land..you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you."  HE reminds them that they have tested HIM and disobeyed against HIM ten times.  Upon hearing the consequences of their rebellion, they mourn, weep bitterly, confess they have sinned, and agree to go up to the place the Lord promised them.   Even though the cloud of the Lord nor th

The old adage that "The majority rules" has its perks but then in my reading today, Numbers 13- 14, "Ugh!"  The Israelites are at the threshold of the "Land of Promise, Canaan".  In chapter 13,  the LORD directs  Moses, to send some men to explore the land of Canaan.  HE even includes the reminder promise, "which I am giving to the Israelites."  From each Tribe, one man is selected to explore the land. After 40 days, the men return to the camp and have a bounty of fruits in hand and begin to give their report of their findings.  It is reported "they" give Moses the account.  They agree that the land "does flow with milk and honey" and show the fruit.  The report then goes negative: BUT the people are powerful, the cities are fortified, and the group to fight to gain the land is formidable and stronger.  Caleb speaks, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."  The majority rules!

Competition in sports can be a fun display if it is shown healthily and positively. However, there is one expression of competition that can almost destroy a family...comparing in the family of one member to another, and then moving into competing.  Whether in the Body of Christ or in a personal family, the results can be painful and almost destructive to relationships.  Long held hurts are not given up quickly and are recorded in the heart and mind to continually bring up as an excuse of why feelings must be validated and forgiveness cannot take place.  Almost the mindset of "I HAVE A RIGHT NOT TO FORGIVE!"  Numbers 12:1, "Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses....".  The excuse for speaking against Moses was his wife, and their prejudice about her ethnicity...like she could control where she was born or the color of her skin! The "excuse" becomes MORE apparent in the next verse, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses, they asked.  Hasn'

I tutor children three days a week helping them in their math or reading.  Yesterday, the students were taking a reading six week's test and I was helping the teacher  by grading the tests. It was announced the test was to be given to me. The direction had to be repeated numerous times.  Yes, these were second graders, but I wonder, why do we need to be given a direction from the Lord numerous times...age, lack of knowledge, inability to hear, impaired hearing?  Sometimes,  my inattention or could it be apathy?  Or maybe rebellion, "I ain't gonna"? Or that I just do not bother to open my Bible and read? Even more scary that I do not recognize my desperate need to hear from HIM and obey? Numbers 7:89, "When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of testimony.  And He spoke with him."   Because I am in a study, Discerning the Voice of God , my

    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the