Podcasts about in numbers

Tuesday July 21, 2026VIII Week after Pentecost In today's episode, we see both the justice and the mercy of God on full display. In Numbers 35, God establishes cities of refuge, providing both protection for the innocent and justice for the guilty, pointing us to His holy character and ultimately to Christ, our true refuge. In Romans 8, Paul triumphantly declares that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus, giving us unshakable confidence in God's saving grace. Finally, in Matthew 23, Jesus pronounces woes on the religious leaders, exposing the danger of outward religion that masks an unchanged heart. Join us as we discover that God calls us to seek genuine holiness, rest securely in His unfailing love, and find our refuge in Christ alone.—This is the unfiltered and unscripted daily podcast of Dr. Terry Rolen. Whether you're a devout Christian seeking spiritual growth or someone curious about the teachings of the Bible, this whimsical podcast offers a dynamic, relatable platform for deepening your faith and understanding.

Monday July 20, 2026VIII Week After Pentecost In today's episode, we explore three passages that call us to wholehearted faith and humble obedience. In Numbers 32, the tribes of Reuben and Gad are challenged to put the needs of God's people ahead of their own comfort, reminding us that following God requires both commitment and courage. In Romans 8, Paul offers incredible hope as the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness and assures us that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him. Finally, in Matthew 23, Jesus confronts religious pride and teaches that true greatness is found not in seeking recognition but in serving others with humility. Join us as we discover how God calls us to live with faithfulness, confidence in His purposes, and the heart of a servant.

Introduction: The Warning Signs of Fake Repentance (Numbers 14:39-45) Regret Without CHANGE . (Num 14:39-40) 2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. Resistance to CONSEQUENCES . (Num 14:41) Reliance on SELF . (Num 14:42-45) John 5:6 - When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! For Our Example: Ancient Warnings for the Church Today - Do Not Be Fake Repenters Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:48Please turn your Bibles to Numbers chapter 14 verses 39 through 45. Numbers chapter 14 verses 39 through 45. It can be hard to spot something that is fake if you don't sit up and pay attention to the warning signs. Raise your hand if you've ever been tricked into believing that an AI generated image or video was actually real. It's okay, you're among friends. We've all been bamboozled.01:17and no, I have too. We've all been tricked. So many people are fooled by AI on social media. So many friends and family members have sent me a new trailer for a new movie that is completely fake. I have to awkwardly break them. The bad news. A reel will pop up on social media or Facebook and it looks legit, but if you sit up and pay attention to the warning signs, you'll see that something, is off.01:48There are lighting inconsistencies.01:51A person's hand has seven or six fingers instead of five.01:55A car crashing doesn't obey the law of physics.02:00Or maybe someone's mouth moving doesn't line up with what they're saying.02:05I don't want to lecture you about the dangers of AI because you are very well aware.02:10Slander, misinformation, cyber attack, even framing people for crimes that they didn't actually commit. With each passing year, AI is getting more and more advanced, and it's getting more and more difficult to tell the difference between what is genuine and what is fake, what is real and what is not, what is true and what is phony. AI is a really serious issue in 2026, isn't it?02:41But do you know what's an infinitely more serious issue that has spanned the entirety of human existence? Sin and a person's response to it. The Bible commands you. The Bible commands me. The Bible commands everyone to repent. Repentance is a total change of mind and direction. You are called to turn away from your sin and to turn towards Jesus Christ.03:10You are commanded to repent, not just on the day of your conversion, but every single day after that as well. But here's the problem. How can you tell if a person's repentance is genuine or not? How can you tell if your repentance is the real deal or not? Similar to AI, you need to sit up and pay attention to the warning signs.03:39You'd be on the lookout for the warning signs of phoniness. We have taken a brief pause on our series in the book of 1 Corinthians to focus on the books of Exodus and Numbers. We're in the third week of our latest series for our example, Ancient Warnings for the Church Today. We have been studying some serious cases of sin and disobedience. The Israelites have provided negative examples for us to avoid, and the Lord has provided warnings for us to heed. Warnings such as, do not be idolaters. Do not be doubters.04:17This morning, the Lord has another warning for you and me.04:22That warning is, do not be fake repenters.04:27Do not be fake repenters.04:31And the stakes of this warning are extremely high.04:34The ramifications are a matter of life or death.04:38Heaven or Hell. So I beg you to not lean back and daydream during this sermon. Instead, sit up and pay attention. Be on the lookout for the warning signs of fake repentance in your life. Because the Lord may convict you today that you've never truly repented. Or the Lord may convict you that you haven't truly repented.05:08in a very long time.05:11So let's go to the Lord and ask for His help.05:14Please pray for me that I will faithfully proclaim God's Word.05:18And I will pray for you that you will faithfully receive God's Word.05:24Father, we come before You today to acknowledge our many sins.05:30We come before You to acknowledge the reality that we so often do not deal with our sins in the ways that You want us to.05:37We so often don't deal with our sin. Or we deal with our sin in the way that we want to. Lord, today, may we truly deal with our sin in the way you called us to in your word. And that way is genuine repentance. By the end of this service, Lord, may we all be able to say before you with integrity that we are genuine repenters. May your Holy Spirit move in a great and mighty way. May he seek and save the lost. May he He give faith where there is none. We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. The warning signs of fake repentance. The warning signs of fake repentance. Number one in your outline, regret without change. Regret without change. Last week we studied the story of Israel's doubt and their refusal to enter into the promised land.06:37to scope it out, to see where the enemies were and where their cities were as well.06:42And they're commanded to be of good courage, but many of them choose to be cowards.06:48Ten of them came back with a very bad report.06:53And this bad report led the Israelites to doubt the Lord, to grumble against Him, and to refuse to enter the Promised Land.07:04There are immediate consequences for this disobedience. Immediately, the ten unfaithful spies are killed by a plague. And the Lord shares the long-term consequences of their disobedience. The older generations will not enter the promised land. The only two people who will are Joshua and Caleb. Because they were the two faithful spies who gave a good report and were faithful to the Lord.07:34Everybody else, 20 or older, will never enter the Promised Land. The younger generations will see the Promised Land, but they have to wait for 40 years. They have to wander in circles for 40 years. Now it's time for Moses to break that bad news to the Israelites. God has shared that with him. Now he has to share it with them. How do you think that's going to go? Is it going to go well?08:04Are they going to respond positively or negatively? Are they going to respond with genuine repentance or fake repentance? Let's see their response in verse 39. When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. This seems positive, right? This seems like a good development. The people seem crushed. They aren't grumbling.08:35anymore. They aren't shaking their fists at the heavens. They aren't kicking the sheep in anger. They are crying. That's good, right? But are these tears genuine? Is this genuine repentance? That is the question. And we find the answer to that question in verse 40. And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country saying, here we are. We will go up to the place the Lord has promised for we have sinned.09:07The Israelites still are not getting it. They still are not listening. They are not doing what God tells them to do. At first, God says, go into the promised land. And they say, you know what? We're not going. Now he says, do not go into the promised land. And what do they say? Oh yeah? Well, we're going. It's the same disobedience dressed up in different clothing.09:33They still are not repentant. They still are not changed. They may have some regrets. But they are not truly sorry for their sin. And we see this kind of fake repentance all throughout the Bible. Esau regretted that he sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a stupid bowl of stew. He even put on the waterworks show.10:031217, Esau never truly repented of his ungodly behavior. He never truly changed. King Saul disobeyed the Lord and his throne was stripped from him. Sure, on the outside, Saul looked upset. He looked sad, but on the inside, he was still stubbornly disobeying the Lord. He was not changed. He was not truly repentant. What about Judas?10:33Judas betrayed our Lord for 30 pieces of silver. He immediately regretted the worst betrayal in human history, but he didn't turn to the Lord for forgiveness as Peter did when he denied Jesus three times. The Bible is very clear that Judas was not saved. He was not repentant. He was not changed. The mourning of Esau, Saul, and Judas, meant nothing. And it led to nothing good. The Israelites' repentance in this passage, their regret, means nothing. And it leads to nothing good. Listen to what Paul has to say about this in 2 Corinthians 7.10. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret. Whereas worldly grief produces death.11:33So many people live with regret every single day, don't they? So many people feel bad about their bad decisions. They try to numb their pain. They try to ignore it. They try to push it down. Are any of those plans a good idea? Are any of those plans biblical repentance? Not at all.12:05While true sorrow, true brokenness over your sin produces a repentance that leads to internal transformation and eternal life. If you are truly, genuinely repentant and saved, then you will not regret that you repented. You will not regret that you put your old life of sin in the rearview mirror. If you are truly repentant and saved, then you will not remain the same You will not remain unchanged. The genuineness of your repentance is proven by how you think, how you speak, how you act, and how you react. For those of you who don't know me very well, I have two children, Sam and Emmy. Sam is almost seven years old and Emmy is four and a half. I have to say that half because that means a lot to her. She would get mad if I didn't say it. She's four and a half. For the most part, our kids, get along. But there are some moments when they brawl. They're mean to each other. Hands are used for shoving. On occasion, Emmy's fingernails are used for scratching. And when I separate them, I'll say, what happened? Sam was rude to me. Emmy scratched me. And I'll say to Sam, Sam, was that okay? He goes, no, I'm sorry. I'll say to Sam, It's great that you say that you're sorry. But how can you show us that you're sorry? He'll say, but not being rude to Emmy. Right. Exactly right. You show me that you're sorry for being rude to Emmy by not being rude to her in the future. But I'll take Emmy aside. Emmy, was that right to do that to Sam? No. I'm sorry. Emmy, how can you show me that you're sorry for scratching your brother? And she'll say, by not scratching Sammy. That's exactly right.14:03You show that you're sorry for scratching your brother by not scratching him in the future. It's that simple. These examples may seem ridiculous to you, but this principle applies to your life as well. Yes, you should say that you're sorry, but that's not the end goal. That's just the beginning. That's just the first step. You must show that you're sorry.14:33How can you show that you're sorry for being harsh with your wife? Stop being harsh with her. Stop saying rude and unkind things to her. Stop belittling her to her face. Start building her up with your words. Start showing her that you love her. Don't just say that you're sorry. Show her that you're sorry. How can you show that you're sorry for belittling your husband?15:03Stop belittling him. Stop making fun of him behind his back. Stop making fun of him to his face. Stop putting him down in private or in public. Instead, start building him up in private and in public. When he's faithful at home, when he's faithful at work, encourage him. Don't just say that you're sorry. Show him that you're sorry. How can you show your kids that you're sorry for losing your temper yet again and blowing up at them. Stop losing your temper and blowing up at them. Stop acting like a child. Act like an adult. Start walking away and gathering your composure before you deal with their behavioral problems. Don't just say that you're sorry to your kids. Show them that you're sorry. How do you show a friend that you are sorry for lying to him?16:04Stop lying. Stop stretching the truth. Stop exaggerating. Stop saying what they want to hear. Start telling the truth no matter what. Don't just say that you're sorry. Show him or her that you're sorry. How can you show that you're sorry for an impure and out of control thought life? Stop allowing your mind to wander in every direction. Start cleaning up your thought life.16:35Stop consuming mass quantities of garbage on TV and social media. Start consuming mass quantities of God's Word. Biblical podcasts, good Christian books. Don't just say that you're sorry. Show that you're sorry. This is so simple in theory, isn't it? Is this easy in execution? No. Repentance.17:03is hard. Changing is hard. It's inconvenient. It's humbling. It's an up and down roller coaster. It's a two steps forward, one step back process. And sometimes even a two steps forward, two steps back journey. You will fail. You will fall along the way. But brothers and sisters, genuine repentance is worth it because it leads to life both now and forever.17:32Changing leads to blessing in the present and in eternity. Do not be a fake repenter by just saying that you're sorry. Prove that you are a genuine repenter by showing that you are truly sorry for your sin. The warning signs of fake repentance. Number two, resistance to consequences. Resistance to consequences.18:06Moses is not pleased with the Israelites' attempt to take the promised land that was taken away from them. Check out what he says to them in verse 41. He asks a question. But Moses said, why are you now transgressing the command of the Lord when that will not succeed? Moses is frustrated. He asks this question in frustration. Why in the world would you Would you try to take the promised land if you know that you're not allowed to and that you will not succeed? Moses just told them the consequences for their actions. They cannot enter the promised land for 40 years and most of them will die. But do they accept these consequences? No, instead they push against the consequences. They resist with everything in them.19:02They are resisting the consequences of their actions. Since childhood, you have learned about the relationship between cause and effect. Action and consequence. Finish this sentence with me. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. All right, action. I throw this ball up in the air. What is the consequence?19:32I come back down due to gravity, right? Action. I go out onto the stone patio and join your kids in their favorite activity, throwing rocks. Action. I lob this rock into the parking lot. It heads directly for your passenger side window. What's the consequence? It shatters the window and makes a huge mess that I am personally responsible for. Action. Consequence.20:03But here's the question.20:05Am I going to accept the consequence for my action?20:09Or will I resist it?20:12Will I be a fake repenter or a genuine repenter?20:16Here's what fake repentance looks like.20:20I mean, yeah, I probably shouldn't have thrown that rock, but your window should have been able to take that hit.20:26Obviously, your window is flimsy and faulty.20:29You should have parked far away like I do.20:31You know the kids play with rocks. Anyway, it was an accident. I didn't mean to. I'm not going to pay for that. Fake repentance. Resisting the consequences. Whereas genuine repentance looks like accepting that consequence. It was stupid and wrong for me to throw that rock. I am so sorry. I will cover the damages. We can go through my insurance or I can just give you cash or a check right now.21:01Genuine repenters do not resist the consequences of their actions. Genuine repenters accept the consequences of their actions. Let me give you some examples of what this actually looks like. You betray a fellow church member by gossiping about her behind her back. And she finds out what you said and she confronts you about it. Fake repentance looks like this.21:30What I said wasn't that bad. It wasn't that big of a deal. I was just concerned about you. I was sharing that concern with somebody else. Don't be upset with me. The woman, in turn, is upset with you. And you act very inconvenienced that she's upset with you. You cut this woman out of your life. You exit your small group. You tell everyone this woman is bitter, angry, and toxic. Fake repentance.22:00What does genuine repentance look like? I should not have said that about you. I am so sorry. There is no excuse. You have every right to be upset with me. Genuine repentance. You let that member of your family down yet again. You keep telling this guy that you'll be there for him, and you keep letting him down. And in turn, he no longer thinks you are dependable.22:31by saying, well, sorry, my whole life doesn't revolve around your schedule. Come on, man. You know I have so much going on in my life. Or you can be a genuine repenter and say, I let you down again. No excuse. I shouldn't have done it. I know my word doesn't mean very much to you, but I hope that it will again someday. I understand if I won't be the first person that you call when you need something.22:58You get together with your friends and you drink way more than you should. At family get-togethers, you say dumb things and you do dumb things because of your drinking. You can be a fake repenter and resist the consequence by pointing the finger at others. Oh, come on, just relax. Life's so stressful, I just need to cut loose sometimes. You all need to just calm down. It's not a big deal.23:28people don't invite you to family activities anymore.23:32Because they don't like to see you when you're drinking.23:36Whereas genuine repentance looks like this.23:38I do have a problem.23:40I have wrecked so many relationships.23:42I have ruined so many moments.23:44I have destroyed trust.23:45I'll do whatever it takes to rebuild that trust with you.23:52Genuine repenters do not put a timeline on the healing of other people.23:58Genuine repenters give those they have wronged the space they need for the relationship to be restored. Genuine repenters do not demand forgiveness. They ask for forgiveness. I may not have addressed your particular situation with all these examples, but I hope and pray the Holy Spirit has laid His hand of conviction upon you because I guarantee you, there is a situation in your life when you are not repenting. I had to deal with situations in my life this week when I was not truly repenting. I pray that God has revealed how you may be harming yourself. How you may be hurting others. How you may be hindering a close relationship with the Lord by refusing to submit to the consequences you brought upon yourself. By trying to escape.24:58the effects that you have caused.25:02Do not be a fake repenter by resisting the consequences of your sin.25:08Prove that you are a genuine repenter by accepting the consequence of your sin.25:17The warning signs of fake repentance.25:19Third and final warning sign.25:21Reliance on self.25:23Reliance on self.25:29In verses 42 through 43, Moses gives the reason why the Israelites will fail if they try to take the promised land. He says, do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord, will not be with you.25:59Why will the Israelites fail?26:02Why will they not succeed?26:03They try to take the promised land?26:05Because God will not be with them.26:08Because God will not fight for them.26:12They will lose because God will not give them victory.26:17Israel's effort minus God's help equals defeat.26:22They cannot fight this battle on their own.26:25And the same is true for you and me. Your effort minus God's help equals defeat. You are not strong enough to fight your battles on your own. Do you believe that? Do you live like you believe that? The Israelites don't seem to believe it. They certainly don't live like they believe it. This message should stop the Israelites' dead in their tracks, but it doesn't. Once again, they ignore his command and do whatever they want to do. In verse 44. But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although not the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. The Israelites do not seem to care that they are going into battle without two essential ingredients. The Ark of the Covenant and Moses himself. The very presence of God, rests upon the ark, on the mercy seat, in between the two golden cherubim. Moses is God's chosen leader. God is the boss, and Moses is the manager. God expresses his commands and his plans for Israel through Moses. So let's cover Israel's battle plan one more time. The people of God are going to wage war without God's blessing, without God's presence and without God's chosen leader. This is a purely human effort and endeavor. The Israelites are relying on their own strength instead of God's strength. Let's see how that plays out for them in verse 45. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them even to Hormah.28:26It shouldn't shock us that Israel lost because Moses told them that they would. They pushed their chips all in on themselves and the gamble did not pay off. They pay a massive price. So for the third week in a row, our story ends on a down note. And you may be thinking, oh man, this series is just so heavy. I need like a nice and fluffy conclusion. Come on, I really need, If you feel that way, think about how I feel. I've been studying this for three weeks. I understand that desire. I understand that feeling. But I encourage you to instead answer this question. What should I learn from this sad ending? What should I learn from this sad ending? When you rely on yourself, you will disappoint yourself.29:25When you rely on yourself, you will disappoint yourself. Self-reliance leads to self-destruction. Fake repenters try to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, while genuine repenters ask God to pull them out of the pit that they have dug for themselves. Fake repenters fight their battles in their own strength, while genuine repenters fight battles in the Lord's strength.30:01We know what it looks like for the Israelites to rely on themselves. We see it right here. What does it look like for you to rely on yourself? How are you trusting in yourself rather than the Lord right now? Maybe you never pray.30:24You rarely ask other people to pray for you. Prayer says a lot about you because prayer is the major metric of faith. Bible reading, Bible meditation, and memorization are negotiable tasks instead of non-negotiable things that are blocked off in your schedule. Church attendance, participation, and fellowship are add-ons and not essentials to your life. Maybe you will not commit to this church or any other church.30:53You've been a free agent for a long time and responsible to no one. Maybe it's not hard to convince you to skip on Sunday morning. You're too tired. You need to rest. You had a busy weekend. You have plans later today. You're just not feeling it today. You show up to church occasionally, and when you do show up, you make no effort to build up other relationships with other believers. You make no effort to make genuine connections.31:26Maybe you always come up with reasons why you can't join a small group. Or you've been a part of a small group in the past, but you've just been shut off. And you didn't really share anything. As a result, you have no accountability in your life. You are not known by anyone in this church, and you do not know anyone else in this church. An unknown Christian, is a dangerous Christian. An unknown Christian is an accident waiting to happen. You need God's strength. And one of the greatest ways to receive God's strength is to ask his people for help. When I came on staff four years ago, Pastor Jeff taught me to ask people in counseling the same question that Jesus asked the paralyzed man in John 5, 6.32:22And the question is this. Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be made well? Does that seem like a strange question to you? It seemed like a strange question to me for a little while. But time and experience have proven to Pastor Jeff and myself that it's really not a strange question because most people do not want to be healed. Most people do not want to be made well.32:51Most people really do not want help. They are fine with staying right where they are, even though right where they are is a terrible place to be. Fake repenters do not share their struggles with others. Instead, they keep their sin a secret. Is that what you're doing today? How's that working out for you? I'm guessing not very well.33:21People know what they are going through because they want to save face. They want to look spiritual. They don't want other people to know what's going on. They want to solve their problems on their own. Genuine repenters do not keep their sin a secret. Genuine repenters share their struggles with others because they want to find God's solution. Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be made Well, are you willing to admit that you need help? Do not be a fake repenter by relying on your own strength because you have none. Prove that you are a genuine repenter by going to the Lord for His strength because He has it in abundance and He wants to share it with you right now. In Numbers 14, verses 39-45, the Israelites refused to change.34:22They refuse to obey. They refuse to accept the consequences of their sin. And they end up experiencing even more consequences. They refuse to rely on God. They refuse to genuinely repent. That's them. What about you? As you've evaluated your heart over the course of this message, has your repentance proven to be fake?34:51or genuine, real or phony. Maybe you've come to grips with the fact that you've never repented even once in your life. If that's you, it's not too late. You can repent today. You can repent right now. Stop trying to hide your sin because God already knows your sin and He is willing to forgive it. Stop trying to save face and look good to other people around you while you are withering away and dying on the inside.35:26What is the point of saving face if your soul is not saved?35:30It's pointless.35:34Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, for new life.35:38I promise you, if you turn to Christ in faith, He will never turn you away.35:45Tell the Lord that you're sorry for your sin.35:48and show that you're sorry by humbly reaching out and accepting the free gift of salvation that he offers in his son. Maybe you are a genuine believer who genuinely repented in the past. But your repentance has been anything but genuine lately. You've been going through the motions you've been putting on the show, you've been playing the part, you've been pretending. You've been giving into temptation and holding.36:18on to sin.36:20What should you do?36:24As one pastor said many years ago, you need to repent of your repentance.36:31You need to repent genuinely of your fake repentance.36:36Tell the Lord that you're sorry and show Him that you're sorry by taking the steps of change today.36:45Please bow your heads and close your eyes.36:49Whether you need to repent for the very first time or for the millionth time, spend the next several minutes in prayer. Push aside every other concern in your life because nothing else matters more than dealing with your sin. If you need someone to pray with you, we have someone in the prayer corner. We also have someone back in guest reception. We have one of our elders, Brian Behe. For you men and for you ladies, Marina Kraus will be.37:17back there as well.37:20They're there to judge you and make you feel bad.37:23They're there to help you and point you to the grace of Jesus Christ.37:28I beg you, don't worry about saving face.37:32Don't worry about what other people might think.37:34Because you know what? Their eyes are closed.37:36And they're going to be focused on their own issues.37:40So do business with the Lord by praying in your seat.37:43Or going to pray with one of the people in the back.37:48Father, all of us in this room need to repent. All of us in this room need to change from the heart level. We have sinful thoughts, sinful motivations. We also say sinful words and do sinful things. But Lord, we thank You for Your mercy and Your grace, which is more than enough to cover all of our sins and cover all the sins of anyone who trusts in your Son and what he accomplished through his perfect life and his death upon the cross. Lord, I pray that there are men and women in this room who have not bowed the knee to your Son and repented. Lord, give them restlessness until they find rest in you today. And for the rest of us, Lord, may we take the path to change.38:46in our lives. May we be honest about who we have wronged and how we have wronged them. Father, may we not just feel bad right now. But may that godly grief produce genuine repentance that truly lasts. We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead Numbers 14:39-45What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What are the warning signs of fake repentance? Are any of these warning signs present in your life?How is the Lord calling you to change right now?Why are we so slow to ask other believers for help? BreakoutPray for one another.

