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Salvation is in the Details–Numbers 3:11-13

February 27, 2013 in 2013 Journey, God's Merciful Ways, Numbers, Sin, The Cross with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 2:1-3:51

The one word that keeps coming to my mind as we leave Leviticus and move to Numbers is details. It’s actually mind-blowing that the God of the universe cares about every detail of our lives.

Today’s discovery gives me sweet assurance that my Heavenly Father didn’t miss me when He was paying for the sins of the human race.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me, for all the firstborn males are mine. On the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both of people and of animals. They are mine; I am the Lord. –Numbers 3:11-13

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord. There are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these extra firstborn sons,  collect five pieces of silver for each of them (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs). Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons. –Numbers 3:44-48

Every first-born son was the Lord’s, set apart to be given to the Him at birth, but the Lord made a substitute.  He set aside the tribe of Levi to be dedicated to His service.  They took the place of all the first-born of Israel.

But

there was a problem.

There were more first-born Israelites than Levites.

With God being God, it’s easy to think that He would say, “This is a symbolic gesture, we don’t have to have it match p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y…”

But not the one and only true God.  He did the math.  He made sure EVERY first-born male was redeemed.

Friends, fast-forward 2000 years ago.  Every person ever born was destined for death because of our sinful nature.

God knew the exact number of past, present, and future humans.

He knew the exact depth of our sin.

He decided to make a way to redeem the human race but He had to find a substitute.

Who could cover that much sin?  No one.

Except

His Son.

Jesus, paid the price of every detail of our sinfulness. Our salvation is sure.  God did the math.  He paid the price, His first-born son–>Jesus Christ.

There are a few additional details.  The only way we can receive this gift of salvation is to…

  1. Believe that Jesus
    • is God
    • was born of a virgin, suffered and died for our sins
    • defeated sin and death and now is alive in Heaven making intercession for you and I at the Heavenly Father’s right hand
  2. Believe that we were born with a sinful nature
  3. Ask Jesus to forgive our sins and be the Lord of our lives
  4. Accept Him as our Savior

Heavenly Father, thank you for working out the details of my salvation!  I know my sins are covered because of the price Jesus paid for me.  I’m excited to know You are overseeing every detail of my life.  Use me to share the message of redemption with those who don’t know You.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 4:1-5:31

Have You Ever Felt Abandoned by God? Psalm 22:1

May 8, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Faith, Holiness, Prayer, Psalms, Rejection, The Cross, The Hurting World, Tough Times, Trials, Trust with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 22-26

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.  At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”  –Matthew 27:45-46

I’ve read and heard these words countless times over the years but today I saw them in Psalms 22 and I was surprised:

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?  
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them.
They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you and were never disgraced.    –Psalms 22:2-5
 

Yes, David penned those words many years before Jesus shouted them on the cross.

Jesus AND David felt abandoned by God.

Have you ever felt abandoned by God?

Have you ever felt like God did not answer?

David used a word that we need to remember when we feel abandoned:

Yet

My paraphrase of Psalm 22:1-5

Lord, I feel like you’ve abandoned me.  I call you, but You do not answer.  I know You hear me, but you are sending me no relief.

Yet, 

You are still holy.  

You still deserved my praise.  

Our ancestors trusted You when they felt abandoned.  

They cried out to You and You saved them.  

They were never disgraced by trusting You.  

So I’m going to do the same.

Do you feel abandoned today?

Tell the Lord exactly how you feel and when you’ve said all you need to say, add this line:

Yet, You are Holy Lord.  I don’t understand but I praise You and I trust You.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 27-32

My God has Ridden Across Heaven to Help Me–Deuteronomy 33:26

March 22, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Deuteronomy, Faith, God Speaks today, Jesus, Joshua, The Cross, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Deuteronomy 33:1 through Deuteronomy 34:12; Joshua 1:1 through Joshua 2:24

I’m sad that Moses died in today’s reading.  He has been our leader for four books.

There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face (Deut. 34:10).

Did you notice that God, not man buried him? (Deut. 34:5)

My God has ridden across heaven to help me!  I love the beautiful picture this phrase brings to mind.  In Deuteronomy 33:26 (NLT), Moses is giving his final words to the Israelites just before his death.  Here’s what he says:  “There is no one like the God of Israel.  He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor.”

