Daily Encouragement

February 14, 2010 - Undeserved Love

The attack of leadership is not uncommon in the world. There are always some people who are jealousy of others' authority and fame in the same institution. In the wilderness, several tribal leaders instigated another 250 leaders to challenge the ultimate authority of Moses and Aaron. They refused to take order from the chosen and proven leaders of God.

In a sense they were actually challenging the authority of God. These people were also able to inspire the whole congregation to observe their challenges.

Of course, God was going to stand for His own chosen leaders for His people. God had judged all the rebels. Even their families and tents were swallowed up by the earth. As to the congregation who joined in the rebellion and complain, they were inflicted with a plaque that was quickly spreading. But Moses urged Aaron to take a censer with the fire from altar and incense in it and rush quickly to make atonement for the people.

Here it is an incredible picture of Aaron, the eighty some years old high priest running hard to stop the spread of the deadly disease. He must have been running as fast as he could so that he could stand between the dead and the living in order the plaque would stop. Remember, these were the very people who had rejected him and harshly complained against him. (v. 11)

This reminds us what Jesus has done for us. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NKJV)

February 15, 2010 - The Budding Rod

Meditation on Numbers 17

In order to prove that God has chosen Aaron as His High Priest, God had commanded through Moses that each patriarch leaders of the twelve tribes to put a rod with name identification inside the Most Holy Place. The next day when Moses went in to retrieve the rod, only the rod that belonged to Aaron had sprouted and put forth buds. It had produced blossoms and yielded ripe Almonds.

One sign that we can know that our work is really the ministry of the Lord is that it experiences miracle. Even though it may have great difficulties and seems to die for awhile. But very soon it will come alive again and bring forth fruits. It is the resurrected power of God that sustains our ministry. When there is the presence of Jesus, there is the resurrected power of Him working through us. So we need not be afraid of testing and trails. Jesus has promised His presence with those who are faithfully making disciple. (Matthew 28:20) So just rely on Him as we serve Him.

February 16, 2010 - God's Word Is Reliable

Meditation on Numbers 23

Balaam, a prophet was asked by the king of Moab, Balak to curse the Israelites as they crossed the border of Moab into the land of Canaan. The Israelites had just defeated some of the most powerful nations. The people of Moab were really afraid of them.

Balaam offered sacrifices to God and asked for God's words on this matter. Instead of words of curse, God's word through Balaam was words of blessings. So when God inspired and moved a prophet to speak His word, He had total control of what the prophet said. Even though Balaam was a prophet who disobeyed God in coming to the service of a heathen king, he was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God to say what God wanted him to say and not what he or others want him to say.

So God's word as it was recorded in the Scriptures is absolutely reliable because it was God's word and not man’s own word.

Have you carefully read and obey what the Scriptures tells you to do?

February 17, 2010 - God's Requirement For Top Leadership

Meditation on Numbers 27

From God's instruction to Moses for his successor, we can learn some very important requirement for spiritual leadership. First of all, he should be filled with the Spirit as Joshua was. (v. 18) Then he can follow God's leading. Secondly, he should be appointed with the full approval of the congregation. (v. 20) Thirdly, the former leader should also give his approval. (By the laying of hand v. 23)

In addition, a top spiritual leader should honor God in all he does in front of the congregation. Moses had failed to do so only one time because he got irritated by the people and stroked the rock twice in stead of just commanding water to come out from the rock as God had told him to do. As a result, God did not allow him to go into the Promised Land except to see the land on the top of a mountain from afar. (v. 14, cf. Numbers 20:8-14)

Leading others before God is a very honorable job. But the spiritual leader should be careful to observe God's requirement.

February 18, 2010 - Total Destruction Of The Enemy

Meditation on Number 31

God had granted the Israelites great victory over the Midianites. They didn't even lose a single solder during the war. They had killed all the enemies except the young girls who had not been married. Why was it necessary to do so?

First of all, these enemies were the sinful people who polluted the land. Their practices and idolatry were most sinful and immoral. God judged them just as He judged those people who were absolutely corrupted before the flood.

The second reason was that God wanted to prevent His own people from being influenced and contaminated. Those Midianite women could have led some Israelites to worship idols. It had happened before. God wanted to prevent the corruption of the people from whom the Messiah would be born. It was a holy war.

God hates sin. The person who influences others to sin without repentance would eventually be destroyed. What a warning to us. Remember the couple in Acts 5?

February 19, 2010 – Salvation For His People

Meditation on Numbers 35

God had commanded Moses to designated six cities among the Israelites to be a refuge for those who had inadvertently killed someone to flee to in order to avoid the avengers. These cities of refuge can be a divine illustration for God's provision for salvation for His people.

When a person fled into one of these cities of refuge, he was safe and protected. It is a picture of Jesus who is our rock of refuge, a strong tower for our salvation.

These cities spread out in the land where God's people occupied so it would be equally easy for everyone to get to a city near by if it is necessary. Salvation is for everyone to obtain with the same access.

Also these cities were controlled and dwelt by the tribe of Levites. This signified that they were controlled by the people who served God faithfully. Those who would flee into the city of refuge must live among the people of God who served Him.

Only when the High priest died that person who had fled into the city could be absolutely freed from his accusation from then on. This represents that only when Christ, the High Priest died, Christians are set freed.

Praise the Lord for His mercy and picture of salvation.

February 20, 2010 - Keeping A Spiritual Journal

Meditation on Deuteronomy 1

Moses wrote a review of the Israelites' journey in the wilderness and proclaimed it to the congregation. This was absolutely important for the people of God to remember God's dealing in their lives and how they needed to trust in Him and obey Him. The lessons they had experienced should be remembered always. They should realize what had happened that led them to the present condition as well as how God had guided them. Who were the significant persons that encouraged them on the way as well as who were their enemies were recorded. Important places they had been were carefully documented.

We too should record a spiritual journal for our lives. Our memories of God's blessings and teachings are often short lived. Our business in daily life may cause us to forget many spiritual lessons. Our cups of blessings may seem to have a hole if we do not stop the leak by treasuring them. As you start this journal, you will recall how God has been good to you and how He has been faithful to you in spite of your unfaithfulness to Him. Once a while as you review your spiritual journal, you will be fully blessed and remember God's grace and power in your life.

Would you like to start your journal today? Just get a good note book and jot down your thought and experienced and plan in His guidance.