Wednesday July 15, 2026VII Week after PentecostToday's episode reveals that God's purposes cannot be overturned, our greatest battle is within, and Jesus alone is the cornerstone of God's kingdom.In Numbers 22:41–23:12, Balaam is taken to curse Israel, but every attempt is transformed into a blessing. Instead of speaking Balak's words, Balaam can only declare what God has spoken. The passage reminds us that no human scheme can reverse God's blessing or frustrate His sovereign plans. When God has determined to bless His people, His purposes will stand.In Romans 7:13–25, Paul gives an honest picture of the believer's struggle with sin. Though he delights in God's law, he finds another battle raging within him. His famous cry, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” points us to the only answer: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Victory over sin is not found in greater willpower but in the grace of Christ.Finally, in Matthew 21:33–46, Jesus Christ tells the parable of the wicked tenants, exposing Israel's leaders for rejecting God's messengers and ultimately God's Son. He declares that the rejected stone has become the cornerstone, revealing that God's kingdom is built upon Christ, and those who reject Him reject the very foundation of salvation.Together, these passages remind us that God's plans cannot be defeated, our deepest struggles are overcome only through Christ, and Jesus is the cornerstone upon whom every life must be built.

Tuesday July 14, 2026VII Week after PentecostToday's episode reminds us that God graciously confronts our blind spots, reveals the purpose of His law, and calls us to respond with genuine obedience.In Numbers 22:21–38, Balaam sets out on his journey, but the angel of the Lord stands in his path. Ironically, Balaam—the prophet—cannot see what his donkey clearly sees. After God opens the donkey's mouth and then Balaam's eyes, he realizes that he has been resisting God's direction. The passage reminds us that spiritual blindness often begins with a divided heart, but God, in His mercy, confronts us to redirect us toward His will.In Romans 7:1–12, Paul explains the relationship between believers and the Law. Through our union with Christ, we have died to the Law's condemnation and now belong to Him. The Law itself is holy and good, but it exposes the reality of sin rather than providing the power to overcome it. Only through Christ can we experience true freedom and newness of life.Finally, in Matthew 21:23–32, Jesus Christ confronts the religious leaders who questioned His authority. He responds with the parable of the two sons, teaching that true obedience is measured not by what we say, but by what we do. Those who repent and obey God's will—even after initial resistance—are commended above those whose words are never matched by faithful action.Together, these passages remind us that God lovingly exposes our blind spots, His Word reveals our need for grace, and authentic faith is demonstrated through humble repentance and obedient living.

Monday July 13, 2026VII After PentecostToday's episode challenges us to choose wholehearted obedience, reject the power of sin, and live with authentic faith.In Numbers 22:1–21, King Balak seeks to hire Balaam to curse Israel, but God makes it clear that His people are blessed and cannot be cursed apart from His will. Although Balaam initially hears God's command, his wavering heart reveals the danger of allowing greed and personal ambition to compete with obedience. The passage reminds us that God desires willing hearts that follow Him without compromise.In Romans 6:12–23, Paul calls believers to live in the freedom Christ has won for them. Having been united with Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin but servants of righteousness. Every day presents a choice: to offer ourselves to sin, which leads to death, or to God, which leads to holiness and life. Paul concludes with the familiar truth: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Finally, in Matthew 21:12–22, Jesus Christ cleanses the temple, driving out those who had turned a house of prayer into a marketplace. He then curses the barren fig tree, illustrating the danger of outward appearances without genuine spiritual fruit. God desires lives that bear the fruit of true faith, not merely the appearance of religion.Together, these passages remind us that God calls us to wholehearted obedience, freedom from the bondage of sin, and a faith that produces genuine spiritual fruit. As we surrender every part of our lives to Christ, He transforms us from the inside out.

