The Simple Life

For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? "Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children. Deuteronomy 4:7-9 ESVST   A second generation often enjoys the fruits of the hard work of the founding generation. The third generation often gets accustomed to the benefits of someone else's hard work and provision and becomes consumers instead of contributors.   A consumer society quickly uses the accumulated assets and crumbles at the hands of another, more aggressive "first generation" group that sees, redefines, and uses the hard work of those who went before for new purposes.   The older generation need...

But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Deuteronomy 3:26 ESVST   Sometimes we believe things that are not true. We want to think that God will always be there to hear and answer our prayers, yet the Scriptures clearly show us that is untrue. In this case, we are told that God said He would not listen and was done listening to words.   This also happened with King Saul when he was desperate and called out to Samuel because God would not listen or answer.   God is very patient, wishing all men to repent, but He is not tolerant. It seems when man lives as if God is tolerant, God demonstrates He is not. Then we, who have been ignoring God, get mad at God for ignoring us.   We might be able to manipulate people, but we cannot manipulate God. If we play games with Him, He knows it and will win, making us the ultimate loser.   Isaiah tells us to seek Hi...

But the Lord said to me, 'Do not fear him, for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.' Deuteronomy 3:2 ESVST   Do not fear the powerful, for God is more powerful. Do not fear the mighty, for God is more mighty. Do not fear the influential, because God is more influential. Do not fear the intelligent, for God is more intelligent. Do not fear the plans of men, for they depend upon God's plans.   Fear of circumstances, people, and things is a waste of fear. The value of fear comes in fearing the right things, and it destroys those who fear what is, in reality, irrelevant. The beginning of wisdom is fear, the fear of God.   Often, we fear being found out. Yet, our loving God already knows all things and still loves us. 1 John 4:18 tells us this: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." The right kind of fear eliminates the wrong typ...

"And the Lord heard your words and was angered, and he swore, 'Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!' Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said, 'You also shall not go in there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it…’” Deuteronomy 1:34-38 ESVST   Those who choose, for whatever reason, not to trust and follow God decide to miss out on the good that God has offered them. The secret to Joshua and Caleb's success was that they followed God, no matter the circumstances.   Ultimately, all those who choose to follow God will not be disappointed, and all those who choose to follow anything else will be disappointed. The secret to success is no se...

"Yet you would not go up but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there."' Then I said to you, 'Do not be in dread or afraid of them…” Deuteronomy 1:26-29 ESVST   Rebelling against the command of the Lord is a dumb idea. Who in the world would intentionally rebel against God? Think of how silly that is. God is older than us, smarter than us, and loves us, and instead of trusting Him, we often rebel against Him and follow those who are equal to us. We act as if those with only part of the picture have the whole and the only one who sees the whole does not understand. It i...

Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.' Deuteronomy 1:13 ESVST   God ordained leadership to be used by God to accomplish His work. Structure and submission are good things, not things to avoid. We often avoid submission to leadership because of our pride and our seemingly demeaning position of not being ultimately "in charge."   To show that we have control, we do precisely the opposite of what those in charge request. We live in a time where individuality is valued, yet we dress, act, and look like everyone else around us. We talk about controlling our destiny while blaming things around us for controlling our outcomes. We believe in ourselves, yet know we are lying. We do not believe in a creator, yet we create our own God. We want power and authority so that we can use it for ourselves, when the only legitimate use of power and authority is for helping others succeed. We cry that absolute power corrupts, ...

These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. Deuteronomy 1:1 ESVST   It is a record of what was said and done. It is a document that was not necessarily written to keep a record but to see how God interacted with His people. It is an historical narrative that does not necessarily focus on history ,but on God in history. This book records people, places, and events but is not necessarily just about people, places, and events but God's interaction with people, places, and events.   If we reduce the Scriptures to a mere history or science book, we reduce the Scriptures to a textbook, and read it as a textbook, rather than the very words of God given to us to give us life. The Apostle Paul said: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be compl...

