Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

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Numbers Chapter 31   (ESV)

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, 11 and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Read this passage slowly to appreciate the situation.
• God commanded Moses to arm the men for war before sending them off to battle. The spiritual journey is not an easy path.  It is an endless series of spiritual battles.  The battles are often invisible and yet crucial.   Good preparation is necessary to ensure victory.
• We have to be properly armed in order to endure rigorous training and difficulties and become strong spiritually. The Spiritual Disciplines help equip us for spiritual warfare.  The undisciplined warrior is ineffective and weak.  We must embrace the Spiritual Disciplines daily to become strong spiritual warriors.

 

 

PRAYER:

• What are the spiritual battles I am facing (and fighting) right now? How am I doing?  How do I equip myself for the spiritual warfare?
• Pray for discernment and preparedness for the spiritual warfare around me.

 

 

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+030

 

Numbers Chapter 30   (ESV)

1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. 2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

 

3 “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

 

6 “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the Lord will forgive her.

 

REFLECTION:

• Read aloud this passage.
• God values the family. He taught the Israelites to value their family promises.  Spiritually mature persons fulfill the promises they make to God concerning the family and do not enter such promises rashly.
• The degree of agreement between our words and our behavior creates or destroys our integrity. We are responsible for the words we say, and we should keep our promises even when doing so proves personally disadvantageous.  We must not break our promises.

 

PRAYER：

• What is the rashest promise I can recall making? What promise have I made lately “with my fingers crossed”?  Was I able to keep either one?
• Under what, if any, circumstances would I see myself exempt from a marriage vow, promissory note, or donation pledge? How can this chapter help me overcome such “excuses”?
• Ask God to help me to be faithful and not break my promises, learn to respect others and in turn, respect myself.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+029

 

Numbers Chapter 29   (ESV)

1 “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.

 

7 “On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work, 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish. 9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs: 11 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

 

12 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Read this passage quietly. It’s best to read the whole chapter to appreciate the atmosphere.
• Taking time to rest is important in the spiritual life. Rest is not merely the state of doing no work.  Rest is a time for refreshment.  It may be a time to reflect on the past or plan for the future.  It is also a time for worshiping God.
• The Sabbath is an intentional time set apart for worship. Our souls receive true peace and strength when we worship God.  Rest is a Spiritual Discipline that requires and also restores our trust in God.  Our trust grows as we see how God fulfills our needs even when we are working.  We realize we don’t need to earn God’s provision.  Rest helps us restore in the unconditional, unfailing, and forgiving love of God.

 

PRAYER:

How am I keeping the Sabbath?  Do I intentionally carve out time for Rest?  Am I living the love of God?  Lord, help me.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+028

 

Numbers Chapter 28   (ESV)

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’ 3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; 5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 7 Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord. 8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

 

9 “On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: 10 this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

 

 

REFLECTION: 

• Read this passage carefully as if I was to make the offering myself.
• God commanded the people of Israel to provide daily burnt offerings. The people followed God’s specific instructions concerning every detail of preparing the offerings for God and conducting services of worship.
• We must not be absent-minded or careless when we worship God, either in our preparations for or our manner of service. Nor should we worship only as we choose.  We must be prepared day or night to offer to worship according to God’s direction.  Constancy and repetition are keys to success in spiritual growth.

 

 

PRAYER:

• What serves as a daily reminder of what God has done for me? Select a meaningful object or develop a regular habit as a reminder or symbol of God’s grace for me.
• What kind of emotions do I bring to the Sunday worship service? What special things do I do on Sunday to remind me of what God has done for me?
• How do these things help to strengthen my relationship with God?
• Review the things God has done in my life. Choose one or two items to reflect.  Wait until my heart is filled with gratitude, then pray aloud to offer my thanksgiving to God.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+027

 

Numbers Chapter 27   (ESV)

 

12 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. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 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.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• This passage deals with another preparation for entering Canaan – appointing a new leader to take Moses’ Read it slowly.
• A person’s spiritual leadership may be measured by how many leaders he/she has helped develop. Because he was looking ahead, Moses developed Joshua as a spiritual leader.  However, before Moses identified Joshua as the spiritual successor, he asked for God’s guidance (vv16-17).  God picked Joshua, explaining that he was “a man in whom is the spirit.”
• God’s standards for the appointment of spiritual leaders are different from those of the world. God often chooses as leaders those who are especially sensitive and obedient to the voice of the Spirit.

 

 

PRAYER:

• Who has been my “Moses” in the past? For whom am I a “Moses” or a “Joshua”?  How will I prepare for the inevitable transitioning?
• Pray for the “Moses’s” of our church. Pray also for good “Joshua’s” to carry on the mission.

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+026

 

Numbers Chapter 26   (ESV)

 

51 This was the list of the people of Israel, 601,730.

 

52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list. 55 But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

 

57 This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. 60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. 62 And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward. For they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.

 

63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• The second census was taken, only Joshua, Caleb and Moses were from the older generation. Flip through the whole chapter and then read the passage slowly.
• A comparison of the censuses demonstrates that God could still fulfill His promises to the patriarchs even though the Israelites’ failures had postponed their fulfillment. This is one of the most important revelations of the Book of Numbers.