Introduction: I Will Doubt... (Numbers 13:1-14:38) If I Am Paralyzed by MY CIRCUMSTANCES . (Num 13:25-33) If I Choose the Comfort of MY PAST . (Num 14:1-4) Romans 6:20-21 - For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. If I Tune Out GODLY COUNSEL . (Num 14:5-10a) James 1:22-25 - But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If I Follow the CROWD . (Num 14:10b-38) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! For Our Example: Ancient Warnings for the Church Today - Do Not Be Doubters Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:48Well, please turn your Bibles to Numbers chapter 13. Numbers chapter 13.00:55Now, as you turn there, I have a question for you. Have you ever been sent on a spy mission?01:02Really, nobody. I was sent on a spy mission in college. Do you want to hear about it?01:09All right, so in college, I worked for a pet sitting service. I would walk dogs, feed cats, and stay at people's houses while they were on vacation. And one day, my boss asked me to come into her office, and she sat me down for story time. Apparently, she had a client who was a local celebrity, who I won't name here, but this guy was having romantic troubles, to say the least. He and his girlfriend couldn't even be in the same room as each other anymore. And so he asked her to move out and take her stuff with her.01:45And I thought to myself, okay. Interesting, but what does this have to do with me? My boss told me, well, our client doesn't want to go to the house to see if his girlfriend has left or not. He wants one of us to do it. He's going to pay us to do it. And you're the only guy on my payroll, and I don't want to ask the women to do it. Don't worry, you're not breaking and entering. We have his garage code. We have his permission. I know this is a lot to ask, but I'll pay After a lot of reassurance, I would not be arrested or stabbed.02:20I drove over to this guy's house, and I sat on his street for a while.02:25Just like, what am I doing?02:27And there was no car in the driveway.02:30So I eventually get the courage to get out of my car, walk up the driveway.02:34I peek into the garage.02:35It's empty.02:38Type in the garage code.02:40Slip in.02:41And I just keep yelling out, hello, hello.02:44Don't worry.02:45I'm not a burglar. Your boyfriend sent me over. I don't know if that would have really been helpful. Or not. I don't really know. It's what I said. I was really nervous. I wasn't getting sneak attacked or pepper sprayed. But it became very clear that the woman was not there. But here's the problem. All of her stuff was still there. So I had to go back to my boss and our client with a bad report. The woman is gone, but her stuff ain't.03:15I knew that my boss and my client would not be very happy with this bad report from my spy mission. This morning we are studying a biblical spy mission. Twelve Israelite spies are sent on an important assignment and most of the spies come back with a report that won't make Moses or God himself very happy. In my case, I simply reported what I saw all those years ago.03:45But when it comes to the Israelite spies, the unfaithful Israelite spies, they report what they wanted to see. They report what they saw through the eyes of fear when they should report on what they saw through the eyes of faith. These unfaithful spies experience doubt. And at its core, doubt is distrust in the character, purposes, and promises of God. They allow doubt to cloud their vision and make their decisions for them.04:23What about you? You may not be a spy like me, but can you relate to the 10 unfaithful spies at all? Do you ever experience doubt? Do you ever look at your life through the eyes of fear instead of the eyes of faith?04:46Do you ever allow doubt to cloud your vision and make your decisions for you? We are taking a short pause on the book of 1 Corinthians to focus on the books of Exodus and Numbers. This is the second week of our latest series for our example, Ancient Warnings for the Church today. Ancient Israel's history of disobedience should be studied for the sake of our obedience.05:16today. Throughout Exodus and Numbers, the Israelites set negative examples for us to avoid, and God provides warnings that we should not ignore. Last week, we studied the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai, and we received the warning to not be idolaters. This morning, we will receive another warning from God. Do not be doubters. Do not be doubters.05:45You know, heeding this warning, listening to this command from God may be a tall order for some of you. We live in such a stressed out and anxious culture where worry is normalized and excused. Everyone is worried about something. Politics, gas prices, the economy, house projects, young children inside the home, grown-up children outside the home.06:15the home, personal appearance, public opinion, the list is endless. You know, worry and doubt are not just problems out there. Worry and doubt are problems in this room. The outside culture has invaded the church. Many professing Christians are just as stressed out and worried as the unbelievers around them.06:45of faithful dependence upon God, we can so often be negative examples of disbelief in God and his plans for our lives. Maybe your worry is obvious to everyone around you besides you. Maybe you justify your worry in saying, well, I can't help it. This is my personality type. There's nothing I can do. Or maybe you are very well aware of your anxiety.07:15The doubts pile up in your mind, and you don't know what to do next. You don't know how to handle this serious issue. Thankfully, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of doubt, the Lord tells you what to do next in His Word. In Numbers chapter 13 through 14, the Lord calls you to avoid the negative examples of the 10 unfaithful Israelite spies, and He calls you to follow the positive of the two faithful spies. In these chapters, God shines a light on the potholes and pitfalls that will trip you up and cause you to fall into doubt. So before we continue, let's go to the Lord and ask for his help. Please pray for me. I will faithfully proclaim God's word and I will pray for you that you will faithfully receive God's word. Father, you have never once given us a reason to doubt you.08:18But we come before you today to acknowledge that we doubt you all the time.08:23We worry, we stress, we give ourselves over to anxiety.08:30Father, we repent of this and we ask for your help to change.08:35May you use your word to transform us.08:39May you use your word to remind us of your past faithfulness.08:44So the Israelites have escaped slavery in Egypt. They were delivered from the Egyptian army and they passed through the Red Sea. Last week we learned they survived their horrible act of idolatry at the base of Mount Sinai.09:14of disobedience, they're finally at the edge of the promised land. They made it. This journey was a lot harder than it needed to be, but they're finally here. It's like when you're driving on vacation in bumper to bumper traffic and your kids are arguing the whole time. The trip was really painful, but it's going to be worth it, right? The trip's going to be worth it. The destination is going to make all that worth it, right?09:44of the Israelites. Not so much when it comes to the Israelite family vacation.09:50They botched the trip to the promised land, and they're about to botch the trip into the promised land.09:58Twelve spies are sent to spy out the land, scope out the enemies that occupy it, and bring back a report.10:05Before they head out, Moses gives them a pep talk in chapter 13, verse 20.10:10He says, be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land. As you discussed, only two of the spies listen to Moses. Only two of them are of good courage and bring back a good report. Ten of them are cowards and they bring back a very negative report. These men choose to travel down the path that leads to doubt. And their path to doubt is the same exact path to doubt that you and I willingly walk down all the time.10:45So what is the path to doubt?10:49There are four attitudes and actions that will lead you to doubting the Lord and His good purposes for you.10:56So on your outline, I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.11:02I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.11:10Let's read verses 25-27 of chapter 13.11:36It flows with milk and honey. And this is its fruit. So far, so good, right? The first section of this report seems faithful. They give a positive description of the land. It's flowing with milk and honey. They even obey Moses' command and bring back some of the fruit of the land. Good job, guys. Well, this thumbs up is about to turn to a thumbs down. Very quickly, this report goes off the rails in verses 28 through 29.12:06However, that's when it goes wrong. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large, and besides, we saw the descendants of Anaknir.12:19The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negev.12:21The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country.12:25And the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the Jordan.12:31They're doing great until that, however, changes everything.12:38Yes, the land has a lot of flocks.12:40It has a lot of fruit.12:42It's a great land.12:44But the people there are really scary.12:47They are freakishly tall.12:48They have huge cities with massive walls.12:51They are way too strong.12:56There are enemies everywhere.13:00The unfaithful spies overshadow the goodness of the land with their however talk.13:07They downplay God's good gift to them, and they overhype the obstacles in their way.13:14You and I are great at this kind of however talk as well.13:19You think to yourself, yeah, I should be more present at home and engaging with my kids.13:24However, I'm just so exhausted when I get home.13:27I have nothing left to give.13:31Oh, I know I should take part in the New Testament reading plans that they're doing at Harvest. However, I'm just way too busy to commit to something like that. Maybe whenever life slows down. I should lead my family in devotions. However, I don't really know what I would say. I don't really know what I would do, so I'm just going to avoid that. I know I should share my faith and tell people about Jesus. However, I'm an introvert.14:00And it really makes me uncomfortable to do that. However talk leads to doubt. Doubt leads to disobedience. And disobedience leads to a denial of the blessings that God wants to give to you. A voice of reason cuts through their however talk in verse 30. Caleb, one of the faithful spies, speaks up for God and tells the truth. He calls people to action. Look at verse 30. But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and occupy it for we are well able to overcome it. The unfaithful spies are dumping gasoline on the fire and fueling the fear of the people. The Israelites must respond in a loud panic because Caleb has to shut them up. He says, shush them so that they will listen to them.15:00And Caleb says, guys, let's stop talking and let's start going. We will defeat them. This is Caleb's epic movie moment. He is rallying the troops like William Wallace and Braveheart or Theoden in Lord of the Rings. If this were a movie, the epic music would blast. They would all raise their swords and storm the promised land. Happy ending. Is that what happens?15:30Now, the response to Caleb's epic speech is more however talk. The unfaithful spies ratchet up. They intensify their bad report in verses 31 through 33. Then the men who had gone up with him said, we are not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we are. A.K.A. they are stronger than God.16:01So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out saying the land through which we have gone to spy out is a land that devours its inhabitants and all the people that we saw in it are of a great height and there we saw the Nephilim the sons of Anak who come from the Nephilim and we seem to ourselves like grasshoppers and so we seemed to them. In verse 27 They mix in a positive description of the land. It's flowing with milk and honey. In these verses, they are straight negative. Now on second thought, the land isn't so great. Actually, it's a terrible place that will destroy us, that will devour us, and the people there are way too strong. We will lose if we go. What is their problem? Why are they saying these things?17:00making a bad decision you'll say and do just about anything to carry that out you'll exaggerate you'll lie you'll steamroll over others who disagree with you never underestimate the power of fear and its ability to distort your perception of reality the unfaithful spies are paralyzed by what they saw in the promised land and they are too and do what God said.17:35Can you relate to the ten unfaithful spies at all?17:40Do you ever exaggerate your problems?17:44Do you ever catastrophize your life?17:49Do you feel paralyzed by your circumstances right now and unable to move forward?17:56Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstances of your marriage right now.18:01Your marriage hasn't been good for months, maybe even years, and you've given up hope that it will ever change, so you just sleepwalk through life.18:11Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstances of your children not really caring about Jesus, constantly disobeying you, and you've just given up.18:23You doubt that things will ever change. So you wave the white flag. Maybe the difficult circumstance you are paralyzed by right now is a relational strain in your life. You and a family member haven't talked for a long time. Whenever you're in the same room, there's a lot of tension. And you doubt that it will ever improve. So you stop doing your part in reconciling the relationship. Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstance of a very hard decision that you need to make very soon. And you think to yourself, there's no way there will be a positive outcome to this, so it doesn't really matter what I decide. You're paralyzed. You don't know what to do, so you decide to do nothing. You decide to disobey the Lord. And please hear me, I know that many of you are going through an intense season of suffering. Some of which I know, some of which I don't know. You're experiencing loss, isolation, sickness, deep wounds in your family. The hits keep on coming and you don't see an end in sight. I do not want to minimize your pain, but I do want to maximize your view of the Lord. You will continue to be paralyzed by your circumstances until you choose to focus on the God who is far greater and far stronger than your circumstances. You may have been thrown for a loop by what happened to you, but God wasn't. Instead of being paralyzed by the immensity of your problems, be encouraged by the immensity of your God. When you have a small vision of God, your problems seem unbelievably out of control.20:27But when you have a big vision of a big God, your problems are teeny tiny in comparison.20:34Small God, big problems.20:36Big God, small problems.20:38Do that with me.20:39Small God, big problems.20:42Big God, small problems.20:45Remember, I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.20:50Secondly, I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. The day after a presidential election is a fascinating social experiment, isn't it? Does the losing side really respond with grace and poise? Almost never. You turn on the TV, no matter who wins, no matter who loses, there is a temper tantrum.21:20There's upset feelings. There's even crying. People threatening to leave the country, which never actually happens. I've never seen that. People actually follow through on that. The Israelites react to this bad report in a very similar way at the beginning of Numbers 14. Look at verses 1 through 4 of chapter 14. Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.21:50The whole congregation said to them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would that we had died in the wilderness?21:56Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword?22:00Our wives and our little ones will become a prey.22:03Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?22:08And they said to one another, Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.22:15Wouldn't you know it, it's pity party time.22:18The Israelites are feeling bad for themselves. Do you see yourself in this response at all? I know that I do. I had a very bad reaction a few weeks ago. I had a very long and frustrating day, and I just wanted to go to bed. Anybody else, has that ever happened to you? You're just like, I'm just done with this day. I want to start over fresh tomorrow. And I thought to myself, you know what, I'm just going to fill up my water bottle, just in case I'm thirsty in the middle I'm going to go to bed. So I fill it up to the brim. It's a pretty big water bottle. Here's the problem. I didn't tighten the lid. So when I go to grab it, it spills over the entire counter. It goes down into all the drawers and it goes back behind the oven. And I just sit there and be like, what just happened? The water was everywhere. It took me 20 minutes to clean it up. I had to pull the oven out and dry behind there. And then you see all the stuff that's under your oven, which is really gross. So I'm scrubbing. I'm vacuuming. I'm doing all that. I have to pull all the drawers open and towel them dry. All of our pans are soaked. All of our bread bags are soaked. I'm fuming. And I go up to my bedroom and I tell my wife all about it. I have a very bad reaction. I say, why does this stuff always happen to me? I'm like a magnet for annoying and embarrassing stories. And then I proceeded to list all the embarrassing things that happened to me recently.23:47Like getting hit by an uninsured DoorDash driver. Who else has that happened to? Breaking my foot on stilts. Who else has that happened to? If you don't know that story, take me to Chick-fil-A sometime and I'll tell you all about it. But anyway, I'm going through this list and I finally finish my monologue. And my wife says, nothing. And she looks at me with the look that only a wife can have.24:17This water incident was not ridiculous. My response was ridiculous. Even more than that, my response was ungodly and wrong. The Israelites' response in this passage is ridiculous. It's ungodly. It's wrong. They grumble and complain against their leaders. They grumble and complain against God. They even accuse God of pulling a cruel prank on them.24:45Oh, God only brought us out of Egypt so we could die here. He did that to kill our children. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, guys. God did all that just to zing you. Right. It's ridiculous. Foolish thinking leads to foolish behavior. I don't want to focus too much on their grumbling because we're going to talk about their complaining more at the end of this series. The Israelites not only complain and make accusations, They also openly rebel against God. And they start a mutiny. They refuse to enter the promised land. And they say, we're going back to Egypt. They want to go back to slavery. Why would they want to do that? Why would the Israelites want to go back to slavery? Because it's familiar. Because it's comfortable. Because there are no surprises.25:46They know what to expect from day to day. A life of bondage is more comfortable than a life of trusting God. And the same is true for Christians today. This is why in times of trial and uncertainty, you are the most tempted to go back to who you used to be and what you used to do before Jesus Christ saved you. You are the most tempted to slip back into your old sinful patterns.26:16And Paul warns against this temptation in Romans 6, 20-21. He says, For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at the time from the things of which you were now ashamed? What good did it do you? For the end of those things is death. There is no upside to sin. There is no benefit to going back. It is pointless.26:46You will be disappointed when you slip back into your old self. When you slip back into your old sinful patterns. It's like watching a movie that you used to love when you were a kid, but now it does nothing for you. Just turn it off and move on. It's like slipping into an old jacket that used to fit you so well in high school or college, but now it's way too loose, it's way too tight. Take it off, throw it in the trash, and wear something that's fits who you actually are now.27:20I could spend the rest of this sermon listing off all the sinful patterns you are tempted to slip back into.27:26But that's pointless because you know exactly what sinful pattern you are tempted to slip back into.27:35Maybe you're feeling that itch right now.27:39Maybe you've scratched that itch already and you're feeling that urge yet again.27:46Well, please consider the answer to these two questions with me. When has sin ever helped you? What's the answer to that question? Never. When has sin ever been the right solution to your problem? Not even once. Going back to your past sin will only hurt you and it will never help you. It will only amplify the fears and doubts that you're already experiencing.28:14experiencing. Sometimes it feels like the current of temptation is impossible to resist.28:20But that's not true.28:22Don't just give up and go back.28:24Instead, by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, dig in and move forward.28:31Be honest with a Christian friend or family member.28:36Talk to me or one of the elders after service.28:38We would love to pray for you.28:39We would love to give you the counsel that you need.28:43Listen to the warning of this passage. I know that many of you just need to hear from the Lord. You don't have to go back. You don't have to do this. Do you believe that? You don't have to go back. You may feel like you have to give in to your sin, but you don't. You don't have to do this. You I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances. I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. I will doubt if I tune out godly counsel. I will tune out if I tune out godly counsel. At this point, most of the Israelites are packing their bags and typing the address for Egypt in their GPS. They are ready to go.29:43But there are four men who are willing to stand in the gap and go against the grain of this insanity. And two of these men are the faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb. They speak up and give godly counsel. In chapter 14, verses 5 through 9.30:13and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, the land which we passed to to spy it out is an exceedingly good land.30:22If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.30:30Only do not rebel against the Lord.30:33And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bred for us.30:37Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us.30:41Do not fear them. Caleb is two for two with the inspiring speeches. And this time Joshua, his friend, backs him up. You think, okay, maybe this time the people will listen. Maybe this time they will respond in faith instead of doubt. Look at their response in verse 10. Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Once again, you just want to reach the Pages of Scripture and shake them by the shoulders. Why won't you listen? Why do you keep disobeying? Why do you keep doubting? Those are great questions. Let me answer those questions with questions of my own. Have you ever not listened to God's Word in the past? Have you ever closed your Bible after reading it and not done what it said?31:41Have you ever not lived out what you were called to in a faithful sermon? Have you ever tuned out godly counsel from a wise Christian friend? I see a lot of nodding heads. I hear some yeses. But why? Why didn't you listen to God's word? Why did you tune out godly counsel? Because you thought you knew better than God. You trusted yourself.32:11when you should have trusted him. That godly counsel from a solid Christian friend wasn't what you wanted to hear, so you chose to go with your own way. You chose to follow your own advice. Like mold, doubt thrives in the darkness. Doubt will continue to spread in your heart and your mind if you do not willingly expose yourself to the light of God's word. But here's the thing.32:41It's not enough to just buy a lamp and put it in your living room.32:46What do you need to do next?32:49Turn it on.32:50That's the only way you can experience the illuminating power of the lamp.32:54You have to do something.32:56This requires action.32:58It's the same with God's Word.33:00It's not enough just to have the Bible on your nightstand, on your bookshelf.33:05You have to actually do something.33:07You have to actually read it.33:10It's not even enough just to read the Bible. It's not enough just to come every Sunday and hear the Word. You have to actually do something with it. You have to actually have action and follow through. You have to live in obedience to it to truly experience the life-giving power of God's Word. The death-destroying power of Scripture. This requires you doing what it says.33:40I stole it from the Bible. Listen to James.33:45But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.33:48For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in the mirror.33:55For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.33:59But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.34:11The Israelites hear what God has to say, but they do not do what God says. They are hearers who forget and not doers who act, so they forfeit God's blessing. Are you a hearer who forgets? Or are you a doer who acts and receives God's blessing? Could it be that you are so worried, anxious, and filled with doubt because you know a lot this book, but you're not doing a lot with this book.34:46Your knowledge of Scripture is very high, but your obedience percentage is very, very low.34:55I have to tell you, that's a very destructive place to be, and you do not want to stay there.35:01If you stay in that position of knowing a lot, but not doing what the Bible says, you will doubt that God knows what He is doing.35:09You will doubt that God loves you. You will doubt your salvation. You will not have an assurance of your faith. This is why so many believers do not believe in the truth of the gospel, not trust that they have an assurance. They're not living in obedience to Scripture. They're not enjoying that close fellowship that comes with doing what God says. You know the Bible, but don't live it out. You will doubt.35:39It's just a matter of time.35:43I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.35:47I will doubt if I choose the comfort of sin.35:50I will doubt if I tune out godly counsel.35:53And finally, I will doubt if I follow the crowd.35:58I will doubt if I follow the crowd.36:04Israel is about to treat Joshua and Caleb like human pinatas.36:08They're about to stone them.36:11Then in chapter 14, verse 10, God shows up on the scene himself and stops the whole thing, and he takes Moses aside for a personal conversation.36:22It's very similar to what we studied last week in Exodus chapter 32.36:26Once again, God tells Moses, I'm going to destroy this rebellious people and start over with you.36:33Once again, Moses pleads for mercy.36:37And once again, God responds that plea for mercy and chooses to save the Israelites. God answers Moses' request, but there will be consequences. There will be consequences for the doubters, and there will be blessing for those who remain faithful. Let's look at these consequences and blessings in chapter 14, verse 20 into 38. I know it's a lot, but please stay with me.37:07But truly, as I live, as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers, and none of those who despise me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him to the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.37:37Now since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying, How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel which they grumble against me. Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.38:07who have grumbled against me. Not one shall come into this land where I swore you, where I make you to dwell, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in the wilderness, and your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness 40 years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness. And for the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.38:38According to the number of the days in which you spy out the land, 40 days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity 40 years, and you shall know my displeasure. I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this I will do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me. In this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die. And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him, by bringing up a bad report, the man who brought up a bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord. Of those who went out to spy the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive. Let's cover the consequences first. The older generations who doubted and grumbled will never see the promised land. They will die in the wilderness. And along the way they'll have to wander for 40 years.39:37One year for every single day the spies were in the land. The younger generations will see the promised land, but they have to wait for 40 years. So if you are 19 when this happened, how old will you be when you see the promised land? 59 years old. These are the consequences for doubting the Lord. These are the consequences for caring about public opinion more than God's definitive word.40:06These are the consequences for following the crowd instead of following the Lord. But there is blessing for those who follow the Lord instead of follow the crowd. God says only two of the spies will not die. Only two of the spies will see the promised land. Joshua and Caleb. These men remain faithful when everyone around them is faithless. They choose to trust when everyone else doubts.40:37Why? What makes them so special? Well, God tells us. God says it's about Caleb. He has a different spirit than the rest of the Israelites. He says he follows the Lord fully. What does that mean? It means that Caleb does whatever God says, no matter what. When it's easy, when it's not so easy, when it seems impossible.41:10He only cares about what God says. He doesn't lick His finger and try to figure out which direction the wind is blowing. He is willing to stand out as different. He refuses to blend in and be like everybody else. Do you have a different spirit than the non-believers around you? Do you have a different spirit than the non-Christians at work, your non-Christian neighbors? Or do you look just like them? Do you follow the Lord fully, or do you follow the Lord half-heartedly? I said at the beginning of this message that many Christians look just as anxious, stressed out, and worried as the non-Christians around them. Is that you today?42:08If that's you, you can have a different spirit today. You can follow the Lord fully today. You can bring all of your cares, all of your intrusive thoughts to God, and His perfect peace will guard your heart and your mind today. You can cast all of your anxieties on Him today because He cares for you today. And every other day after that, you can make a change today.42:36I really don't want you to mishear me. Please listen carefully.42:40You will experience doubt. You will experience worry. You will experience fear.42:47These are just the realities of living in a fallen world. But you do not need to be controlled by these things any longer. You don't need to be worried all the time. Do not sentence yourself to a life of stress.43:02It may be a badge of honor in this sinful culture, but it will not be rewarded in heaven. Being worried all the time may seem normal by this world's standards, but it is not normal by heaven's standards. Do not follow the crowd and willingly travel down the path to doubt any longer. Be on guard against the four attitudes and actions that will lead you down the path to doubt.43:31You will doubt if you are paralyzed by your circumstances. You will doubt if you choose the comfort of your past. You will doubt if you tune out godly counsel. And you will doubt if you follow the crowd. The Lord is so faithful in giving us what we need to fight against doubt. He has given us His word. He has given us prayer. He has given us His people.44:01and he has given us the Lord's Supper. You may be wondering, how does communion help me to fight against doubt? Every single time we share in this meal together, we are rejecting the lies of this world and we are proclaiming the truths of God's word. Every single time we take part in this meal together, we are rejecting the lies that Jesus is just a made-up fairy tale or some moral teacher who has nice things to say 2,000 years ago. We are proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord. We are rejecting the lies that we're not sure what happens after you die, or there are multiple ways to God. No, instead, we are proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. We are rejecting the lies that God doesn't care about us. We are proclaiming that God is our Father, and He adopted us through faith in His Son.45:00We are rejecting the lie that we could ever be good enough to earn God's love and we are proclaiming that in Christ we are loved by God. We are accepted by God. We are forgiven. We are made new. Every single time we share this meal together we are rejecting the lies of this world and proclaiming the unshakable truths of heaven. What better way is there to fight against doubt than that? Our communion servers and our worship team can now make their way forward.45:31You do not need to be a member of Harvest Bible Chapel to take part in the Lord's Supper, but you do need to be a member of the family of God. There are some of you in this room who do not have faith in Jesus Christ. You doubt what the Bible says about who He is and what He has done. If that's you, I encourage you to stay seated. I encourage you to consider where your doubt has led you. Doubting Jesus has only led to misery, heartache, and pain. I implore you today to be done with doubt and to place your trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. If you are a born-again believer in Jesus, in a few moments you will walk down one of the center aisles and come receive the elements from one of our servers. You will go back to your seat and wait until we take the Lord's Supper together. You can come as you are ready. Small Group DiscussionRead Numbers 13:1-14:38What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why has worry become such an acceptable sin in the church? What do you tend to worry and stress about the most?What circumstances are you paralyzed by and how can you begin to move forward?What biblical command or godly counsel do you need to apply to your life right now?BreakoutPray for one another.

Wednesday July 8, 2026VI Week after PentecostToday's episode reminds us that God's grace is greater than our failures, His promises are received by faith, and His kingdom operates by grace rather than human merit. In Numbers 16:36–50, the aftermath of Korah's rebellion reveals both God's holiness and His mercy. Although judgment has fallen, the people continue to grumble, bringing another outbreak of judgment upon the congregation. Yet Moses instructs Aaron to take incense and stand between the living and the dead, making atonement for the people. Aaron's act of intercession foreshadows the greater work of Christ, who stands in the gap for us and offers reconciliation with God.In Romans 4:13–25, Paul explains that God's promise to Abraham was never based on the law but on faith. Abraham believed God even when the fulfillment of His promise seemed impossible, and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. That same promise extends to all who believe in Jesus, who was delivered over for our sins and raised for our justification.Finally, in Matthew 20:1–16, Jesus Christ tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Those hired late in the day receive the same wage as those who labored from the beginning, illustrating that God's kingdom is built on grace, not human calculation. Salvation is God's generous gift, and His blessings are distributed according to His goodness, not our perceived deserving.Together, these passages remind us that we are saved by God's grace from beginning to end. Christ is our perfect intercessor, God's promises are secured through faith, and His kingdom invites us to rejoice in His generosity rather than compare ourselves to others.

Tuesday July 7, 2026VI Week after PentecostToday's episode highlights the contrast between self-reliance and saving faith, reminding us that God's grace is received through humble trust, not human achievement. In Numbers 16:20–35, the rebellion of Korah reaches its tragic conclusion. Despite Moses' repeated warnings, Korah and those who joined him refuse to repent, and God's judgment falls upon them. The passage is a sobering reminder that pride and rebellion against God's authority carry serious consequences, while humility and obedience lead to life.In Romans 4:1–12, Paul points to Abraham as the great example of justification by faith. Long before the law was given or circumcision was instituted, Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God. Salvation has always been by grace through faith, not by religious rituals or human effort. Our standing before God rests entirely on His promise and our trust in Him.Finally, in Matthew 19:23–30, Jesus Christ teaches how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven—not because wealth is inherently sinful, but because it can so easily become a substitute for dependence on God. Yet Jesus offers hope with these powerful words: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” He also promises that those who sacrifice for His sake will receive an eternal reward far greater than anything they leave behind.Together, these passages remind us that pride leads to destruction, faith is the only path to righteousness, and the kingdom of God belongs to those who trust Him completely rather than relying on their own status, possessions, or accomplishments.

In Numbers 21, God's people grumble against God and Moses, and venomous snakes fill the camp. But those who look to God's gracious remedy are spared. Join Young Adults Pastor Dallas Viva and Teaching Pastor Steve Bang Lee as they talk about this powerful story and how it foreshadows the coming of Jesus!

