Numbers – Chapter 21

So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. Numbers 21:9 – By now reading in our chapter that the people of Israel complained during their wilderness journey seems more like an expected event rather than a surprise. While having a justifiable reason to be flustered, for they now had to backtrack and go away from the Promised Land due to an enemy, how Israel complained was not justifiable. They complained against God, against Moses, and even called God’s provision worthless. God then sent venomous snakes within the people and many died. After the people repented, we see the Lord gave Moses a unique way to save the people: make a bronze serpent, put it on a pole, and whoever looked at it would be saved. Even if the person was moments away from death they’d be saved, and there was no limit to how many could be saved either. For us this is an easy shift to see how this applies to our story, for even Jesus connects His story to that of our chapter (John 3:14-15). Our Savior was hung on the cross, and any who look to Jesus for salvation will be saved. You may be filled to the brim with the poison of sin, but Jesus can still save you. There is also no limit to the amount of people that can be saved through Jesus. Today we have a Savior who has made a way from us to be saved from the venom of sin and the fiery bite of the enemy. Do not look to your own hands to save you, do not look to you own powers to rescue you, simple look to the Savior who hung on a cross for you to find the salvation you need. Only though Jesus will you have the rescue you are looking for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3371

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. Numbers 21:4 – It’s crazy how easy it is to become impatient on the way. When you can tell things are moving forward in the right direction, but they just aren’t happening as fast as you want them to. As a result we grumble in our minds, ask God why things are moving at the speed they are, and settle in a mindset of discontent. So what should we do? We should do the very thing that sometimes can frustrate us when we hear it, trust in God’s timing. Trust He’s working even when things are moving slow. Take time then to show love to the people that the slow movement ends up putting in your path longer than you expected. Just because things are moving slower to the end goal than you thought doesn’t mean you have to wait on loving people longer than you thought. So don’t settle in discontentment when things move slow. God really is moving and will move in your story when the move is ready. Take advantage of this time then to follow His lead and love those around you in the waiting. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1437

Numbers 21 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. Numbers 21:25 – Don’t settle before you’ve gone the distance the Lord has called you to go. Here the people of Israel begin the defeating process of their opposition to their promise-land-takeover. They, as God said would happen, were victorious each time they followed His lead. Here though we see the people of Israel settle in a land not yet the promise land. They aren’t quite there yet, they are still in the journey to where God’s taking them, and now they settle on the way. At this point thankfully they don’t remain settled, but do keep moving, but we will see later on some of Israel choose this land as their inheritance instead of the promise land. Our message today is then don’t settle when God is still calling you to move. When the journey we’re on is longer, confusing, more difficult, and seemingly never-ending, we can be tempted to “settle” along the way. When Mr. Right doesn’t come, I’ll settle for Mr. He-will-do. When the direction God gives is more than we asked for, we shift over to leading the way instead to a more comfortable for us direction. We settle. We settle for what’s easier and more clear and more attainable in the moment…but it’s not the promise land. Trust if God is continuing to have you take steps beyond where you are right now and if He’s continuing to make you wait for the promise, it’s worth to not get comfortable here and to continue to move after Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2302