Just think, when Moses wrote these words in Deuteronomy, Jesus had not come.  Moses knew a lot about God’s help and majestic splendor but  Moses had just a glimpse of the extent  God was willing to help.  God was so determined to help us that he sent his only son “across the heavens” and to the earth to die on a cross for our sins.  Moses is one of my top 5 heroes of the Bible and I’ve experienced “help” that he could only hope for.  Wow!  That’s amazing!

I had the privilege of watching two of Louie Giglio’s DVDs on the “majestic splendor” of  God and saw this amazing picture.   I encourage you to check out Louie’s “How Great is Our God” and “Indescribable” DVDs.

 

Yes, people, there is a God and He is so much bigger than we allow Him to be.

Where would I be without My God?  I can’t tell you how many times My God has ridden across heaven to help me in my day-to-day life but the most important time God came to my rescue was when He sent his son Jesus Christ  to this earth to pay the price for my sinful nature and make  a way for me to have eternal life (John 3:16)

Do you need to be rescued today?  Ask Jesus Christ, son of the one true God and our Savior to ride across heaven to help you.

©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Joshua 3:1 through Joshua 6:27

2 Life-Changing Words—Luke 23:39-43

November 4, 2011 in Luke, The 2011 Prayer Journey, The Cross with 1 Comment

I’ve read, heard, and seen the story of the crucifixion many, many times throughout my life.  It really came alive for me during the years that I worked on the Passion Play project at our church.

Today I saw something new…

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:21-24, Matthew 27:32-34, Luke 23:26-31, John 19:17, Mark 15:25-32, Matthew 27:35-44, Luke 23:32-43, John 19:18-27, Mark 15:33-41, Matthew 27:45-56, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37

Jesus was crucified between two criminals.  Was it a coincidence?  Did it just happen to be their day to die?

I don’t think so.  As I read the account of the crucifixion in all four gospels it seems that every detail was either fulfillment of prophesy or final life lessons from Jesus; He was still teaching, loving, and forgiving as he died for the sins of the world.

These two criminals represent every person who has or will ever meet Jesus.  God used these two criminals to simplify the plan of salvation:

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?  We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:39-43

Both criminals met Jesus

Both heard the message

And then came the fork in the road…

Decision Time—

One criminal immediately rejected the Messiah, his only hope and died in his sinful state.

The other criminal immediately acknowledged

  • his sinfulness
  • that he deserved to die
  • that Jesus did not deserve to die
  • that Jesus was God
  • that Jesus was his only hope

And then he asked Jesus to remember him when (not if) he came into His Kingdom.  Today that second criminal is in heaven with Jesus.

The plan of salvation acted out…

  • Meet Jesus
  • Accept Him
  • Reject Him

Remember me—2 words

That’s all it took.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple message; let’s not complicate it.  But let’s also not minimize it; yes, it’s a simple plan, but it was bought with a difficult prize—the suffering and death of the Son of God.  If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, do it today.  It will be the best decision you ever made.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the simple plan You design for my redemption. Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins.  Lord, I pray that those who haven’t accepted You as their savior will do so today.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!


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©2011, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:42-47, Matthew 27:57-61, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42, Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-7, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:9-11,  John 20:1-18, Matthew 28:8-15

Who Am I? 2 Samuel 7:18

April 24, 2011 in 2 Samuel, Becoming a Christ Follower, Living a Life that reflects the Son, Success, The 2011 Prayer Journey, The Awesomeness of God, The Cross, The Journey to Knowing Him More with 2 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Chronicles 17:16-27; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; 1 Chronicles 18:1-13; Psalm 60

What do you say when you reach an amazing goal that few attain?

Many of us say something like “It’s about time!”  “I deserve it!” “I’ve worked my whole life for this!”

Here’s what David said when Nathan told him that God had said that his kingdom and throne would be secure forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?

“What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 

Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.

“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!  –2 Samuel 7:18-22

As I sat in today’s Easter service watching the illustrated sermon of Jesus’ beating, walk to the cross, and agonizing death it seemed more real to me than I can remember in past years.  Like David, I found myself asking the Lord, “Who Am I that You would suffer and die for?”  “Lord, that was just too much to go through.” “I wasn’t worth it.”

The words to the Casting Crowns’ song, Who Am I answered this question for me:
YouTube Preview Image

And You told me who I am…

I am Yours

Thank You Lord for dying for me!

Yours…

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©2011, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Devotion:  2 Samuel 8:15-18; 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 1 Chronicles 6:16-30; 50-53; 31-48; 2 Samuel 9:1-10:19; 1 Chronicles 19:1-19

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