 

 

PRAYER: 

• What does “inheritance” mean to me? What does my family have as an inheritance from my ancestors?  What do I want to inherit?  What have I already inherited?  What can I inherit from God? (See I Pet 1:4)
• What has God been doing in my life so that parts of my past, positive or negative, have become good blessings? Or am I still struggling with my past and can’t see God’s faithfulness?
• Thank God for my “inheritance” from my family. Pray for his faithfulness in making my past a more beautiful blessing and inheritance to be passed on to others.

 

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+025

 

Numbers Chapter 25   (ESV)

1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 4 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

 

6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

 

10 And the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Read the passage slowly trying to understanding the atmosphere then.
• God wants His people to be pure and holy in all aspects of life, including the arena of sexual morality. God’s anger was kindled against the Israelites when they engaged in the fertility rites of Baal with the Moabites.  Sexual immorality and the worship of other gods (idolatry) go hand in hand.  Nor is this an accident.
• Human sexuality was given by God as the highest form of intimacy between a man and a woman. Sexual immorality has not only physical ramifications, but spiritual ones as well.  We must be alert with regard to our thoughts and behavior at all times that we may be pure before the Lord, for our “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit”.

 

 

PRAYER:

• What are some modern cultural practices that could erode the purity of my Christian faith?
• What is the tension for me to live out the Christian faith in the contemporary culture context?
• Lay it out to the Lord my difficulties. Pray that the Holy Spirit will align my way of life to the way God has intended for me.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+024

 

Numbers Chapter 24   (ESV)

10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

15 And he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,

and knows the knowledge of the Most High,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,

falling down with his eyes uncovered:

17 I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near:

a star shall come out of Jacob,

and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;

it shall crush the forehead of Moab

and break down all the sons of Sheth.

18 Edom shall be dispossessed;

Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.

Israel is doing valiantly.

19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion

and destroy the survivors of cities!”

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Continue this chapter on Balak and Balaam.
• A furious Balak refused to pay Balaam. Balaam then uttered additional oracles which portrayed the doom of Israel’s enemies.  Looking down the history, remote yet clearly, Balaam saw what God would finally do.
• Balaam used two images to describe what he saw: a star rising from Jacob and a scepter coming from Israel (v17).  The star was a representation of light, the scepter a representation of power.  Light and power – these two symbols would come to full expression in the life of Jesus Christ.  We see this vision in much more detail for we’re in close touch with the gospel representations of Jesus as light and power.

 

PRAYER:

• Do I really see God? Is He just a far-off, distant vision, the way with Balaam, or is He a present encounter?  The gospel is concerned not with enlightenment but with encounter.  Not with just envisioning the light and power of God in Jesus Christ but with experiencing it.  And in experiencing it, be transformed by it.
• Have I had encountering with God lately? Has God’s power been transforming me into the image of Himself?  Pray for such encountering and transformation.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+023

 

Numbers Chapter 23   (ESV)

18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;

give ear to me, O son of Zippor:

19 God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

20 Behold, I received a command to bless:

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

and the shout of a king is among them.

22 God brings them out of Egypt

and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.

23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘What has God wrought!’

24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up

and as a lion it lifts itself;

it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey

and drunk the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?”

 

REFLECTION:

• Read aloud this passage. It’s better to read the whole chapter about the almost hilariously embarrassed and puzzled Balak and Balaam.
• As this story illustrates, our words have the potential for great good and great evil. Think a moment about the words that come out of my mouth.  Are they words that bless others or curse them?  Are they words that build up another person or tear that person down?  Do they give life or take away life?

 

PRAYER:

Dear Holy Spirit,

Knowing that the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart,

Please help me to watch over my heart with all diligence.

Keep watch over me so that no unwholesome words slip past the gate and hurt another person.

Keep watch so that my humor doesn’t go in the direction of ridicule.

Keep watch so that no words are spoken in anger.

I realize that it’s a small step from throwing words at people to throwing stones at them.

Help me to give a blessing instead of a curse.

Especially, I pray for ____________ whom I have a hard time loving…..

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Numbers+022

 

Numbers Chapter 22   (ESV)

21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 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. 28 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?” 29 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.” 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 31  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. 32  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. 33  The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34  Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35  And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Read aloud this passage. It’s better to read the whole chapter for a better understanding of the whole episode.
• God can speak even through the mouths of animals. God used the donkey to get Balaam’s attention.  And Peter repented after he heard the rooster’s crow (Matt 26:34).  Sometimes we fail to hear the voice of God not because He is silent, but because we are not listening.
• In the spiritual life, we learn to be attentive to the Lord’s voice whenever and however He may speak. Developing listening ears is essential to spiritual growth.

 

 

PRAYER:

• Recall my “Life’s journey map” and go through the path of my life again. Where am I right now?  What can I see in my life as a signal that there is an “angel of the Lord” blocking my path? How do I respond when the direction of my life is undergoing a “mid-course correction”?  Who has been my “angel”?
• Thank God for the angels in my life. Ask God to help me to hear His voice and to recognize his “blocking” or leading.