We now come to the passage in the Bible that some of you have heard so much about. For some of you, you are already familiar with the story of how God miraculously healed me, so I will not spend much time retelling it. However, there is something I have not talked much about, and it has to do with my response to this passage in Revelation 7:9-17. When I was serving as the senior pastor at Northwest Baptist Church, the pressure of ministry began to affect me in ways I did not expect. The church was in a difficult season, and I was carrying a lot. Anxiety began to take a toll on my health. Because of my family history, my doctor sent me to a cardiologist, who ordered a CT scan in 2007. The results were sobering. The scan showed seven areas of calcified plaque in my left coronary artery, and my calcium score was higher than ninety percent of men my age. I was only thirty-two years old, and because my dad died when he was forty-seven, you can imagine where my mind went. Suddenly, I was scheduled for a cardiac catheterization, wondering whether I was going to die young like my father. That Friday morning, before a Converge Rocky Mountain regional gathering, I prayed a simple prayer: Lord, would You encourage me from Your Word? Then I opened my Bible, and it opened to Revelation 7:912. I read about the great multitude no one could number, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and the Lamb, crying out, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Honestly, nothing happened. I read it, closed my Bible, and went on with my day. I believed Revelation was the Word of God, but I had mostly learned to read it as a book about future events, so I did not yet grasp the pastoral comfort God had placed in this vision. The next morning, as we sang How Great Is Our God, the imagery of Revelation 7 rushed back to me. It was as though the Lord gently pressed a question into my heart: Keith, do you understand what awaits you if you die? That was the question I had missed. I had read Revelation 7 as a future scene, but I had not yet learned to receive it as comfort for the present. In that moment, the fear began to liftnot because I knew what would happen during the catheterization, but because the Lord reminded me of where I was going if I belonged to the Lamb. If I lived, I belonged to Christ. If I died, I would be with Christ. Either way, my future was secure. The following week, during the cardiac catheterization, the cardiologist paused and said, Keith, theres nothing there. The plaque that had appeared on the CT scan was gone. I cannot explain it medically, but I believe God, in His mercy, protected me. Yet the gift God gave me in that season was not only more years. He also began to open my eyes to this books purpose. Revelation is not merely a book for charting future events. It is given to strengthen the church by showing us Jesus Christ. It is for suffering, anxious, grieving, persecuted, and weary saints who need to be reminded that the Lamb is on the throne. Revelation 7:917 shows us where every person who belongs to the Lamb is headed. The people of the Lamb will stand before the throne. They will be clothed in white. They will worship. They will be sheltered by God. They will hunger no more. They will thirst no more. The Lamb will be their Shepherd. God Himself will wipe away every tear from their eyes. What I did not understand then is that this passage not only gives us a glimpse of heaven; it also comforts every Christian from every generation. This passage is for me, and it is for you. God is the Keeper of Salvation (vv. 9-12) As we saw last week, John hears the number of Gods sealed people described as 144,000 from the tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:48), but when he looks, he sees a great multitude no one can number from every nation, tribe, people, and language (v. 9). These are not two separate peoples of God; they are Jews and Gentiles gathered into one redeemed people through Israels Messiah. The promise God gave to Abrahamthat all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen. 12:3)has come to full bloom through Christ, the Lamb who purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:910). Now, in Revelation 7, that redeemed people stands before the throne and the Lamb, where no one in Revelation 6 could stand (Rev. 6:17; 7:9). After God mercifully spared me and the doctors found my left coronary artery clear, one of the first people I told was Ed Hardesty. He said, Remember, son, just as quickly as God removed that plaque from your arteries, He can put it right back again. That was a word I needed to hear. God had not healed me so that I could go on living as though my life belonged to me. He had healed me for a purpose, and that purpose is centered around His mission. But there was another lesson for me right there in Revelation 7. Why does John first hear the people of God described as 144,000 sons of Israel before he sees them as a multitude from the nations? The list has the feel of a census, and more specifically, a military census. In Numbers 1, Israel was counted by tribe according to the number of men able to go to war (Num. 1:23), and that census begins with Reuben, Jacobs firstborn. But Revelation 7 begins with Judah, because from Judah came the Lion who is also the Lamb (Rev. 5:5). In other words, Revelation is not merely giving us a headcount of redeemed Jewish men; it is giving us a Christ-centered picture of the people of God gathered and ordered around the conquering Lamb. Scripture also connects wartime readiness with consecration. When David and his men needed bread, Ahimelech asked whether the young men had kept themselves from women, and David answered that they had, because they were on a holy mission (1 Sam. 21:45). Later, when David tried to cover up his sin with Bathsheba, Uriah refused to go home to his wife while Israels army was in the field. He said, The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? (2 Sam. 11:11). Uriah understood something David had forgotten: a soldier at war does not live as though the war does not exist. That background also helps us when we come to Revelation 14, where the 144,000 are described in the ESV and NIV as those who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins (Rev. 14:4). That wording can be misleading if we assume John is referring only to literal unmarried men. The Greek word translated virgins isparthenoi, fromparthenos, which can refer to virginity but can also carry the idea of chastity or purity. This is why the NASB2020 translates Revelation 14:4, These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. The point is not that only unmarried men belong to the Lamb, or that these men are a specific group of virgin men who will be saved in the future. The point is symbolic. Revelation portrays the 144,000 as a consecrated people whose allegiance to the Lamb is marked by purity, devotion, and wartime faithfulness. They have not given themselves over to spiritual adultery with Babylon; they belong wholly to the Lamb. This is what I missed for so many years. The census of the 144,000 sons of Israel represents the great multitude redeemed from the nations, and their devotion to the Lamb includes a wartime ethic. Paul says, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:1112). This ethic runs throughout Revelation. Jesus told the church in Smyrna, Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life (2:10). The martyrs under the altar had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne (6:9). Revelation 12 says the people of God conquered the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, because they loved not their lives even unto death (12:11). Revelation 14 describes the 144,000 as those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes (14:4). Revelation 18 calls Gods people to come out of her... lest you take part in her sins (18:4). How is the Christian able to remain faithful with a wartime ethic? They are able to resist because they have the seal of God upon them. It is the One on the throne who is keeping those who belong to Him (John 10:27-30), and it is He who promises to complete the work He is doing in and through them, for Paul wrote of this very thing: And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Listen, salvation in the Bible is not only the forgiveness of sins and pardon from the wrath of God; it also includes the promise that those sealed by the Spirit belong to God and will be kept until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:5). This is why the redeemed multitude of both Jews and Gentiles from the nations cry out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! (Rev. 7:10). And this is why all the angels around the throne and the four living creatures fall on their faces in worship of God, saying, Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen (v. 12). Salvation is for the Christian to Experience (vv. 13-17) Now, the other thing I did not recognize in 2007 but discovered while tracing the parallels in Revelation has been right in front of me all these yearsand I missed it. For years, I assumed the great multitude in Revelation 7 described only the martyred saints from the fifth seal, those who were slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne (Rev. 6:9). But one of the elders asked John, Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come? (v. 13). That question is our first clue to the identity of this great multitude. When was the last time in Revelation that one of the elders spoke directly to John? It was two chapters earlier, when John wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll. Then one of the elders said to him, Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered (5:5). But when John looked, he did not see a conquering lion in the way we might expect; he saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain. Then the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sang a new song explaining how the Lamb conquered: Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth (5:910). That matters because the elder in Revelation 7 is helping John see the result of the Lambs victory. The great multitude standing before the throne is not limited to the martyrs from the fifth seal, though they are certainly included. This multitude is the people Jesus ransomed by His bloodthe redeemed from every tribe, language, people, and nation across every generation, kept by God until the Day of the Lord. John knows that the elder already knows the answer, so he says, Sir, you know. Then the elder answers his own question: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (v. 14). The second clue to the identity of this multitude is what made their robes white: the blood of the Lamb. Blood does not normally make things clean; it stains. But Revelation shows us what the blood of Jesus does for sinners. Isaiah said, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Isa. 1:18). John writes, the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Revelation has already told us that Jesus loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (1:5). So when Revelation 7 says their robes have been made white in the blood of the Lamb, it speaks of salvation. They are clean before God because the Lamb was slain for them, and that salvation is received by faith in Him. There is a third clue about who these redeemed people are, found in verse 15: they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. This is priestly language. In the Old Testament, Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex. 19:6). Now, through the blood of the Lamb, that calling is fulfilled in the redeemed people of Jesus Christ. Revelation 5 has already told us that the Lamb ransomed people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation, and made them a kingdom and priests to our God (Rev. 5:910). So the multitude in Revelation 7 is not a separate group from those introduced in Revelation 5. They are the priestly people of God, standing before His throne, serving Him in His temple, and wholly belonging to the Lamb. One other thing needs to be pointed out here. Revelation 7 does not say these Christians are only those who were slain for their faith, as we saw in the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9), nor does it identify them specifically as those who were beheaded, as we will see later in Revelation 20:4. Instead, they are identified as those coming out of the great tribulation (v. 14). We will have more time later in Revelation to unpack the repeated time markers John usesthree and a half years, 1,260 days, and forty-two monthsbut for now, it is enough to say that Revelation presents the church as living in tribulation now, while also pointing to an intensified expression of that tribulation before the return of Christ. So when the elder speaks of the great tribulation, I understand him to be describing the full reality of the churchs suffering in this age, including its intensified expression before Jesus comes again. The encouragement of Revelation 7 is not that the people of the Lamb avoid tribulation, but that they come out of it. They are brought safely through it, washed by the blood of the Lamb, and gathered before the throne of God. Notice how the elder describes those who are brought safely through the tribulation: They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (v. 14). He portrays their cleansing as a completed action. In other words, nothing you can ever do can add to or take away from the salvation Jesus purchased for you through the shedding of His blood. Jesus could not have been clearer: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). You are saved by the blood of Christ and by Him alone. Belief results in salvation, but do not misunderstand: true belief in the Son also leads to obedience. While it is true that we will still sin, the evidence that you believe and have been saved by the blood of the Lamb is that you run to Him out of hatred for your sin and love for the One who saved your soul. This is the point John makes in his epistle: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:79). This is why the multitude cries out with a loud voice, and why one day we will join them: Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! (Rev. 7:10). And what is this salvation that awaits all the redeemed of the Lord? It is salvation, full and completewhen sin and death are no more, when sighing and sorrow flee away, when what is mortal is swallowed up by life, and when God wipes away every tear from the eyes of those covered by the blood of the Lamb. On that day, we will experience the promise of Revelation 7:1617: They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. What guarantee do you have that you will come out of the tribulation? What assurance do you have that when you stand before Jesus, you will not hear those terrible words, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness (Matt. 7:23)? Revelation gives us the answer at the very center of the book: And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death (12:11). The assurance of the Christian is not that we were strong enough to hold on to Jesus, but that the blood of the Lamb was strong enough to cleanse us, the testimony of Jesus was strong enough to keep us, and the grace of God was strong enough to make us faithful even unto death.

In Numbers 13 Moses sent twelve men to look at the Promised Land and report back. Two of those men brought a good report and urged the nation to rise up and begin the invasion. Ten, however, did not believe it was possible for Israel to prevail and they spread panic among the people. Why did they bring a bad report? Why did God punish the entire nation for their failure?.

June 2, 2026 Daily Devotional:  “Moving Beyond Survival Mode”Numbers 14:22–23 ​"...not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." ​It is easy to look at the Israelites in the wilderness and judge them. We read about the parted waters, the daily bread falling from the sky, and the pillars of cloud and fire, and we wonder: How could they possibly doubt God after seeing all of that? But if we look closely at Numbers 14, we find a mirror, not just a history lesson. The Israelites had just arrived at the border of the Promised Land. Instead of looking at God's track record, theylooked at the height of the Canaanite giants and the strength of their walled cities. Fear swept through the camp, and they began to grumble, even talking about choosing a new leader to take them back to Egypt, back to the very slavery God had just rescued them from. ​God's response in verses 22 and 23 is heartbreakingly sober. He notes that they tested Him "ten times." In ancient Hebrew culture, the number ten often symbolized completeness. God was essentially saying, "Their unbelief is complete. They have a pattern of forgetting my goodness the second a new problem arises." The tragedy of the wilderness generation isn't that they weren't blessed; it's that they let the weight of their current problem erase the memory of God's past faithfulness. They treated God's history of miracles as if it meant nothing, which the text painfully describes as treating Him with contempt. But if we look closer, we see a people who were profoundly exhausted. They had spent generations in survival mode under the crushing weight of Egyptian bondage. When you live in survival mode for that long, fear becomes a habit. Even after the chains are broken, your mind is still trained to look for the next threat, to assume the worst, and to believe that safety is an illusion. In Numbers 14:22–23, God delivers a pivotal verdict to Moses regarding the Israelites who had constantly doubted and rebelled against Him after being freed from Egypt. This passage highlights the relationship between faith, obedience, and rest. God didn't stop providing for them—He still gave them manna and protected them in the desert—but their persistent distrust locked them out of the ultimate blessing He had prepared for them. It serves as a warning about how chronic fear and complaining can cause someone to miss out on the peace and promises meant for their life. ​We do the same thing when a bill arrives, a medical report comes back, or a relationship fractures, and we immediately panic as if God has never shown up for us before. Amnesia is the enemy of faith. When we have a short memory, we create our own prolonged wilderness. ​God did not abandon His promise to Israel—He still brought their children into the land. But a whole generation missed out on the peace, rest, and abundance meant for them because they chose to live by sight instead of memory. Today, combat your anxiety by deliberately remembering. Your current giant is no match for the God who has already carried you through Egypt. ​Take a moment to step out of the rush and reflect on where your heart is resting today. It is exhausting to live with your guard up all the time. God didn't deliver youfrom past hardships just so you could survive in a different desert. He brought you out to bring you in to a place of deeper peace, purpose, and spiritual rest.

https://youtu.be/Qd6qplgMVdU https://www.uncommen.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/May-29th.mp3 The Devastating Cost of Staying Out of the Way There is a silent but devastating epidemic crippling the modern Christian home, and it has absolutely nothing to do with being a bad provider or a bad person. The crisis is happening inside our own families, dressed in the most comfortable, socially acceptable clothing available. It sounds exactly like this: “I just let my wife manage the schedule because she's better at it anyway, and it creates less conflict.” Men repeat this line like a badge of wisdom, like a strategy, like the peace they think they are building. But that sentiment is not wisdom. It is a devastating retreat from the very post God called you to guard — and your family is paying the price for your absence every single day. The modern definition of keeping the peace has tricked men into completely abandoning biblical leadership in the home. We have been sold a massive lie that staying out of the way is a form of grace toward our wives and families. For generations, men have mistakenly assumed that biblical leadership in the home was reserved for intense spiritual giants — the guys who pray for an hour before sunrise and have every theological answer ready on demand. But biblical leadership in the home is not a personality type; it is a command, and it belongs to every man sitting on a couch while his family drifts without direction. The cost of outsourcing this responsibility is not just inconvenient. It is spiritually catastrophic. The Adam Problem: Passivity Is Not Neutral Most men think of passivity as the absence of a problem. If you are not yelling, not absent, not addicted to something destructive, you have cleared the bar. This is the Adam Problem, and it is as old as the first chapter of the human story. When the serpent approached Eve in the garden, Adam was right there — physically present and spiritually absent. He let the enemy speak without challenge, let the fruit get picked without intervention, and then had the audacity to blame the woman God gave him for the entire catastrophe. Biblical leadership in the home was the first thing men abandoned in human history, and we have been repeating that exact pattern ever since. Passive leadership is not neutral territory. Passive leadership is still leadership — it just works entirely for the wrong team. When a passive husband refuses to initiate the spiritual direction of his family, someone else fills that vacuum immediately. The culture fills it. The screens fill it. The school system, the friend group, the social media algorithm fill it. Biblical leadership in the home does not operate in a vacuum; it operates under constant pressure from forces that are absolutely hostile to the faith you are trying to build. Every time you “stay out of the way,” you are making a leadership decision. You are making it by default instead of by design, and the enemy could not be more grateful for your cooperation. Peacekeeping Versus Peacemaking: The Cold War at Your Kitchen Table There is a fundamental, critical difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking, and a staggering number of passive husbands have confused the two completely. Peacekeeping is conflict avoidance dressed up as gentleness. It looks like a man who lets his wife carry the full weight of the family schedule because confronting the chaos feels worse than ignoring it. It looks like a man who goes quiet during an argument because checked out is easier than engaged. Peacekeeping creates a shallow, exhausting Cold War climate in your marriage — the kind where everything appears fine from the outside, but where both people know something critical is fundamentally missing. Biblical leadership in the home is not peacekeeping. It is peacemaking. Peacemaking is far more costly than peacekeeping. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9, ESV) The Greek word used here — eirēnopoios — means one who actively creates peace, not one who passively avoids conflict. Biblical leadership in the home is the work of a peacemaker: a man who walks directly into the hard conversation, the messy logistical disaster, the spiritually drifting household, and brings the full weight of his calling to bear on the problem. A passive husband keeps the peace by retreating. A man committed to biblical leadership in the home makes the peace by stepping in, owning the moment, and working toward genuine unity — not just the absence of noise. The Cold War comparison is not an exaggeration. When a man consistently avoids leading, his wife does not feel loved by his deference; she feels alone in it. She adapts by handling everything herself because someone has to. He retreats further because she seems to have it covered. Over time, the marriage develops a functional distance that has nothing to do with love and everything to do with leadership failure. Biblical leadership in the home does not just affect your spiritual life. It shapes the entire emotional climate of your household, and your silence is one of the loudest statements you make every single week. The Numbers 32:6 Indictment: Why Are You Sitting There? The Bible has absolutely no patience for men who stay on the sideline while others carry the battle. In Numbers 32:6, Moses delivers a direct, brutal rebuke to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who wanted to settle comfortably on the east side of the Jordan rather than cross into the fight: “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here?” (Numbers 32:6, ESV) This is not a gentle pastoral suggestion. This is a public indictment of men who found a comfortable situation and decided that the battle belongs to someone else. The spiritual application is devastating in its accuracy. Every passive husband sitting in a home where his wife is fighting the spiritual battle alone is sitting in the exact same chair as Reuben and Gad. Your brothers are going to war. The fight for your children's faith is happening right now, inside your own living room, and biblical leadership in the home demands you pick up and step into it. Not dominate. Not micromanage. But lead. The verse does not ask whether you are a good provider, a conflict-avoidant man, or a genuinely well-meaning husband. It asks one devastating question: Why are you sitting there while the battle rages around you? Biblical leadership in the home does not require perfection. It requires presence — the kind of engaged, intentional, willing-to-be-uncomfortable presence that most passive husbands have been systematically outsourcing for years. What Biblical Leadership in the Home Actually Looks Like Here is what biblical leadership in the home is not: it is not the loudest voice in the room, the man who controls every decision, or the theological expert who delivers a sermon at the dinner table every night. Those are caricatures, and they are the exact caricatures that passive husbands use to justify their retreat. “I'm not that kind of guy,” they say — as if the only two options are domineering tyrant or quiet bystander. Spiritual leadership for men looks nothing like either extreme. Biblical leadership in the home looks like a man who notices the spiritual temperature of his household and takes responsibility for it. It looks like praying out loud with your wife before bed — not because you have the perfect words, but because you refuse to let that moment go unclaimed. It looks like driving the family devotional even when you feel completely unqualified, because your kids do not need a theologian at the head of the table; they need a father who takes their faith seriously enough to show up for it. It looks like sitting down with your wife and presenting a thoughtful game plan for a major family decision instead of waiting for her to solve it alone. Spiritual leadership for men is fundamentally relational and practical, not performative. The Barna Group has documented consistently that men who actively step into the spiritual leadership of their homes raise children dramatically more likely to maintain their faith into adulthood. (Barna Group Research on Family and Faith) Biblical leadership in the home has generational consequences that ripple far beyond the week you decide to start. The man who steps into this calling today is not just changing his marriage. He is redirecting the trajectory of his entire family for decades. Blind Spots: Why Good Men Stay Passive Most passive husbands are not cruel men. They are not men who have consciously decided not to lead. They are men who have developed powerful, deeply ingrained blind spots that make their retreat feel reasonable — even noble. Understanding these blind spots is a critical component of reclaiming spiritual leadership for men who genuinely want to change. The first blind spot is the competency myth: “She is better at this than I am.” This statement is almost always true on a functional level and completely irrelevant on a leadership level. Biblical leadership in the home is not about being the most competent person in the household. Your wife may be a better organizer, a more emotionally intelligent parent, and a more consistent prayer warrior. None of that eliminates your responsibility to lead. A man who truly grasps biblical leadership in the home invites his wife's strengths into the process rather than using them as an excuse to opt out permanently. The second blind spot is the conflict avoidance trap. Men who grew up in explosive households are often so committed to not repeating that environment that they swing entirely to the opposite extreme. The silence feels like safety. But biblical leadership in the home requires you to make a fundamental distinction: there is a massive difference between a man who avoids creating unnecessary conflict and a man who avoids every uncomfortable moment....

