Mercy. [Psalm 23 v 6 ]

We continue to consider Numbers21 v4 ff ,the firey serpents,that event in which God had to chastise His people, in Hebrews 3,we read how the nation constantly, grieved God. God threatened to wipe them out,and to raise up a new nation through Moses [Exodus 32 v 10 ]'God never did destroy the nation ,why ?,because of His love for them, and because He is merciful. In my times of private prayer the one thing I am asking of God continually, is mercy for myself, and others . Over the ark in which dwelt the tablets with the law written on them, was the mercy seat, if it was just us, and Gods law, we would not stand a chance,we would be condenmed, to a lost eternity, but through Jesus we recieve mercy.[ Hebrews 4 v16 ] So it was, God had mercy on Israel , he did not allow them to be wiped out, and provided a means to heal and save them,tomorrow we will consider the significance of what He did,but for now let us praise God for His mercy which endures for ever.
That great hymn writer Isaac Watts wrote. Give to our God eternal praise,
Mercy and truth are all His ways
Wonders of grace to God belong
Repeat His mercies in your song.

He sent His Son with power to save
From guilt, and darkness, and the grave,
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat His mercies in your song.

Through this vain world He guides our feet,
And leads us to His heavenly seat,
His mercies shall for ever endure,
When this vain world shall be no more.
A prayer
/Dear God we praise You for Your continual mercy in Jesus name Amen /

Moses prayed [1 Timothy 2 v 5 ]

And Moses prayed for the people [ Numbers 21 v 7 ] at this time Moses was the one who mediated for the people, it was a legitimate role at that time ,for him. The wonder of the new covenant is that every believer can freely come to God ,and be heard,there is no special priesthood,for every believer is a priest[ 1 Peter 2 v9 ] Does that mean we cannot pray for others? of course we can pray for others, and indeed we are exhorted to [1 Timothy 2 v1-3], consider what that means. Our interceding on behalf of others can touch the heart of our loving heavenly Father,who will answer,in wonderful ways. Eternity will reveal what our prayers have accomplished,someone was saved,someone was delivered, someone was healed,some need was met,some burden lifted,and all because we prayed. We may not be a Moses, so what, it is faith that God honours, God is no respecter of persons, but He loves those who honour Him, so pray for others dear child of God with faith and confidence in the name of Jesus.
John Newton wrote /Come my soul, thy suit prepare,
Jesus loves to answer prayer,
He Himself has bid thee pray,
Therefore will not say thee nay.
Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring.
For His grace and power are such
None can ever ask too much.
A prayer.
Dear God we thank You, that You hear and are pleased to answer our prayers
through Jesus Your dear Son . Amen.

Discipline . [ Hebrews 12 v 5 -13 ]

In Proverbs 3v 11- 12 we read ,/My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His correction. For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth,even as a father the son in whom he delighteth/. Why did God send firey serpents to bite the people and even cause some to die ?, because He loved them, yes He did. An undisciplined child is a spoilt child, an unpleasant child, only as that child is dealt with, do they begin to realise what is right and whats wrong, whats acceptable and whats unacceptable. God in sending firey sepents was disciplining them, and so it would continue, a loving father does not give up on his children. Are you experiencing discipline from God your father?well dont think He does not love you, it evidence that He loves you [Hebrews 12 v8 ] He will perfect that which concerneth us, how? , by disciplining us.

A.A. Pollard wrote / Have Thine own way Lord
Have Thine own way.
Thou art the Potter,
I am the clay
Mould me and make me,
After Thy will
While I am waiting
Yielded and still.
A prayer
Dear Lord forgive our foolish ways, grant us grace to accept Thy loving discipline
in Jesus name. Amen.

Let us learn. [ Deuteronomy 14 v 21 - 23 ]

Continuing on in Numbers 21,we read that God punished the people by sending firey serpents among them , the term firey , W . Riggans relates to the burning sensation of the venom in the body of those the serpents bit'. As a result of being bitten many of the people died,this came about because the people threw of restraint, and the fear of the Lord. What is the fear of the Lord? , to me it appears to mean a showing of reverance, and it seems to me when you act like Israel did you cross a line, that, yes, is dangerous . I believe when it comes to God we must be very careful,God we are told is a consuming fire [Hebrews 12 v29 ]. Time after time Israel had to be taught the fear of God, consider the words of Ecclesiastes 5 v 7, we read ,/ but fear thou God /, do it voluntary or be taught it ,which is usually a very painful experience. The vast majority of people have no fear of God [Romans 3 v 18 ], but one day they will fear [Revelation 6 v 15 -17 ] The fear of the Lord we are told is to hate evil [Proverbs 8v13 ], for if we embrace evil then we will experience Gods just punishment. God is the master teacher , what does every teacher require of his pupils?, to learn ,in Deuteronomy 14 v23 , God the great teacher wants His people to learn the fear of the Lord