These are the commandments and the rules that the Lord commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. Numbers 36:13 ESVST   God spoke through Moses to the people. Today, the principle of God speaking still holds, even though His methods have changed. Today, God speaks to us through His Word. As a leader, I may say the words of God, but you can check and see if I am right by searching the Scriptures and comparing what I declare to what God has declared. If what I say differs from what God says, then I am wrong.   We are not suggesting that God does not use people or leadership today, for He certainly does. However, He uses those who know and love Him to represent what He has said. He uses those who choose to draw near Him and love others.   Manipulators, self-seekers, and power mongers are not of God, and it's best not to listen to them, even if they claim what they are saying is from God. It is always best to verify.  ...

But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them. Numbers 33:55-56 ESVST   You cannot mix oil and water, iron and clay, or pagan and Godly. You can try, but no matter how many attempts we make at serving two masters, we will fail. This is a principle given to us by God, not a method God used in a specific period of history.   Jesus, in the book of Matthew, says the same things. We cannot serve God and money. We cannot have two masters, for we will hate one and love the other.   Yet, no matter how apparent this principle is, we want to ignore it. We want to believe that the clay of this world mixes well with the iron of God's precepts, yet, every time, we will see that the mixture has no strength when pressure is applied. https://www.podbean.com/relate3...

The Lord said to Moses, "Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my Word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes." Numbers 27:12-14 ESVST   When you choose not to listen to God, even if your name is Moses, there are consequences. If you are a leader who has been given much, much will be required of you. It was merciful that God gave Moses a glimpse of what positive things were yet to come. It was consistent with God's character to demand a leader who influences many to lead by following Him without compromise.   Throughout the Bible, God does not hold back the truth. We are told about Moses during the highs and lows of leadership. We are told of successes and failures, rewards and punishments. God sugarcoats nothing to c...

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. Numbers 25:1-3 ESVST   Israel yoked himself to Baal. This is not a good idea. Throughout the Scriptures, we are warned against mixing truth and error. Godless people do not think right about life, death, family, and more. We should not listen to them, join them, or compromise with them. People are either listening to God, or they are listening to something or someone else. No matter what or who someone or something is, it is Satan.   I do not believe God's anger was kindled against Israel because God just needed someone to punish. I do not think God was angry because He was not in control. I think God was angry because He knew the damage that would be inflicted upon those who try to mix good and...

And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them." And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?" Numbers  23:11-12  ESVST   This is a fair question that Balaam asks. He wants to know if Balak wants to hear from God. This is not a unique problem for Balak. In 2 Timothy 4, we are told that after the Word is preached in a reproving, rebuking, and exhorting way, the young man Timothy must remain patient, for many will find teachers who say what they want and follow them. Those who genuinely follow God want to know the truth; the reality they discover will fuel their freedom.   Believing lies is a problem, but desiring lies to believe is crazy. Sometimes we think something is true just because they say it or because we agree with it. We want no challenges, no conflict, and no truth. We love lies, at least, until we are forced to respond to the ...

Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me." Numbers 22:31-32 ESVST   Life is not going so well when you need to be rescued by a donkey. Balaam got rebuked by God for striking this donkey. How could Balaam have known that this donkey was speaking for God? This could have been your average, run-of-the-mill talking donkey, or perhaps it was as unusual as it sounds. Balaam was so out of the loop of listening to God that he missed the message being presented miraculously.   God's Word is not hard to find. The hard part is hearing it because we are so mentally distracted by our lives, troubles, opinions, and ideas. We should not force Him to use a donkey to speak to us.   https://www.podb...

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you." Numbers 22:27-29 ESVST   Balaam was arguing with a donkey. I wonder when he realized how silly this was. I wonder when he realized that it's best to stop and listen when a donkey speaks.   God uses whatever is available to Him. I do not think donkeys that speak, rocks that gush water, or bushes that burn had choices in the matter. Therefore, the idea of being used by God was not all that special.   However, humanity has a choice. We can choose to make ourselves available to God, or we can choose to ignore Him.   For now, the choice is ours. https://www.p...

And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. Numbers 21:8-9 ESVST   Man sins. God makes a way. A man deserves to live within the context of His sin. God extends grace.   God made it so that humans could easily see that there was no way for them to solve this problem. The idea of looking at a snake on a pole sounded too easy. Man, in a miserable condition, did not want to respond to such "nonsense," yet did not have a better response. I am sure some decided to suffer and die when it did not need to be that way.   This was tragic by choice, not by design. I can imagine that there were those around who grabbed some of the stubborn ones and pryed their eyes open, forced their face toward the snake, and screamed, "Look at the snake!"   In the end, I ima...