This guide covers the readings appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Day of Pentecost, Year A, falling on May 24, 2026. Pentecost is the fiftieth day of the Easter season — the Sunday on which the church remembers the coming of the Holy Spirit. The lectionary offers several choices at three of the four reading positions this day, which can be confusing. The note below explains the options, and this guide covers all of them.A note on the options (just so you'll know): The lectionary for Pentecost offers these choices. (1) First Reading: Acts 2:1–21 or Numbers 11:24–30. (2) Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13 or Acts 2:1–21 (Acts moves to the epistle slot when Numbers is used as the first reading, so Acts is read either way). (3) Gospel: John 20:19–23 or John 7:37–39. The Psalm (104:24–34, 35b) has no alternative. Most congregations will use Acts 2 as the first reading; this guide treats Acts 2 as primary and gives full coverage to all the alternatives.The ReadingsActs 2:1–21First Reading (Primary Option) — The Day of PentecostSummaryOn the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus are gathered together when the Spirit arrives with the sound of rushing wind and what looks like fire resting on each of them. They begin speaking in languages other than their own. A crowd gathers — devout Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for the festival from many different countries — and to their astonishment each person hears the disciples speaking in their own native language. Some are amazed; others mock the disciples as drunk. Peter stands up and addresses them, explaining that what they are seeing is the fulfillment of the prophet Joel's promise: in the last days God will pour out the Spirit on every kind of person, crossing the usual lines of age, gender, and social status, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.Pentecost by Kseniya LaptevaKey Ideas for Preaching1. The miracle at Pentecost is, very specifically, a miracle of communication across difference. The disciples do not all speak one universal language that everyone somehow understands. They speak many languages — the actual languages of the people standing in the crowd. The Spirit does not erase cultural and linguistic differences; it crosses them. What might it look like for your congregation to take this seriously? Real welcome is not everyone becoming the same. It is everyone being met in their own voice.2. Peter's quotation from the prophet Joel insists that the Spirit is poured out on everyone: sons and daughters, young and old, those at the top of the social order and those at the bottom. Every line that might limit who has access to God is named and crossed. Which of those lines does your congregation still tend to observe, even without meaning to? Where might the Spirit be inviting you to cross one?3. The crowd's first reaction is mockery. When the Spirit moves, it sometimes produces confusion and ridicule before it produces understanding. That is worth naming honestly for a congregation that might expect a movement of God to look tidy. What if your people's discomfort with something new is not a sign that God is absent, but a sign that something is actually happening?4. The text begins by saying the disciples were all together in one place. That gathering is named as the setting in which the Spirit arrives. The Spirit is not poured out on scattered individuals here — it comes upon a gathered community. What does this say about why it still matters to show up, to be present together, in a culture that often treats faith as a private matter?Significant Cautions• Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church. That phrase can give the impression that God was not at work among people before this moment, or that the Jewish community from which the church grew has somehow been left behind. Neither is true. Peter grounds the whole event in Jewish prophecy. The church does not replace something old; it grows out of it.• The mockers in the crowd are easy to dismiss as villains or to use as a foil for the faithful. But they are not really villains — they are genuinely confused by something they have never seen before. Be careful about setting up a sharp us-versus-them dynamic between the believers and the skeptics.• The promise that everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved is a quotation Peter draws from Joel and applies to this specific moment. Be careful about lifting it out of the story and turning it into a simple formula that ignores the communal witness and the changed lives that surround it in the rest of Acts.Numbers 11:24–30First Reading (Alternative Option) — The Spirit Shared with the EldersSummaryMoses, worn down by the burden of leading Israel through the wilderness, has cried out to God for help. God tells him to gather seventy elders at the tent of meeting and shares some of the spirit resting on Moses with them, and they begin to prophesy — though only this one time. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, had stayed back in the camp rather than coming to the tent, and the spirit comes upon them there too. Joshua, Moses's assistant, is disturbed and asks Moses to stop them. Moses refuses, saying he wishes all of God's people were prophets and that God would put the Spirit on every one of them.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Moses's wish — that all the Lord's people would be prophets — is exactly what Pentecost finally delivers. If you are preaching both this text and Acts 2, you can draw that line clearly. What Moses longed for, the Spirit at Pentecost gives. The Spirit is no longer reserved for a few special leaders. What might change in your congregation if people actually believed that the Spirit had been given to all of them, not just to the clergy?2. Eldad and Medad receive the Spirit out in the camp, away from the official gathering, without having done the expected thing of showing up at the tent. The Spirit moves where it wants. Joshua wants to stop them; Moses refuses. Where in your congregation, or your community, is the Spirit clearly at work in places or people you would not have predicted? Are you paying attention, or are you trying to call them back to the tent?3. Moses's response to Joshua shows a kind of leadership that is not threatened by other people receiving what he has. He does not protect his role; he gladly shares it. Many leaders in church and elsewhere quietly fear that empowering other people will diminish them. What would it look like to lead the way Moses leads here?Significant Cautions• The seventy elders prophesy this one time and never again. It is a moment, not an ongoing gift. Be careful about treating Moses's story as a straight preview of Pentecost in a way that flattens out the genuine newness of what happens in Acts. The connection is real and worth drawing; the two events are not identical.• Joshua is not condemned for wanting to stop Eldad and Medad — he is acting out of loyalty to Moses. Be gentle in using him as a negative example. The instinct to protect structures and proper channels is not always wrong. It is just sometimes misapplied.Psalm 104:24–34, 35bThe Psalm — The Spirit That Renews the Face of the EarthSummaryThis part of the great creation psalm marvels at how varied and abundant God's creation is. Every living thing — from the countless creatures of the vast sea to all the rest — looks to God for food and receives what it needs in its time. When God withdraws, creatures are troubled; when God takes back their breath, they die and return to dust. But when God sends out the divine Spirit — the same word that means breath or wind — they are created again, and the face of the earth is made new. The psalm closes with a vow to sing to God for as long as the singer has life, and a prayer that God will be pleased with the song.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The word for Spirit in this psalm is the same word for breath and wind (ruach )— the same creative power that hovered over the waters at the beginning of Genesis. On Pentecost, this image reaches back across the whole Bible and grounds the coming of the Spirit in something much older than the upper room in Jerusalem. The breath of God has been animating creation from the beginning. (Genesis 1:2) What does it do for your congregation to hear that the Spirit who came at Pentecost is the same Spirit who breathed life into the first creatures?2. The line about God sending out the Spirit so that creatures are created and the face of the earth is renewed is one of the most hopeful sentences in the whole Bible. Renewal is what the Spirit does. How might this widen the frame of your Pentecost sermon beyond the church alone? The Spirit who renewed the earth is the same Spirit poured out on the disciples.3. The mood of the psalm is wonder — delight at what God has made. Could Pentecost be an occasion not just to explain the Spirit but to invite your congregation into that same posture: paying attention, giving thanks, being astonished at what God is doing?Significant Cautions• The psalm describes creatures dying when God withdraws breath. It is part of the rhythm of creation in the psalm, but it can land hard in a congregation where someone is grieving. Be careful not to use this image casually in a way that suggests God has withdrawn from a person's loved one.• The poetry of the psalm is expansive and imaginative. Resist the urge to flatten it into a proof text for a particular view of how creation happened or how it works scientifically. The purpose of the psalm is praise, not explanation.1 Corinthians 12:3b–13The Epistle (Primary Option) — Many Gifts, One SpiritSummaryPaul is writing to a church in Corinth that has been arguing about spiritual gifts — specifically, about who has the more impressive ones. He begins with a basic test of authenticity: only the Holy Spirit enables someone to say Jesus is Lord. Then he describes the wide variety of gifts in the church — wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous works, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation — insisting that all of them come from one and the same Spirit, who distributes them as the Spirit chooses, and all are given for the good of the whole community. Paul closes with the image of the body: just as a body is one but has many parts, so it is with Christ. We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — Jews and Greeks, enslaved and free — and we all share in the one Spirit.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The gifts Paul lists are not awards for spiritual achievement. They are given by the Spirit, however the Spirit chooses, and they are given for the benefit of the whole community rather than the prestige of the recipient. This cuts both ways. It speaks to the person who quietly believes their gift makes them important. It also speaks to the person who quietly believes they have no gift at all. Neither of those positions matches the text. What might happen if your congregation actually believed that every person in the room had been given something for the good of everyone else?2. The body image at the end of the passage looks simple but carries real weight. Every part of the body is needed. No part can opt out, and no part can claim to be more important than another. What does the body of your congregation actually look like? Which members get treated as more important? Which members feel like they barely belong? What would change if everyone took Paul at his word here?3. Paul is not writing a peaceful, theoretical description of an ideal community. He is writing pastoral correction to a real church that is fighting about exactly this issue. That makes the passage more useful, not less. Where is your congregation tempted to rank one another — by gift, by giving, by visibility, by status — and what would Paul have to say about it?4. The last line of the passage says that the unity Paul is describing is already a reality. It happened in baptism. The congregation is not being asked to build unity from scratch; it is being asked to live into something that has already been given. How does it change the way you preach about unity when you stop treating it as a goal and start treating it as a gift to be received?Significant Cautions• Lists of spiritual gifts have sometimes been used to rank Christians, or to claim that one particular gift — often speaking in tongues — is the real sign that the Spirit is present. Paul's whole argument here runs against that use. The Spirit gives whatever the Spirit chooses to give. No person and no group gets to decide which gifts count the most.• Paul mentions the categories of “enslaved or free” alongside Jews and Greeks. He does not, in this letter, challenge slavery as an institution. Be honest about that. The image of being one body in Christ did not, on its own, end the social and economic injustices of the ancient world. Speaking of unity in Christ should not be used to suggest that hard questions of justice take care of themselves.• The unity Paul describes is not uniformity. The whole point of the body image is that the body has many different parts that do different things. Be careful not to use the language of one body to pressure a diverse congregation into one cultural or stylistic expression of worship.John 20:19–23The Gospel (Primary Option) — Peace and the Breath of the SpiritSummaryOn the evening of the first Easter Sunday, the disciples are huddled together behind locked doors because they are afraid. Jesus comes and stands among them and says, peace be with you. He shows them the wounds in his hands and his side, and they are overjoyed. He says it a second time: peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. If they forgive anyone's sins, those sins are forgiven; if they hold them against someone, the sins remain.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Jesus breathes on the disciples and gives them the Spirit. The image deliberately echoes the moment in Genesis when God breathed life into the first human being. This is presented as a kind of new creation. How might it shift the meaning of Pentecost for your congregation to see it as part of God's long pattern of creating and renewing life, rather than as an isolated, one-time event?2. In John's telling, the Spirit is given on Easter evening — not fifty days later. That is a different account than the one in Acts 2. Rather than smoothing over the difference, what would it look like to be honest with your congregation that the two accounts are doing different theological work? John ties the Spirit directly to the resurrection. Acts ties it to the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Both are saying something true about who the Spirit is.3. The commission and the gift come together. As the Father has sent me, Jesus says, so I am sending you — and then he gives them the Spirit. The Spirit is not given for a private spiritual experience. It is given for a sending. What does it mean for your congregation to receive a gift that, from its very first moment, is pointed outward?4. Jesus places in the hands of this community the responsibility of forgiving sins, of releasing one another from what binds. This has caused real argument in the church about authority. But at the very least, what would it look like for your congregation to take seriously the practice of concrete, embodied forgiveness — not as an abstract idea but as something this community is actually called to do?Significant Cautions• The difference between John's account and Acts is real. John puts the Spirit on Easter evening, and Acts puts it fifty days later at Pentecost. Resist the temptation to harmonize them or explain the difference away. Sermons that name the difference honestly tend to land better than sermons that pretend it is not there.• Jesus says that if the disciples retain sins, those sins are retained. Throughout history, this line has been used to justify exclusion, punishment, and harsh church discipline. Be clear that the main direction of what Jesus says here is toward forgiveness — the releasing of what binds people — not toward the exercise of power over those who are kept out.• The locked doors and the fear of the disciples can be used to make the post-Easter community look like a failure. But these are still the people Jesus comes to and the people he sends. Their fear is the starting point of the story, not the verdict on them. Take care not to shame your congregation's own fear when you preach this scene.John 7:37–39The Gospel (Alternative Option) — Rivers of Living WaterSummaryOn the last and most important day of the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus stands up in the temple courts and cries out, inviting anyone who is thirsty to come to him and drink. Whoever believes in him, he says, will have rivers of living water flowing from within. John then adds a note explaining that Jesus was speaking about the Spirit, who would be given to believers later — after Jesus had been glorified.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The image of rivers of living water flowing from inside a person is one of the most vivid pictures of the Spirit in any of the Gospels. It is not a trickle. It is not a reservoir you fill up once. It is an ongoing, outward flow. The Spirit is not given to be stored. What would it look like for your congregation to think of the Spirit not as something they have, but as something that flows through them on its way to someone else?2. Jesus makes this announcement on the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles, when water was being poured out as a ritual prayer for rain. The crowd would have felt the weight of the image right away. Could your congregation feel what it means to be genuinely thirsty — not mildly curious about God, but actually in need?3. John explains in a brief note that the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. The coming of the Spirit is tied directly to the cross and the resurrection. How does it deepen a Pentecost sermon to remind the congregation that the Spirit they celebrate today comes as the fruit of what happened at Easter?Significant Cautions• The phrase about living water flowing from within can sound as though the Spirit is essentially a private inner experience of abundance. But the setting here is a public festival, and Jesus is shouting in the middle of a crowd. The water flows outward, not just inward. Be careful with a reading that turns this into a purely personal experience.• Jesus says the scripture has said something about rivers of living water, but no single passage in the Hebrew Bible is a clear match. Different scholars suggest different texts. Avoid confidently pointing to one specific passage as the source without acknowledging that no one is sure.Thematic ConnectionsEvery text appointed for Pentecost points toward the same central claim: the Spirit of God is now given freely, widely, and without the restrictions that once limited who could receive it. * In Acts, the Spirit crosses every linguistic and cultural line in Jerusalem. * In Numbers, it escapes the official gathering and finds two men out in the camp. * In Psalm 104, it is the breath that renews the whole face of the earth. * In 1 Corinthians, it distributes gifts to every member of the body for the good of the whole community. * In John, it is given on Easter evening to a group of frightened disciples and turns them into a sent people — or it is the living water that flows outward from whoever believes.Acts 2 is the natural center for Pentecost preaching. It is the story the day is built around, and its images of wind and fire and languages are difficult to displace. But 1 Corinthians 12 offers a strong complementary angle for congregations that need to hear about the practical, community-shaping work of the Spirit rather than just its dramatic arrival. And for congregations that preached Acts 2 last year and want something different, either John 7:37–39 or John 20:19–23 opens a distinctive door. The psalm works best in worship as a spoken or sung response rather than as the main preaching text, though its image of the Spirit renewing the face of the earth is worth a sentence or two in almost any Pentecost sermon. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

The Spy Report That Cost 40 Years by Autumn Dickson The Israelites are wandering in the wilderness before they're led to the promised land. They're having experiences with God and learning difficult lessons. They're being provided for even if it's not everything they had in mind. They have had experiences of faith as well as experiences where they betrayed the witnesses they had received. Let's talk about one of the times they were rebellious and unfaithful. In Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve spies (one from each tribe) into Canaan. Depending on where you read in the bible (see Deuteronomy 1), the timelines differ slightly. One suggests the people wanted to spy; one suggests the Lord recommended it. Either way, the church seems to emphasize the Lord's approval of the mission. The spies come back with the following report. Numbers 13:27 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. They then warned of the city's defenses. Caleb encouraged the people to have faith, but ten of the other spies continued on with their report. Numbers 13:31-33 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. It's important to understand that Canaan was the promised land. It is eventually (mostly) conquered by the Israelites and divided out amongst the tribes. The Lord had led them through this entire experience from slavery to the edge of the land of promise, only for them to believe they wouldn't be able to take the land. So what does this teach us? Your promised land is available. I'm not simply talking about the mansion being built for you on the other side. I'm talking about all the most important aspects of the promised land. Peace, contentment, joy, healthy relationships, all of these things are available to you. These are all crucial parts of our salvation and eternity. Sure, eternity also includes all of our needs being met and perfect bodies, but some of the most important portions of the promised land are available to us right now. So what kept the Israelites from inheriting the promised land sooner? A lack of faith. What keeps us from inheriting the portions of promised land that are available to us on this side of the veil? A lack of faith. That's it. That's the first step on this journey towards your promised land. The Israelites didn't need military might or impeccable strategy. They needed faith. You don't need all of the things you think you need. You just need to trust the Lord. It's enough for you to see the land flowing with milk and honey and say, “The Lord meant for me to have that.” Sometimes it's hard to feel that way when you see what you're up against; namely, all of your own flaws and mistakes and imperfections. The Israelites certainly didn't feel capable. However, you're not conquering the land for yourself; you're showing up for the Lord to conquer it for you. So how do we do better than the Israelites so it doesn't take us forty years to figure out how to be in the promised land? Well if our problem is a lack of faith, maybe we should look at increasing faith. Here is one recommendation from Bednar on how to do that. The enabling power of the Atonement is accessed by faith in Jesus Christ. And that faith is strengthened as we remember and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in our lives. Remembering and acknowledging the Lord → Faith → Enabling power of the atonement of Jesus Christ steps in and gets us where we need to go Would the Israelites have felt differently if all the spies had come back and started with a list of the ways the Lord had provided for them from the time they were in slavery? If they had started off with the miraculous infant survival of Moses to the steps right outside the promised land, it would have been a long list. There were many times that the Israelites didn't even lift a finger for their own freedom and survival; the Lord took it completely on Himself. And that's just the list of the society as a whole. How many personal miracles did the Israelites experience from family to family? Would it have changed how the Israelites approached this experience? I'm not sure, but I know it's changed how I approach my own life. I think that's partially why my prayers have been so powerful in my life, specifically the gratitude. When I'm facing a situation of uncertainty or tragedy, I pray. There are so many wonderful ways to pray and draw closer to the Lord, but one of the most powerful ways I've found is to start with true gratitude (even when it's mixed with sorrow or fear or anger). When I'm struggling, I don't list nice things that happened throughout the day. I consciously think of similar situations in the past where the Lord has shown up for me. By the end of the prayer, I often find myself in some version of the promised land, even if the obstacle wasn't removed. I testify that the Lord has saved you many times before this, and He will continue to save you in the future. He will continue to teach you the lessons He needs to teach you until you're ready to step into that promised land He has offered each of us despite mortal circumstances. I testify that if we take the time to record these miracles and tender mercies, it makes our faith powerful. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

In Numbers 13, the people were given a choice: believe the fearful report or trust in God's promise. The same is true for us, we choose the report we believe. God is always giving, always faithful, always ahead of us. The question is, do we trust Him? Generosity flows from a heart check. It's not about having a problem-free life. it's about living a faith-filled one. Even when circumstances look uncertain, we lean into who God is, not what we see. Choose faith. Choose trust. Choose to live generously. https://www.kingdomchurch.ca/connect.html https://www.kingdomchurch.ca/give.html

What if happiness isn't what we've been told it is? Culture says happiness comes from comfort, success, and control—but Scripture points us to something deeper. In Numbers 6:22, God gives a blessing that reveals His heart—to shine His face on us and give us peace. And in Mark 5:14–18, a man radically changed by Jesus discovers a new kind of life—one not defined by circumstances, but by transformation.This message, “How to Be Happy: A New Definition,” challenges us to rethink happiness and discover the joy that comes from encountering God and living in His presence.