A prayer / Dear God we love you and yet we reverance You with a godly fear,in Jesus name Amen /

A short spirit and a short soul.[ Psalm 139 v 23- 24 ]

In Numbers 21 v 4-9 we have according to Jewish tradition the last and the worst of Israel,s apostasies in the wilderness. It all came about because the people were discouraged, Walter Riggans comments,/They had been rejected by the kings of Edom and Arad, and had lost their High Priest Aaron./ So they spake against God and Moses they had a list of complints ,they let a wrong spirit enter into them. It is W R who describes their condition in two ways , having a short spirit, and a short soul. Having a short spirit, means being impatient, unable to keep one,s temper in check, a loosing of self discipline, it is the opposite of long suffering. Having a short soul means being thoroughly discouraged, feeling so low they forgot all about Gods goodness to them, He had delivered them from cruel bondage, provided for them, and protected them. I am sure we can identify with what happened to Israel, and what they did, and who is to say we may have acted like they did. Let us read and learn, what is the Holy Spirit is saying to you, and me, as we read this, have we let todays difficuties drive us and control us, to the point that we are speaking against God and His leaders, let us draw back from this wrong spirit, and ask God to renew within us a right spirit.
Be still, my heart, these anxious cares
To thee are burdens, thorns and snares,
They cast dishonour on the Lord
And contradict His gracious word.

Though rough and thorny be the road,
It leads thee home apace to God,
Then count thy present trials small,
For Heaven will make amends for all.
[J Newton ]
A prayer [Dear God in the midst of trials grant us grace to glorify Thee, in Jesus name. Amen ]

No hedging our bets.[ Matthew 8 18 -22 ]

A certain king Raedwald of East Anglia, [ 600- 624 ] was baptised as a Christian, but he still kept much of his pagan ways and worship. In 1939 a treasure trove was found with a mix of pagan and Chistian artifacts, and they are thought to belong to king Raedwald, the historian comments, /he continued to hedge his bets/. It is like what we read of in 2 Kings 17 v 33. /They feared the Lord, and served their own gods,/in other words they were hedging their bets,in gambling one can put on a bet , each way.If we are going to be saved we cannot hedge our bets, we must trust in Christ alone.And if we going to follow Jesus,then we cannot hedge our bets, Jesus says follow me. The call of Jesus to us is to follow Him, and Him alone , it may appear riskey, but be assured it will be for the best. Jesus if I could put it with reverance Jesus is a sure thing ,when we risk all on Christ,we will descover that we are safe and secure .


Mary J Walker wrote. Jesus I will trust Thee
Trust Thee with my soul.


A prayer [Dear Lord Jesus grant us the grace to be singleminded
and to not hedge our bets. Amen ]

Hasty decisions.[ Joshua 9 v14 ]

Isaiah 28 v16 declares, /He that believeth shall not make haste/,earlier in the day we were in a store and looking at computors, and after listening to a nice young sales person,I said we will think about it.It is so easy to make hasty decisions and find out later one has made the wrong decision,I am sure we have all done this. The thought of making a hasty decision implies unthought out decisions, marrying in haste and repenting at leisure, is an old saying,that bears a lot of truth. Yes there are times we need to make quick decisions ,to get out of trouble, but hasty decisions can land us in trouble. We make hasty decisions when we are afraid,in a crisis, or emotionally unstable, Psalm 46 v10 reminds us that there is a more excellant way, /Be still and know that I am God/,that means waiting on God, for His leading and guidance, and to be quitely confident in God.Our Saviour was never rushed into a hasty decision, at all times He waited and moved, in God His Fathers timing [, John11 v 6] , so let us heed the words of Isaiah 28 v16,/He that believeth shall not make haste./

A Prayer [ Help us oh God to be controlled and guided by Your Holy Spirit in all our decisions in Jesus name. Amen. ]