And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. Numbers 21:7 ESVST   Why wait until we see death and destruction to admit we have a problem? Death, destruction, hopelessness, pain, tragedy, emptiness, and more are byproducts of our sin. If we want to conquer these problems, we need to own them. When we own them, we see our helplessness and are positioned in a way that would allow God's mercy and grace to rule.   Those who love God will still experience death and destruction, but because of our Heavenly Father, we will not experience the hopeless, tragic, and worthless pain accompanying such things. The hope God gives us is not a hope that provides a "cope," but a hope that infuses life and purpose into our daily activities.   Many feel worthless, and they are. The tragedy is that they are worthless because of the...

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. Numbers 21:5-6 ESVST   Many people of Israel died. Some would blame God. Some would blame the leadership. Few took personal responsibility.   Some things never change. Many blame God, leadership, or someone else for their problems, but the problem is themselves. Personal responsibility is absent when excuses are abundant. Without personal responsibility, there is no possible way to fix whatever is broken.   The children of Israel had eclipsed the terrible conditions of Egypt with the discomforts of their present conditions. Focusing on the now eclipses the future. Thinking about self minimizes and blames others. What we focus on and think about is our choice, and there are c...

And the people spoke against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." Numbers 21:5 ESVST   It is so easy to profess our anger against God and our spiritual leaders when we should be confessing our sins to both.   We, as people, are probably somewhat humorous to watch from Heaven. That faithful crowd of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 11 are probably either amused, amazed, or in tears often. Can you imagine Noah looking down on someone who was just called a name for Jesus' sake and was ready to throw in the spiritual towel over the matter? What would Daniel and the boys or Joseph be thinking about those of us who so quickly moan and groan about the things God is about to use to show us who He is?   Either way, God wins here. If the people trust Him, they will see His hand of provision. If they rebel, as they did, they will see His hand of judgment. Either way, the...

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. Numbers 21:4 ESVST   Impatient: having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked. It is probably kind that God uses the word "impatient" to describe the people in this instance. He could have used many other words, yet this word seems filled with grace. Perhaps He understood how people would be getting "fed up" with their circumstances. Maybe God knows that our perspective is limited or that we tend to go with the "moan" of the moment rather than sort out what is happening.   Often I fall into the moan-of-the-moment club. Seeing my circumstances as "tougher" than they should be seems so easy. For some reason, I love painting myself as a victim rather than a conqueror. My attitude often does not reflect my position or my Father's power. Instead, it focuses on my comfort and the conditions I have esta...

And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them." Numbers 20:12 ESV   "Because you did not believe in me…."? Of all people, Moses seemed to be one who believed in God. What is with this statement? Perhaps, this is a "James" type statement. Believing in God means adjusting your lifestyle to show that you actually believe in Him, and if you make no adjustment, you must not really believe.   There are "professors" and "confessors" of the faith. The "professors" talk the talk but have no walk. The "confessors" walk the walk while they talk the talk. We always act on what we believe, not necessarily according to knowledge. For example, many know how to eat correctly but do not. They do not believe that eating right makes a significant difference, or they would...

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them." Numbers  20:10-12  ESVST   This seems harsh, yet it should be expected. Moses' job was to show the people who God was, not to give the people water. He messed up and thought this was about water, leadership, or quieting the complainers. God was going to use the thirst and the provision of water to, once again, demonstrate who He was.  It seems as if Moses got in the way.   We often miss seeing God when we see our circumstances as something to co...

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. Numbers 20:10-11 (ESV)   For those wandering a desert, water is a main event. "It is thought that the Israelites would have needed up to 11,000,000 gallons of water each day just to drink, wash themselves and clean dishes etc. This would be equivalent of a freight train of tank cars, 1,800 miles long just to bring water." ( https://www.sermoncentral.com )   The amount of water needed to satisfy the wanderers is beyond our comprehension. Once again, God uses an everyday need to demonstrate His love, power, and authority to His people.   Our problem is that we quickly forget God after He meets our needs. I pray when I am hungry and sleep when I am full. I pray w...