By Ken Loucks - This part of the Torah shows the Arc of God's plan moving forward from instruction to lived experience. After giving Israel His law and the pattern for living with Him, God begins leading them toward the land He promised. In Numbers, that instruction is tested in real life, and the heart of the

What if complaining is costing you more than you realize? In Numbers 14:29, the Israelites' constant complaining kept them from stepping into the promise God had for them. Their words reflected their mindset—and their mindset shaped their outcome.But in Philippians 4:8, we're given a better way. Instead of dwelling on negativity, we're called to fix our thoughts on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. What we focus on transforms how we live.This message, “Quit Complaining,” challenges us to shift from a mindset of frustration and negativity to one of faith, gratitude, and trust in God.

Today: Hidden Insights From The Feast of FirstFruits. Clearly, Jesus was the firstfruits from the dead. He is our bread of life. He brings us thru the waters of baptism into the new kingdom. Let’s not skip over that. but also, there is more than the flatfooted assertion that First Fruits was in Passover. It is. It is not in Pentecost as we were taught. However, there is a connection. FirstFruits begins the counting of the omer. Today this is merely counting of 49 days until Pentecost,where another first fruits sare waved. That is the wheat harvest, baked with leaven, while FirstFruits waves barley sheaves. Originally, the omer was a volume measurement of grain, offered each day in the Temple. Again, we see the harvcest which we are, hidden in the feast ritual, just as Jesus Messiah was hidden in so many ways. Mentioned: https://bibleview.org/en/bible/moses/feastsandfast-firstfruits/ The glory of God to hide a matter and the glory of kings to seek it out. Hope this has been fun for you. Must hear from you if I am to keep this podcast up, as I have competing duties. I do so love it — and you. Let me hear from you. Let’s have a healthy relationship and good community. Comment: Yes! I found the verse that made me question my earlier, correct, discovery. Yes, The Feast of FirstFruits is after the Sabbath in or just after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which of course is immediately right after and connected to Passover. This is contrary to what we were taught in the Move, but well known elsewhere. (Yes, more recently, there have been some preachers who preach this correctly, but I was sitting under Sam Fife.) So: here is the verse that I ran across in my recent readings: Numbers 28:26  (NIV) “On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the LORD an offering of new grain during the Feast of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” Here is the explanation. In Numbers, mentioned is Passover, Weeks, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles. The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost does include waving first fruits of the wheat harvest, in leavened cakes. That is 5. The First of FirstFruits includes waving sheafs of barley. Lev 23 includes The Passover & Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonment, Feast of Tabernacles. That is 7. (Of course, we also think of Spring Feasts, Feast of Weeks, and Fall Festivals, being 3. Of course Move trained people recognize the 3 and 7 from the Tabernacle. When we hear 5, we think of the 5 fold.) The point for me at this time is that Firstfruits is the hidden resurrection. And the counting of the omer until the next waving of the firstfruits of grain, and this time with leaven — that is the hidden sonship of the church. Apologies for not getting that spelled out into the audio. Maybe God planned that so you will know to come to the website. The post Hidden Insights From The Feast of FirstFruits appeared first on Jesus Pattern Son.

In Numbers 10, God gives instruction to use silver trumpets as a form of communication for Israel. But for us as believers, there are deeper meanings behind these silver trumpets.

In Numbers 13, the Lord guides the Israelites to the edge of the Promised Land and sends twelve spies to explore the land He has promised to give them. When they return, ten of the spies focus on the challenges, the size of the cities, and the strength of the people. This causes fear to quickly spread through the camp. Only Caleb and Joshua trust that if God has promised the land, He will also give them victory. Instead of choosing to move forward in faith, the people let fear take over and refused to enter, missing out on the blessings God had prepared for them. This scripture challenges us to reflect: Could it be that sometimes we miss out on God's blessings or promises not because He is unwilling to give them, but because we find it hard to trust Him enough to step forward in faith? Where do you need to trust God today?

In Numbers 13, the Lord guides the Israelites to the edge of the Promised Land and sends twelve spies to explore the land He has promised to give them. When they return, ten of the spies focus on the challenges, the size of the cities, and the strength of the people. This causes fear to quickly spread through the camp. Only Caleb and Joshua trust that if God has promised the land, He will also give them victory. Instead of choosing to move forward in faith, the people let fear take over and refused to enter, missing out on the blessings God had prepared for them. This scripture challenges us to reflect: Could it be that sometimes we miss out on God's blessings or promises not because He is unwilling to give them, but because we find it hard to trust Him enough to step forward in faith? Where do you need to trust God today?

In Numbers 36 & Deuteronomy 1–3, God gives instructions to keep Israel's tribal inheritances intact. Moses then begins recounting Israel's journey, reminding the people how God led them through the wilderness and gave them victory over their enemies.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

In Numbers 32–35, the tribes of Reuben and Gad settle east of the Jordan but promise to help Israel conquer the land. God also establishes cities for the Levites and cities of refuge for those who accidentally cause a death.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

Where does unbelief lead? In Numbers 14, the people of Israel stand at the edge of the Promised Land. God had promised them victory, yet they chose to trust their own understanding instead of trusting Him. That single decision led them into forty years of wandering in the wilderness. In this message, we explore the destination of unbelief. Unbelief doesn't simply mean a lack of faith—it often means trusting our own judgment more than God's Word. When we rely on ourselves instead of the Lord, it leads to frustration, loss, and missed opportunities. The challenge of this passage is simple but powerful: Will we trust our understanding, or will we trust God?

When Luke records Jesus commanding the Twelve to take nothing for the journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, he activates a deliberate stripping that recalls the scriptural logic of exile as exposure. The Hebrew root ג-ל-ה (gimel-lamed-heh) can function as “to uncover” or, by extension, “to go into exile,” linking displacement with nakedness in the prophetic texts themselves. There, exile is repeatedly portrayed as being uncovered, stripped naked, and shamed before the nations. Nakedness is not merely physical but signals dispossession and removal from the land. In Luke 8, the Gerasene demoniac embodies this condition, naked, outside the city among the tombs, cut off from communal and tribal life, a living figure of exposure in exile. When Jesus restores him, he is clothed and seated in his right mind, and he is commanded to return home to bear fruit as a witness, with nothing in hand but the knowledge of his sins and the command of God. Immediately afterward, in Luke 9, Jesus sends the Twelve out divested of staff and supplies, stripped of institutional and tribal supports, and of any authority derived from them. Though not naked in body, they are stripped of the signs of power, protection, affiliation, and provision. Both the demoniac and the Twelve thus reflect the same scriptural function: exile as nakedness, and exposure out in the open as the precondition of restoration for mission.ῥάβδος (rhabdos) / מ-ט-ה (mem-ṭet-heh)Staff; tribe, delegated power. From the triliteral root נ-ט-ה (nun-ṭet-heh), to stretch out, to extend, to incline.“And you shall take in your hand this staff [מַטֶּה (maṭṭeh)] with which you shall do the signs.” (Exodus 4:17)The staff represents what is stretched out. In Exodus, it symbolizes the instrument through which delegated authority operates, acting as an extended hand. In Numbers 17, each leader brings his staff, which denotes his tribe. Extension here signifies lineage: what is stretched out becomes a branch, and that branch becomes a tribe. Thus, the rod is not just wood but a visible symbol of authority and continuity, indicating the ordered descent and delegated power.ῥάβδος (rhabdos) / ש-ב-ט (šin-bet-ṭet)Rod, scepter, tribe. From the triliteral root ש-ב-ט (šin-bet-ṭet), associated with striking and ruling.“You shall break them with a rod [בְּשֵׁבֶט (be-šebeṭ)] of iron.” (Psalm 2:9)The rod is the instrument of rule. It disciplines, enforces, and governs. In Proverbs, it corrects; in Isaiah, it becomes the rod of divine anger; in royal psalms, it signifies sovereign authority. The same word names a tribe, linking governance with structure. The rod is therefore not merely a stick but embodied jurisdiction, the visible sign of judicial and royal power.ῥάβδος (rhabdos) / ק-ל-ל (qof-lamed-lamed)Rod; stick; branch, to be light, slight.“And the Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks [בַּמַּקְלוֹת (ba-maqqelot)]?'” (1 Samuel 17:43)This rod belongs to the field, not the throne. It is the shepherd's implement, the ordinary support of the traveler. In Genesis 30 Jacob uses rods in the tending of flocks; in Samuel David carries them into battle as a shepherd confronting a warrior. The stick here signifies pastoral presence rather than institutional authority. It is wood in the hand of the lowly, not the emblem of a court.ῥάβδος (rhabdos) / ש-ע-ן (šin-ʿayin-nun)Staff of support. From the verbal root ש-ע-ן (šin-ʿayin-nun), to lean upon, to rely.“Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken staff [מִשְׁעֶנֶת (mišʿenet)] of reed.” (Isaiah 36:6)The staff here is what one leans upon. It represents reliance, alliance, and structural backing. When it breaks, dependence collapses, and the individual who is leaning on it falls. The rod becomes a metaphor for political trust and misplaced confidence. It is not an instrument of striking but of support, the symbol of that upon which stability rests.ῥάβδος (rhabdos) / שַׁרְבִיט (šarbiṭ)Scepter; royal staff. Likely a Persian (modern-day Iran) loanword associated with imperial authority.“If the king holds out the golden scepter [שַׁרְבִיט (šarbiṭ)] that is in his hand, he shall live.” (Esther 4:11)In Esther, the rod is sovereignty compressed into a single gesture. Life and death depend on whether it is extended. It is not the shepherd's staff, not the tribal symbol, not the rod of discipline. It is ceremonial kingship embodied in gold. The scepter draws the line between execution and mercy, exclusion and acceptance. Authority is visible, concentrated in the king's hand.But does the king's own life ultimately matter? A wise leader knows that his life is of little value because it does not belong to him. As Jesus commands, the sign of God is neither the owner, the support, nor the strength of God's many peoples. There is no god but God. Scripture repeatedly shows, through Persian rulers like Cyrus and Xerxes, that real control belongs neither to Israel, nor to the king, nor to the empire. Sovereignty belongs to God alone, who governs history itself, directing kings as easily as he directs the sun and the moon, according to his plan.πήρα (pera)Shepherd's bag.“And he took his staff [τὴν ῥάβδον (ten rabdon)] in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd's bag [εἰς τὴν πήραν τὴν ποιμενικήν (eis ten peran ten poimeniken)]…” (1 Samuel 17:40 LXX)David advances toward Goliath carrying two things: the rabdos (ῥάβδος) and the pera (πήρα). The rabdos is the shepherd's staff, the maqel (מַקֵל), a rod in the hand of one who tends flocks. The pera is the shepherd's satchel, the container of stones and the place of stored provision. One extends the arm; the other holds what sustains the strike. This is the only occurrence of pera (πήρα) in the Septuagint.The five stones evoke Torah, the Five Books. Their smoothness carries the root ח-ל-ק (ḥet-lamed-qof) / ح-ل-ق (ḥāʾ-lām-qāf). In Hebrew, ḥalaq is to divide, to apportion, to allot. In Arabic, ḥalaqa is to shave, to make smooth, to strip bare. These are not separate functions. To smooth a stone is to shape it by removal. To allot land is to cut it from the whole. The triliteral holds division and preparation together.The brook itself sharpens the resonance. Naḥal (נַחַל), from the root נ־ח־ל (nun-ḥet-lamed) / ن-ح-ل (nūn-ḥāʾ-lām), in Hebrew is a wadi, a seasonal stream. But the same consonants in both languages yield naḥalah (נַחֲלָה), naḥala (نَحَلَ) / niḥla (نِحْلَة) inheritance, endowment, gift, or allotted possession. Water and land converge in the root. David reaches into the stream and draws out inheritance. Surat al-Naḥl سورة النحل refers to “The Bee,” an animal associated with provision, honey, and divinely guided producti...

In Numbers 20–23, Israel continues through the wilderness facing loss, conflict, and consequences. Moses disobeys God at the rock, Aaron dies, and Israel battles nearby kings. When Balaam is brought in to curse Israel, God instead speaks blessing over His people.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

How much is enough? In Numbers 11, the people of Israel had the presence of God, His provision, and His daily care—yet they still complained and craved more. Their desire for something different led them into frustration, distorted their memories, and caused them to forget the goodness of God already in their midst.   In this message, we learn that unchecked desires can lead us into spiritual meltdowns. But the truth remains simple and powerful: God Himself is enough. When we learn to trust His provision, rest in His presence, and surrender our cravings to Him, we discover the contentment our hearts have been searching for all along.  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Numbers 30-31; Mark 9 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for March 2nd, 2026! On this sixty-first day of our journey through the Bible, Hunter guides us into the heart of scripture, reading from Numbers chapters 30 and 31, and Mark chapter 9. Today's passages explore the nature of vows, the consequences of agreements, and the fierce battle against the Midianites. In the Gospel of Mark, we witness Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain, a dramatic healing, and powerful teachings about faith, humility, and combating sin. Hunter draws thoughtful connections between Old Testament laws and Jesus' words, showing how our need for freedom from sin is met by going to the Father and confessing our burdens. The episode is wrapped with heartfelt prayers for the listeners, encouragement to be instruments of peace, and reminders of God's unwavering love. Stay tuned for reflections, community shoutouts from Michael McClatcher, and invitations to join this growing circle of faith. Whether you're new or a regular, today's journey invites you to experience grace, hope, and belonging at the heart of God's word. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He frees us from the agreements of sin. In Numbers 30, scripture starts with instructions that might seem obscure. There's guidance about vows and how a married woman or an unmarried daughter might be released from a binding agreement—by bringing it to her father or husband, who could nullify it if they did not approve. It was simple: freedom from obligation came through someone in authority. In Mark 9, Jesus confronts sin with equally strong language. He says, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off." He isn't advocating literal amputation, but rather using powerful words to emphasize the seriousness of sin's grip. Sin, Jesus shows us, operates like a contract, a vow—an insidious agreement between ourselves and the parts of us that are prone to wander. Sin says to the hand, "Do this and I'll reward you with that." Sin bargains with the eye, "Look here and you'll gain something." We make these agreements, often without realizing, and they bind us. But severing limbs is not the answer. The answer is severing the vows and contracts we have unwittingly made with sin. And the way to do that is the way shown in Numbers 30: we bring our vow to the Father. We confess to Him the promise, the contract that is ruining our lives—and He, our good Father, is the one with the authority to nullify it. He breaks the contract. He releases us from sin's power and control. This is not about magic words; it's about what God has done in sending His Son. Jesus paid the price for our sin. He met the demands of the agreement, and He alone has the power to free us from the bonds we've created. He is the one who can tie those deceitful contracts to a millstone and throw them into the sea. Are you trapped in the grip of sin? Take every agreement you've made—all the bargains, all the lies—and bring them to your Father. Confess them. Your confession doesn't change God's attitude toward you; it changes you. It wipes your eyes clear to the truth of your being: that you belong to Him. Regardless of sins committed, God will never cease to be your Father. He has united Himself with us once and for all through Jesus Christ—His incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension. Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the grave. Sin blinds our eyes to the reality that we are swept up into something new, but confession is our way of seeing again. On the cross, Jesus broke the power of every agreement. Let us return to the Father and remember who we are in the Son—free, alive, hopeful, and full of love. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Cities are known for their slogans. New York is called The City That Never Sleeps. Paris is The City of Light. Philadelphia is The City of Brotherly Love. Chicago is The Windy City. Every city has a name it embracessomething that captures its identity and the image it wants the world to believe about it. But in Revelation 2, Jesus gives Pergamum a name no city would ever choose for itself. He calls it where Satans throne is (Rev. 2:13). Imagine that as your citys reputation. Not The Pride of Asia. Not The Seat of Learning. Not The Crown of Culture. But The Place Where Satan Dwells. Pergamum was the capital of Roman Asia, a center of political authority, pagan worship, and emperor devotion. Towering above the city stood a massive altar to Zeus, a visible reminder of pagan power. The Roman governor there possessed the ius gladiithe right of the sword authority to execute. Power, religion, and politics converged in Pergamum in a way that made allegiance to Jesus costly. So when Christ introduces Himself as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword, He makes a bold claim: ultimate authority does not belong to Rome. The sword does not finally rest in Caesars hand. It rests in His. Pergamum teaches us that the churchs greatest danger is not merely persecution from outside, but compromise from withinand that even where Satans throne seems near, Christ still reigns. Dangers from the Outside (v. 13) The Christians in Pergamum faced very real dangers. To the church in Smyrna, severe persecution was coming; to the church in Pergamum, it had already arrived in the martyrdom of Antipas. Unlike many cities in the empire, Pergamum offered few places to hide from Rome, as it was the headquarters of Roman government in Asia. Michael Wilcock observed, If Ephesus was the New York of Asia, Pergamum was its Washington, for there the Roman imperial power had its seat of government. Devotion to emperor worship was not optional civic ritual it was public loyalty to Rome and for Christians, refusal came at a cost. But Pergamums pressure did not come from Rome alone. The city was saturated with devotion to Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, and Asklepios all of whom had prominent temples. The massive altar to Zeus, hailed as the god of gods, rose like a throne above the acropolis, proclaiming that ultimate power and salvation belonged to him. Asklepios, the famed healing god, was symbolized by a serpent-entwined staff still used in medical imagery today; his worshipers sought restoration and life from him. Athena embodied wisdom and civic strength, reinforcing Pergamums intellectual pride. Dionysos promised joy through wine, feasting, and sensual excess, blurring the line between celebration and corruption. And over all of it stood the emperor, honored as lord and savior, demanding allegiance that directly rivaled the confession that Jesus alone is Lord. Robert Mounce, in his commentary on Revelation, wrote: ...as the traveler approached Pergamum by the ancient road from the south, the actual shape of the city hill would appear as a giant throne towering above the plain. This is probably why Jesus refers to the city as the place, where Satans throne is. But against Pergamums skyline of rival saviors stands the living Christ. Zeus claimed ultimate power, but Jesus is the One to whom all authority in heaven and on earth belongs. Asklepios promised healing through a serpents symbol, but Jesus crushed the serpents head and, as the risen Lord, conquered death, giving eternal life to all who believe. Athena embodied worldly wisdom and pride, but Christ is the wisdom of God made flesh, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Dionysos offered joy through indulgence, but Jesus gives the true bread from heaven that satisfies forever. Caesar demanded worship as lord and savior, but only Jesus shed His blood to redeem sinners and now reigns as the King of kings. Pergamum was filled with promises of power, healing, wisdom, pleasure, and security but only the gospel delivers what these gods could only counterfeit. Jesus commends these believers despite the immense pressure around them: Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith They lived in a city crowded with rival saviors, yet they clung to Christ. Though we are not told the exact circumstances of Antipas death, it is not hard to imagine how it unfolded. He likely died by the blade of a Roman sword for refusing to bend his knee to the gods of Rome or to confess Caesar as lord. He would bow to only one name the name above every name Jesus Christ. And it is this man, Antipas executed by Rome, forgotten by the empire whom Jesus calls my faithful witness. We know from Roman records that this was the very test Christians faced. About twenty years after Revelation was written, the governor Pliny the Younger explained that accused Christians could avoid execution by invoking the Roman gods, offering incense to Caesar, and cursing the name of Christ. Those who refused were executed. He even admitted that genuine Christians could not be compelled to curse Christ. When Jesus praises these Christians Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith His words are not cheap; they are costly. To hold fast His name meant refusing to renounce it when your life was on the line. Rome took Antipas life, but Jesus rendered the greater verdict the very title He bears Himself: my faithful witness (see Rev. 1:5). The kind of faithfulness Antipas demonstrated in the face of death is the same faithfulness we are all called to whether suffering comes in the form of persecution or in circumstances beyond our control, such as illness, discouragement, or a life that did not unfold as we had hoped. Faithfulness is not measured by the kind of suffering we face, but by the Christ to whom we cling. And we cling to Him by looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2). Dangers from the Inside (vv. 14-15) While the dangers from the outside were real, the greater threat was emerging from within. The Christians in Pergamum had stood firm against persecution, but they were less vigilant in confronting compromise within the church. Some adhered to the teaching of Balaam, and others to the teachings of the Nicolaitans. Though these errors shared similarities, they must be considered individually. To grasp the true danger here, we need to recall Balaams actions. In Numbers 2225, Balak, king of Moab, enlisted Balaam to curse Israel, but God turned every attempted curse into a blessing. When outright opposition failed, Balaam changed tactics. As Numbers 31:16 reveals, he counseled Moab to entice the Israelites drawing them into idolatry and sexual immorality through seductive feasts and relationships with pagan women. What Balaam could not accomplish through direct attack, he achieved through compromise. Israel was not destroyed by an enemy from without but by corruption from within. Here is what Balaam was guilty of: He lingered where God had already told him not to go. He pursued recognition and reward at the expense of Gods honor and the holiness of His people. He walked as close to temptation as he could without openly defying God. 4. His obedience was reluctant because his heart was drawn to what God forbade. Balaams problem was not ignorance but desire. He lingered where God had already told him not to go. He pursued recognition and reward at the expense of Gods glory and the holiness of His people. He walked as close to temptation as he could without openly defying God. And though he spoke Gods words, his obedience was reluctant because his heart was drawn to what God had forbidden. This is why Jesus references Balaam. The problem in Pergamum wasnt an outright rejection of Christ but a willingness to tolerate compromise. Some believed they could remain committed to Jesus while engaging in behaviors God had already forbidden. Compromise rarely starts with denialit begins when we linger where God has said no, chase comfort or recognition over holiness, and edge as close as possible to temptation without openly defying Him. We shouldnt think were exempt; this same risk exists in every congregationeven Meadowbrooke. Whenever we treat Gods commands as optional or hover near what He prohibits, were at risk of the compromise Jesus warns us against. The second thing Jesus has against the church in Pergamum is that some adhered to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. As we learned from the letter to the church in Ephesus, Jesus says He hated their works (2:6). What about their teaching provoked such strong language? They promoted a compromise similar to Balaams the idea that one could claim to belong to Gods people while participating in the very sins God had clearly forbidden. The Nicolaitans appear to have encouraged Christians to join in idolatrous feasts and sexual immorality, likely arguing that Gods grace covered such behavior. In their view, holiness became flexible and obedience negotiable. Listen, the spirit of the Nicolaitans is alive wherever Christians rationalize that blending in with culture poses no danger, that hidden sin is under control, or that Gods grace permits what He has clearly condemned. If we downplay sin, treat Gods commands as negotiable, or blur the boundaries between wholehearted faithfulness and self-indulgence, we risk falling into the same compromise Jesus warns against. Why does Jesus name both Balaam and the Nicolaitans in His rebuke? Because Balaam enticed Gods people into sin, and the Nicolaitans justified their continued presence in it. Those who held to these teachings were not outside the church but within it, and the ideas they embraced posed an immediate and dangerous threat to its spiritual health. The Danger of a Greater Sword (vv. 12, 16-17) Jesus takes the purity of His Bride seriously. The dangers from the outside were real, but all Rome was able to do with its sword was to kill and no more. The dangers within were more significant because they threatened the witness, testimony, and mission of the church. Listen, with the martyrdom of Antipas, his witness and testimony continued. His willingness to die for his faith and to stand in the security of Christ, even in the face of death, continued to speak even beyond Antipas death. What the early Christian apologist Tertullian wrote in 197 AD is true: The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Persecution may wound the body, but it often strengthens the church. Compromise, however, weakens and destroys the church from within. If Satan can infiltrate the church through subtle, subversive teaching persuading believers to tolerate what God forbids and to justify what Christ condemns then the churchs witness is not martyred; it is muted. Its testimony is not silenced by force; it is weakened by concession. What Rome could not accomplish with a sword from without, false teaching seeks to achieve from within. Jesus is madly in love with His Bride and will protect Her when She is threatened. He is also a jealous Groom and will not tolerate any force or teaching that seeks to win Her affections. This is why Jesus hates the works of the Nicolaitans (2:5)! The Nicolaitans offered a perverted version of the Grace that Jesus secured at the cross, teaching that the freedom they had in Christ freed them from obedience to Jesus regarding personal holiness and sexual sin. Jesus calls the Christians in this church to repent by both calling out the false teaching and standing against it. Jesus warns this church that if they do not repent, He will come to war against them with the sword of His mouth. That is sobering language, but it is not unloving. It is not loving to overlook sin in your own life, nor is it loving to tolerate sin in the life of Christs church. This is why the Bible states in James 5:1920, My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Indifference to sin is not grace it is neglect. A Savior who refuses to confront what destroys His Bride would not be loving. The sword of Christ is not the weapon of a tyrant but the discipline of a faithful Bridegroom committed to the purity of His people. Take a close look at Jesus words in verse 16: Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. That is not a casual warning; it is a decisive command. If they refused to turn from their sin and false teaching, it would not merely expose weakness it would reveal they never truly belonged to Him or experienced the saving grace that brings new life. Saving grace does not leave a person at peace with sin; it creates an urgency to cling to Christ. Where Christ truly reigns, repentance follows. Now notice verse 17. The sword is not the only thing Jesus offers. He promises that the one who has truly received Him as Savior evidenced by firmly holding fast to His name will be sustained and kept by Him. The true Christian is promised three things: hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The manna is for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6). In a city filled with public feasts honoring false gods, Jesus promises hidden nourishment provision the world cannot see and idols cannot give. The white stone likely referred in the Roman world to a token of admission, acquittal, or honor. But the stone Jesus gives is not temporary; it signifies divine acceptance and permanent residence in His kingdom, where there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). And on that stone is a new name a name given by Christ Himself belonging to the one who receives it. That new name speaks to your identity in Christ, an identity no sword, no demon, not even Satan himself can take from you. On that stone is the evidence of your redemption. Its meaning echoes the words of our Redeemer: You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you (Hos. 3:3). Persecution may wound the church, but compromise will hollow it out. Romes sword can threaten the body, but Christs Word searches the heart. So hold fast to His name. Repent without delay. Refuse to justify what He condemns and to flirt with what He died to free you from. Live as those who belong to Him alone nourished by hidden manna, accepted by His verdict, and secure in the name He has written over your life.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Numbers 10-11; Psalm 27; Mark 1 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In this episode, Heather brings us together for the 53rd day of our journey through the scriptures, focusing on Numbers chapters 10 and 11, Psalm 27, and Mark chapter 1. As we gather from around the world, Heather reminds us that we approach the scriptures not for their sake alone, but because they point us to Jesus—the true source of life. Throughout this episode, we witness the Israelites' journey from Sinai, their challenges and complaints, Moses's struggles as a leader, and God's powerful response. In Psalm 27, David's deep trust in God encourages us to seek refuge and confidence in His presence. And in Mark 1, Heather highlights the beginning of Jesus' ministry, his compassion for the outcast, and the transformative power of his touch. We end with reflection, prayer, and encouragement to live each day renewed by God's love—abiding in Him, carrying His peace to the world, and remembering: you are loved. Join us as we open our hearts to scripture, the Holy Spirit's illumination, and the renewing love of Christ. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The story of God's Spirit shared among his people runs like a current through today's readings. In Numbers, Joshua hesitated, unsure if the others were worthy to receive the Spirit that had been given to Moses. But Moses, with a heart tuned to God's desire, longed for all of God's people to be filled with that same Spirit. That longing—the dream that none would be left out, that everyone would know the life that comes from God—is fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus stands in the power of the Spirit, bringing good news, healing, and restoration to all kinds of people: fishermen, the sick, the demon-possessed, and even a leper—a man considered so unclean, so unreachable. It's that very leper, made clean and whole by Jesus's touch, who becomes one of his greatest heralds. He's compelled to tell everyone what's happened, to spread the word that Jesus is willing and able to heal and make new. This is the story still being told today. Those who have been made clean, healed of brokenness and isolation, can't help but declare what Jesus has done. All the former "lepers"—the ones who know what it means to be outcast, who have experienced grace—are letting the world know the compassion of Jesus. This isn't a story reserved for the past. Even now, right where you are, the hands of Jesus reach out with love, to make you clean, to restore your soul. Maybe this is happening for you in this very moment. That is the hope and purpose of this podcast: to remind us again and again that it is Jesus who heals, who cleanses, who renews. He never stops reaching out in mercy. And as we experience this new life, we're invited to live in the Spirit, to abide with him, and to let our own lives become testimonies—just like the leper—of what God has done by his grace, for us and for the whole world. Let us live in the newness of what Jesus is doing. Let his compassion and transforming life flow through us, and may we spread that good news, letting the world see the love that reaches out and makes us whole. That's my prayer for my own heart, for my loved ones, and for you today. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Have you ever faced an unexpected detour on life's journey? In Numbers 21, the Israelites encounter a frustrating roadblock when Edom refuses passage, forcing them to take the long way around. Pastor Cody explores how their impatient grumbling led to judgment through fiery serpents, yet God provided healing through the bronze serpent lifted high—a powerful foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice. This compelling message reveals how our response to life's detours shapes our spiritual journey and reminds us to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus rather than temporary solutions. Whether facing disappointment or seeking direction, discover how to navigate life's unexpected turns with faith rather than frustration. Don't miss this transformative message about finding deliverance in detours. Cody King /// Walk in the Way www.stonepointchurch.com

Most of us know the sting of being picked last—whether it was on a playground team, in a social group, or even in life itself. It can leave you feeling overlooked, unworthy, or like you’re always trailing behind while others seem to move forward with ease. This devotional speaks directly to that ache and the grief that comes when healing, growth, or breakthrough feels delayed. The author reflects on childhood experiences of being physically overlooked, then connects that feeling to something deeper: the pain of silently struggling for years without understanding what was happening internally. When healing finally came later in life, it felt unfair—like time had been stolen and God had somehow skipped over them. But Scripture reminds us that God’s timing and positioning are never accidental. In Numbers 10, the tribe of Dan marched last—not because they were less important, but because they were assigned a crucial role. They served as the rear guard, protecting the rest of Israel from attacks that could come from behind. Their “last place” was actually a place of purpose, strength, and responsibility. Sometimes we assume being last means we are forgotten, when in reality, God may be placing us where we can protect, serve, or strengthen others in ways we don’t yet understand. The world equates being chosen last with being less valuable, but God’s kingdom turns that thinking upside down. God sees every season, every delay, and every hardship—and He never wastes any part of your story. Main Takeaways Being “picked last” can feel painful, but it doesn’t mean you are forgotten by God. God’s timing often feels delayed, but His plan is always intentional. The tribe of Dan went last for a purpose: to protect and guard others. Your position in life may be preparation for a calling you can’t yet see. God often assigns deep spiritual strength to those who have endured long seasons of struggle. Today’s Bible Verse “Dan’s troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps...” Numbers 10:25 (NLT) Your Daily Prayer Prayer excerpt for listeners: “Grant us guidance in waiting, and may we find joy in the order you choose to work. May we trust your supremacy and sovereignty.” Listen to the full prayer here, or to read the full devotional and prayer, visit the links below. Find more encouragement and devotionals here: LifeAudio.com – Christian podcasts, devotionals, and prayer resources Crosswalk.com – Faith-based articles, Bible study tools, and devotionals This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.orgTrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In Numbers 32, two and a half tribes of Israel chose to settle for less than God's best, staying in familiar territory instead of entering the Promised Land. They chose their cattle over Canaan, representing how we often choose comfort over God's calling. The cattle in our lives might be jobs, relationships, money, or anything familiar that keeps us from pursuing God's abundant plan. When we settle for good enough instead of God's best, we not only limit ourselves but also impact future generations. God calls us to cross over from the wilderness of mediocrity into the promised land of supernatural living, where His presence and power transform ordinary life into extraordinary purpose.

In episode two of "Raising Godly Warriors," Duane Sheriff teaches a biblical approach to parenting through the metaphor of an arrow in Psalm 127. There are three stages of a child's development: the feathers (ages 0-10), where we train through repetition and protection, the shaft (ages 10-20), where we teach, shape character, and strengthen identity; and the tip (age 20 and beyond), where we launch them toward their God-given target.Scripture teaches that the biblical age of accountability begins at 20, not 18. In Numbers 14, God held those 20 years old and older accountable for Israel's rebellion, while those younger were still considered under parental covering. This is more than historical detail—it's a spiritual warfare blueprint. Releasing our children prematurely can expose them to battles they are not yet equipped to fight, emphasizing the parental responsibility to protect, train, and prepare them until they can stand as warriors in their own right.

Most of us struggle with one of two extremes: thinking too highly of ourselves or too lowly of ourselves. Scripture calls us to something better: an accurate, God-centered understanding of who we are. In Numbers 12, God teaches a painful but necessary lesson in humility when Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses. God confronts their arrogance directly, defends His servant, and Miriam is struck with leprosy. Yet even in discipline, God shows mercy. Aaron confesses their sin, and Moses responds with humility and compassion by interceding for Miriam. This sermon also connects the lesson to 1 Peter, showing how believers should respond when they are criticized for serving Christ: Serve with the strength God supplies (1 Peter 4:10–11) Don't be surprised by trials or insults—if you are reviled for Christ, you are blessed (1 Peter 4:12–14) Humble yourself under God's mighty hand, and He will exalt you at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6) If you're facing criticism—especially from people close to you—this message will help you keep your eyes on God, walk in humility, and trust the Lord to deal with His servants in His way and timing. Sermon Notes Numbers 12:1 & 2 Moses' relationship with the Lord criticized due to his second marriage Numbers 12:3 Moses is a humble man Numbers 12:4 – 8 God tells Aaron and Miriam His relationship with Moses is different and they should have been afraid to speak against him Numbers 12:9 & 10 God was angry with them and struck Miriam with leprosy Numbers 12:11 & 12 Aaron confesses their sin to Moses Numbers 12:13 Moses intercedes for Miriam Numbers 12:14 & 15 The Lord's response is that she must bear her shame for 7 days 1 Peter 4:10 – 14 If you are reviled for Christ you are blessed 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourself before God and He will exalt you

In Numbers 21 we find the picture of what sin has done to mankind in the picture of the Fiery Serpents

In Numbers 21 we find the picture of what sin has done to mankind in the picture of the Fiery Serpents

Standing on the edge of God's promise is exciting. It's also terrifying. In Numbers 13, God's people stand at the doorstep of the Promised Land. The land is good. The promise is clear. But fear creeps in, and suddenly, giants look bigger than God. Ten spies focus on what they lack. Two of them remember who God is. In this message, we explore how fear shapes our vision, how faith reframes reality, and why God's vision always calls for a decision before it calls for a plan. The difference between moving forward and shrinking back isn't the size of the obstacle—it's whether we include God in the equation. As Vision Sunday approaches at CityBridge, this passage invites us to ask an honest question: Will we be shaped by fear, or formed by faith? Sermon notes and discussion questions available at: https://www.citybridgechurch.org/messages Subscribe for weekly Sunday Messages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Questions or feedback? DM us @citybridgecc or email info@citybridgechurch.org. Enjoyed the message? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

The Suffering of the Apostle Paul      The apostle Paul's ministry was marked by unrelenting hardship, yet God used these very trials as a means of shaping his character and magnifying His glory. In recounting his experiences to the Corinthians, Paul detailed the many afflictions he endured: imprisonments, countless beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, exposure to danger, hunger, thirst, sleepless nights, and the daily pressure of concern for the churches (2 Cor 11:23–28). Such a catalog of suffering would have crushed many, but Paul recognized that his hardships were not wasted. Rather than viewing his trials as setbacks, he understood them as instruments of God's providence, divinely appointed means through which his faith was refined and his ministry authenticated. His endurance in these circumstances demonstrated that his message was not driven by human strength or ambition but by the power of God working through a frail but faithful servant. These sufferings kept him humble, dependent, and keenly aware that the surpassing greatness of the gospel treasure was carried in “earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7).      Even more, Paul interpreted his sufferings as opportunities to display Christ's strength in his own weakness. When he pleaded for relief from his “thorn in the flesh,” the Lord answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Paul therefore embraced his afflictions, declaring, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor 12:9–10). This paradoxical perspective enabled him to rejoice even in chains, as he assured the Philippians that his imprisonment had actually served to advance the gospel by emboldening others to preach Christ without fear (Phil 1:12–14). For Paul, trials were not obstacles but opportunities, occasions for God's grace to shine through human frailty and for the gospel to reach further than ease and comfort ever could. His life exemplifies the truth that spiritual maturity and that God's power is most clearly displayed when His servants, emptied of self, depend wholly on Him. The Suffering of the Saints Mentioned in Hebrews 11      The writer of Hebrews speaks of a “cloud of witnesses” who testify through their lives that faith can endure under the most severe trials (Heb 11:35–38). These men and women of old faced unimaginable hardships, including mocking, flogging, chains, imprisonment, and even violent death, yet they refused to abandon their trust in God. Some, like Jeremiah, were beaten and confined in stocks (Jer 20:2), while others, such as Daniel and his companions, were threatened with fiery furnaces and lions' dens but held firm to their convictions (Dan 3:16–18; 6:10). Tradition also recalls prophets who were sawn in two or killed with the sword, giving their lives rather than compromise their loyalty to Yahweh. What unites these witnesses is not the uniformity of their circumstances but the constancy of their faith. Though their earthly stories often ended in suffering rather than triumph, their lives bear permanent testimony to the sustaining power of God's promises. They form a great gallery of the faithful whose examples surround and encourage believers to run with endurance the race set before them (Heb 12:1).      Though their faith was tested to its limits, these saints looked beyond their temporal struggles and fixed their gaze on God's eternal reward. They lived as pilgrims and strangers on the earth, confessing that they sought a better country, that is, a heavenly one, prepared by God Himself (Heb 11:13–16). Their perspective was not limited to deliverance in this life but extended to resurrection and future glory. Women, like the widow of Zarephath and the Shunammite woman, received back their dead by resurrection (1 Kgs 17:22–23; 2 Kgs 4:35–37), yet others accepted death rather than deny the hope of “a better resurrection” (Heb 11:35). This eschatological outlook sustained them through unimaginable suffering, for they knew that God's approval and eternal inheritance outweighed every earthly loss. Their faith was not naive optimism but a settled confidence in the character and promises of God, who “is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). In this way, their testimony continues to inspire believers today to endure hardship, remembering that the path of faith often winds through suffering, but it ultimately leads to the eternal presence and reward of God. When Believers Fail to Live by Faith      There are examples in the Bible where mature believers struggled to maintain faith during intense trials. In Numbers, Moses became overwhelmed with his leadership and expressed despair, saying, “I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once” (Num 11:14-15a). Similarly, Elijah, after his triumph on Mount Carmel, fled from Jezebel and asked God to let him die because he felt overwhelmed and alone. Elijah said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers” (1 Ki 19:4).      These instances highlight the very human responses of exhaustion, fear, and despair in some of God's greatest servants. They remind us that enduring trials is difficult and that even the most faithful can struggle to keep perspective in the face of overwhelming circumstances. However, these stories also show God's compassion and provision. God did not condemn Moses or Elijah for their despair; instead, He provided for their needs, reassured them, and continued to work through them. God's response to their struggles illustrates His understanding of human frailty and His willingness to sustain His people even when their faith falters. In a way, these moments of struggle also contribute to their spiritual growth, as God uses these low points to teach them, recalibrate their thinking to focus on His power and promises, and prepare them for the next steps in their journeys.      Lastly, we cannot prevent the difficulties of life that come our way, but we can respond to them in faith, trusting God and His Word to guide and strengthen us. We know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Whatever happens to us, we must fight the urge to complain, for if we start that, it becomes increasingly difficult to turn back. Complaining is not a problem solving device, and Scripture tells us to “Do all things without complaining or arguing” (Phil 2:14; cf., 1 Pet 4:9). As difficult as it may be, we must chose a faith response to “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th 5:16-18). When emotions rise, faith must rise even higher, for it is only through faith in God and His Word that growth occurs. Accept God's Trials.      Paul wrote, “we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope” (Rom 5:3-4). James said, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (Jam 1:2-4 CSB). The Lord uses the fire of trials to burn away the dross of our weak character and to refine those golden qualities consistent with His character. The growing believer learns to praise God in and for the trials, knowing He uses them to strengthen our faith and develop us into spiritually mature Christians. Trials can make us bitter or better, depending on how we respond to them. In the right conditions, time and pressure can shape a Christian much as it shapes carbon into a diamond. Wiersbe states: "The greatest judgment God could bring to a believer would be to let him alone, let him have his own way. Because God loves us, He “prunes” us and encourages us to bear more fruit for His glory. If the branches could speak, they would confess that the pruning process hurts; but they would also rejoice that they will be able to produce more and better fruit."[1]      The Lord wants His child to have strength of character, steel in the soul, and not timidity. He leads the Christian into situations and hardships that resist comfort and develop spiritual muscle. He does not hesitate to place them in situations that lie beyond their natural strength, for only in being stretched to face the humanly impossible does the believer learn to trust in the Lord, gain confidence, and discover that divine power is made perfect in weakness.      God uses trials, suffering, and hardships as His chosen instruments to shape, strengthen, and prepare those He intends to use. Rather than shielding His servants from pain, He hammers, molds, and bends them—never breaking them but transforming them into vessels fit for His highest purposes. For the Christian, then, suffering is not meaningless. It is God's tool of refinement, His instrument for shaping souls into vessels of honor. The fires that seem to consume us are in fact controlled flames in the hand of a wise and loving Father. The Christian who learns to see trial as part of God's gracious purpose can echo Paul's triumphant words: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing… always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor 4:8–10).      From a biblical perspective, God uses trials as a means to shape us into the people He wants us to be because He loves us and desires what is best for us. He wants us to mature, and life's difficulties are part of the process. We must walk by faith and choose to “count it all joy” (Jam 1:2) because we know that the testing of our faith will lead to spiritual maturity if we yield to the Lord (Jam 1:3–4). This passage encourages believers to view trials as opportunities for growth. Where there is positive volition and a faith response, trials become a means to strengthen faith, leading to perseverance. As perseverance develops, it results in spiritual maturity. Steven R. Cook., D.Min., M.Div.   [1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1, 356.

If you've ever listened to the fans at a college or professional football game, you know some of them are the ultimate experts at what their team is doing wrong and what they should be doing. It's just amazing some of those fans haven't been hired as, like, head coach of the team, right? After speaking for professional football chapels and getting to know some of the players, I was less than patient with their critics all around me up in the stands. I mean, I knew some of those guys on the field. I knew they had everything on the line when they played and that they were the only heroes in the game. You know, there are no heroes in the stands. Sometimes I just wanted to stand up and say to one of those guys: by the way, I never did because they were all bigger than I am. But I wanted to say, "Hey! Why don't you get out of the stands and get in the game!" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Get In the Game." I've got to wonder if Jesus isn't trying to say something like that to many of His "fans," which by the way, He has plenty of. There are millions of believers who are willing to go to Jesus' meetings, give to Jesus' causes, and cheer for the ones that are on the field. Oh yeah, and sometimes criticize from the stands how the players are playing. But Jesus doesn't need any more fans. He needs players - players who will join Him in winning some victories; some lives for the cause that He gave His life for! In Numbers 32, where we find our word for today from the Word of God, there is a sobering picture of the spiritual dynamics in Christ's church today. The Jews are preparing to go in and challenge the Canaanites for the Promised Land. The Jewish tribes of Reuben and Gad had been told that the land God was giving them was on the East side of the Jordan - the safe side. All the other tribes would have to go in and fight for their land on the other side of the river. The "East-siders" had this great idea, "Moses, how about we just stay here with our families and set up our little homes and farms?" Moses' reply in Numbers 32:6 comes echoing down through the centuries as a wakeup call for complacent Christians today. He said, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?" Man, I can almost hear Jesus saying that to us today. "Should persecuted Christians and struggling missionaries take all the risks and fight all the battles to reach the lost while you sit here?" Or, in other words, "Get out of the stands and get in the game!" Later, Moses said that if they failed to leave their comfort zone and go with their brothers into the combat zone, they should "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Did you know that's where that verse comes from? Sin that will find you out is the sin of complacency and passivity when there are battles to fight for the Lord! Today, the battle isn't for land, it's for lives - people who will spend eternity in either heaven or hell, people all around us and half a world away. Jesus' Great Commission to get out His Gospel cannot be delegated to a few spiritual daredevils we call missionaries. His Great Commission, His final orders before He left for heaven is always first person singular! Jesus intends for the cost and the risk of rescuing a dying world to be equally shared by all those who belong to Him! The Son of God sacrificed everything for it, and many have over the years, including this past year, sacrificed their lives for it. And many others have given their whole lives to this greatest cause in the universe. So who are we to just sit passively in the stands, just cheering or even jeering? So many of our brothers and sisters have gone to war. How can we sit here and ask them to make all the sacrifices? There is a war to win for Jesus Christ! It's time to get out of your comfort zone and go where your Savior is - in the combat zone!

If you've ever listened to the fans at a college or professional football game, you know some of them are the ultimate experts at what their team is doing wrong and what they should be doing. It's just amazing some of those fans haven't been hired as, like, head coach of the team, right? After speaking for professional football chapels and getting to know some of the players, I was less than patient with their critics all around me up in the stands. I mean, I knew some of those guys on the field. I knew they had everything on the line when they played and that they were the only heroes in the game. You know, there are no heroes in the stands. Sometimes I just wanted to stand up and say to one of those guys: by the way, I never did because they were all bigger than I am. But I wanted to say, "Hey! Why don't you get out of the stands and get in the game!" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Get In the Game." I've got to wonder if Jesus isn't trying to say something like that to many of His "fans," which by the way, He has plenty of. There are millions of believers who are willing to go to Jesus' meetings, give to Jesus' causes, and cheer for the ones that are on the field. Oh yeah, and sometimes criticize from the stands how the players are playing. But Jesus doesn't need any more fans. He needs players - players who will join Him in winning some victories; some lives for the cause that He gave His life for! In Numbers 32, where we find our word for today from the Word of God, there is a sobering picture of the spiritual dynamics in Christ's church today. The Jews are preparing to go in and challenge the Canaanites for the Promised Land. The Jewish tribes of Reuben and Gad had been told that the land God was giving them was on the East side of the Jordan - the safe side. All the other tribes would have to go in and fight for their land on the other side of the river. The "East-siders" had this great idea, "Moses, how about we just stay here with our families and set up our little homes and farms?" Moses' reply in Numbers 32:6 comes echoing down through the centuries as a wakeup call for complacent Christians today. He said, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?" Man, I can almost hear Jesus saying that to us today. "Should persecuted Christians and struggling missionaries take all the risks and fight all the battles to reach the lost while you sit here?" Or, in other words, "Get out of the stands and get in the game!" Later, Moses said that if they failed to leave their comfort zone and go with their brothers into the combat zone, they should "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Did you know that's where that verse comes from? Sin that will find you out is the sin of complacency and passivity when there are battles to fight for the Lord! Today, the battle isn't for land, it's for lives - people who will spend eternity in either heaven or hell, people all around us and half a world away. Jesus' Great Commission to get out His Gospel cannot be delegated to a few spiritual daredevils we call missionaries. His Great Commission, His final orders before He left for heaven is always first person singular! Jesus intends for the cost and the risk of rescuing a dying world to be equally shared by all those who belong to Him! The Son of God sacrificed everything for it, and many have over the years, including this past year, sacrificed their lives for it. And many others have given their whole lives to this greatest cause in the universe. So who are we to just sit passively in the stands, just cheering or even jeering? So many of our brothers and sisters have gone to war. How can we sit here and ask them to make all the sacrifices? There is a war to win for Jesus Christ! It's time to get out of your comfort zone and go where your Savior is - in the combat zone!

God isn't obsessed with numbers — He's obsessed with names.In Numbers 1, God asks Moses to count the people, not because He needs data… but because every number represents a person He delivered, loved, and called by name. In this message we unpack why God counts, what the numbers actually tell us, and why whatever […]

In Numbers 13-14, the rebellion becomes a full blown mutiny, and only Moses stands between the people and total annihilation. Join us this week to see what happens and learn what we should do when God asks us to do something scary.Got a question about this teaching or a teaching from this series? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit it here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠About Music Track: Track: Inspirational Flight Artist: AShamaluevMusic Owner: Aleksandr Shamaluev.

Biblically, the sin of not resting is seen as disobedience to God's rhythm of creation and a rejection of trust in His provision. It leads to spiritual dryness, societal injustice, and even exile.   Here's how Scripture frames this:  

In Numbers 16, Israel faced God's judgment for their rebellion—a deadly plague had begun, and 14,700 people died. God had to deal with their sin, but He raised up Moses and Aaron—faithful intercessors—to stand in the gap. Aaron, the high priest, ran straight into danger, “standing between the living and the dead,” and the plague stopped.This Special Offering weekend, Pastor Kong Hee shares the final page of the “report card” on Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan, reminding us: wherever we stand, the plague—of hunger, poverty, hopelessness, and darkness—will stop!

The thorns in Luke press and threaten. They are the self-referential swarm posing as a flock: the so-called “community” that gathers to its own voice, circling death, mistaking its stench for sweetness, even as it strangles the one bearing the seed.These are the thorns.But the roots are of another kind. They spring up from the seed itself. A daughter of Israel, fruit of the Master's vine, afflicted for twelve years, who cannot live apart from him. She is not self-referential. She does not reach out to harm, nor to press her point, nor to insist upon herself. Though she is a daughter, she does not presume the right to cross the boundary set by what is sacred. She does not assume she is equal, much less above.The threat that governs this boundary is the same one given to the priest in the wilderness:“The outsider who draws near shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:10, 38; 17:13).It is the earth of creation itself under his Command. Life and death hinge on reference to him, which becomes submission. Absent reference, submission collapses into the “crowd of thorns”—the ʿedah swarming carrion, the lynch mob, the beloved neo-pagan “community.” The priest stands at the edge of that body: assigned to draw near, yet living under the same threat that borders the sanctuary. For proximity to what is holy is not possession of it. To approach on one's own terms is to perish; to be drawn near in obedience is to live.Pressure exposes the heart of this law. In Numbers, Balaam's donkey pressed his foot against the wall because she saw what he could not. The pressure revealed the blindness of the man and the sight of the donkey. In Luke, the crowd presses upon Jesus, but he perceives what they cannot: the deliberate touch of the one who steps forward in faith. The same pressure that blinds the self-referential reveals the one who truly sees.The thorns in Luke do not understand this law. They confuse nearness with ownership and approach with entitlement. Like the outsider who encroaches upon the altar, they rush forward without Command: pressing, consuming, swarming as if circling carrion. Their nearness is self-initiated; therefore, they take life.But the daughter, like the biblical root sprung from the seed of the Sower, is drawn near by the Command. She approaches not to take but to receive. Unlike the thorns, she does not presume to cross the boundary by “right.” She draws near as an offering, not as an invader.Now she stands in the center, and he is her circumference: her shield in the time of strife.Hear, O daughter of Israel: draw near and see.Do not be afraid.The Lord is your Shepherd.This week, I discuss Luke 8:43-45.8:43 And a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came [προσελθοῦσα / ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet)] up behind him and touched [ἥψατο / ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet)] the fringe of his cloak, and immediately her discharge of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched [ἁψάμενός / ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet)] me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing [ἀποθλίβουσιν / ל-ח-ץ (lamed-ḥet-ṣade)] in on you.”ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet) / ق-ر-ب (qāf-rāʾ-bāʾ )ἅπτω (hapto)“So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the outsider who comes near [הקרב (ha-qareb)] shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:10)“But those who were to camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but the outsider who comes near [הקרב (ha-qareb)] shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:38)“Everyone who comes near [הקרב (ha-qareb)], who comes near [הקרב (ha-qareb)] to the tabernacle of the Lord, must die. Are we to perish completely?” (Numbers 17:13)In Numbers 3:10, 3:38, and 17:13, the Hebrew term הקרב (ha-qareb), from the root ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet), “to draw near, approach”, defines the law of approach that governs creation. The warning that “the outsider who draws near shall be put to death” does not protect tribe, identity, or privilege; it names the biblical principle of the open field itself.The sanctuary, like God's field, is an open expanse, not an enclosure. Yet, his Command governs its openness. Life exists only by reference to his instruction. His Command orders the heavens and the earth.The priest stands at the edge of God's field, where hearing and obedience hold the ground together. To cross without hearing is to move without reference, to “gather” for God's judgment; to press, as the thorns do, devouring what cannot be possessed. The danger is not in being outside, but in stepping forward on one's own terms, mistaking freedom for ownership. Even the appointed priest lives under this sentence. Closeness is not possession. The clearest lexical example of this in Luke is Judas:“While he was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached [ἤγγισεν engisen / ק-ר-ב] Jesus to kiss him.” (22:47)Judas embodies unauthorized closeness, the New Testament fulfillment of הקרב (ha-qareb) in Numbers: the one who draws near and dies. Luke 22:47 is the clearest example of a self-referential disciple.The tabernacle, like the open field, is the earth of creation under his Command: its boundaries invisible yet absolute, its center defined by hearing. To be drawn near by instruction is to live within the Lord's circumference; to come near unbidden is to dissolve into dust. Life and death hinge upon reference within the open field of his Command.προσέρχομαι (proserchomai)“Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, came near [ותקרבנה (wattiqrabnah)]; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.” (Numbers 27:1)Here, ק-ר-ב (qof-resh-bet) indicates a rare instance of righteous petition. In Numbers, the daughters of Zelophehad step forward to the entrance of the tent: not to make a claim, but to submit. This reflects the function of the root itself, in which the one who draws near becomes interfunctional with the offering. Their nearness stands in sharp contrast to the ʿedah of Korah, who also “came near” (yiqrebu) and were swallowed by the earth. Where the rebellious qareb ends in death, the obedient qareb bears fruit: law and inheritance take root and blossom through submission. Their approach reveals the womb of nearness, rightly ordered by the Command—an approach that gives life rather than takes it.

As Moses approached the end of his life, his focus wasn’t on regret, bitterness, or personal loss—it was on God’s people. In Numbers 27:15-17, Moses prayed that the Lord would appoint a leader to guide Israel so they wouldn’t be “like sheep without a shepherd.” Despite his mistakes and missed opportunities, Moses left a legacy of faith, humility, and care for God’s people. This devotional reminds us that true spiritual leadership looks beyond ourselves and points others toward the ultimate Good Shepherd—Jesus—who leads us into rest, protection, and eternal promise. ✨ Highlights Moses’ selfless prayer — Even at the end of his life, Moses was focused on God’s people, not his own loss A legacy of faith — Despite failure, Moses’ life still pointed others toward God’s promises Jesus, our ultimate Shepherd — The fulfillment of Moses’ prayer is found in Jesus, who leads us to spiritual safety and rest (John 10:11) Kingdom perspective — God calls us to live with an eternal mindset, thinking beyond our present circumstances and investing in future generations Carrying God’s light — As Christ-followers, we are called to shine His light wherever we go and leave the world “better than we found it”