Deuteronomy 6

And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always.

… for our good always.  Obedience and awe of God are completely compatible, even prerequisites for our good always. LORD God, please help me to live from that honoring and reverent perspective. What is due You is always good for me, too.

To learn, to do, to possess, to fear…Lord may this be the increasing pattern of my life. To learn more of You, to obey what You direct me to do, to take hold of and live the life You have for me, to be more in awe and amazement and love and captivated and blown away by You, everyday. To the praise of Your very great Name. Thank You for being a Jealous God, for You value what I worship.

Deuteronomy 5

The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today.

Fresh words for a faith-filled life, not my daddy's faith; but mine.  Lord God, help me to seek Your fresh words, neglecting not Your written Word.  May I be in tune to Your conversations and covenants with me, while being cognizant and responsive to Your eternal truths.  Grow me up in You, Lord Jesus ... and thank You for Your words to me.  Thank You.

Joshua 10

the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel

I am so grateful that You, LORD God are my God and You have already fought for me. Praise You, sweet Warrior of Triumph God of mine. I so love that You lead them into battle and You guide them when the battle comes to them. I know You do the same for me. You blow my mind, Holy God of the Host Armies. May I embrace and walk in the victory You have provided even during the umpteenth day of battle or pursuit.

Deuteronomy 4

... that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.  Lord, help me to walk with You the whole way.  May I always live where You have ordained for me and in what You give me.  Help me to recognize that it is life.  May I go in with You, not view it from afar in fear or trepidation or laziness; and may I never go in as a captive or slave to anyone but You.  AND may I fully possess what You give me.  May Your gifts never be a snare or an idol in my life, may Your plans never possess me.  Help me to serve You well in and through what You provide and never worship the gift.

for this is your wisdom and your understanding ...  God's words are my wisdom and my understanding.  May I treat them as such and walk in the light of His eternal Word.

Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.   Help me, Holy Spirit, keep me that I shall not forget, let me remember and cherish the work of God's hand in and around my life.  Organize and prioritize my experiences, frame them that they bring You glory and show You to be Who You say You are; may I speak of them in the same fashion.

Deuteronomy 3

I (Moses) commanded Joshua at that time ...

God commanded Moses, (He also denied Moses' request).  
Moses commanded Joshua, (and the people of Israel).  
Joshua commanded the people, (when he led the people into the Promised Land).

God gives direction and authority.  I am to operate by the direction and according to the authority if I am to walk into the promises of my God.  


Lord, help me to fully realize this both in the physical realm and the supernatural one.  May I operate by Your direction and according to and within Your authority.  May I fully occupy the promises You have given me and not miss out on Your great glory in my life because of choosing poorly.

Deuteronomy 2

This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.” - my reputation is in God's hands.  His campaign is the only right way to interpret.

The LORD said to me, See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country.  {actually, Lord, with my eyes, I don't see; but I believe You)   Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. {Now?   gulp.  okay.  You see, Lord,  I am not feeling very warrior-y; but I believe You and I will respond in that trust)  ...  “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.” (oh, I get it, it's not instantaneous.  You have begun to deliver them.  It'll take some time.  May I stay believing and trusting and obedient during this process called deliverance and taking possession of the promise)  When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the LORD our God delivered him over to us ... (so, even though I had to go to battle, I had to prepare, bear the the weapon, wield the authority and actually be in the trench and do war, You, LORD my God delivered what You had promised.)  

God, I don't often understand Your ways; but I thank You that You make Your words clear to me.  Please help me to be careful in the response I give You that I may fully participate in the the plan You have provided.  And I thank You that You deliver what You promise.  That You know I don't see what You say; but You still invite me to join You in the call.  Please give me Your vision to see just as You say.  Open the eyes of my belief, unstop the ears of my trust, teach my mind to comprehend in faith first.

Deuteronomy 1

And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there. ...

There was intimidation and concern about the taking possession; but in the midst of the largeness and incomprehension of their task lay fear.  Simple dread consuming any hope of liberty, obedience and blessing.  

And a choice to believe their God.

Lord God, I thank You for these words today.  You know what I have entertained this week.  I seek to walk in obedience; but for some reason, I am experiencing difficulty in finding the way.  I know what You have generally called me to do; but in the exact moment of unfolding Your will in real-time, I am (beyond the concern and general awareness of the difficulties) realizing fear.  Fear of an Anakite.  Like Your children did many years ago.   I don't want respond to that presence or legend or imagination; but You.  It's just that knowing what You desire in the moment gets cloudy, as the desert stirred up by the movement of a mass exodus, and the discerning is increasingly difficult.  I want to honor You.  I desire to obey You and despite the panic inspired by this Anakite; I want to do all that You call me to do today.  This week.  In full view of the Anakite.  To the praise of Your Name.  

Since I acknowledge I struggle in the moments of being in the presence of the Anakite, I come to You now, seeking and believing You will direct my path and light my way when again You allow me to encounter the Anakite.  Give me Your plan, Your steps to follow, Your words to speak in power and humility, Your silence to offer, God, whatever You wish, I want that.  I pray now for clear-minded yieldedness to You and none other...even the goddess of comfort-driven panic that can accompany this situation.  

I thank You for Your grace and wisdom in allowing me this situation.  May I realize and receive/lay down all that You have for me through this.  Lord God, You are my God, whom shall I fear, You are my light, my strength and my song, You are showing me Your salvation.  And Lord, all that You do for me in this situation, please do double for the Anakite according to the need.  May we praise You together, in liberty, love and lowliness soon.

Luke 2:36-40

She (Anna, who was 84 years old) never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.  

Not the average lifestyle of widowed ladies. But, the lifestyle which reflected her passion and priority.

Lord, no matter what sort of service or worship You have for my daily and nightly lifestyle; please help me to not neglect fastings and prayers. I long to be ready for Your revelations, I desire to be in place for Your demonstrations, I hope to serve You in gracious appreciation of who You are and what You have done.  May my circumstances never hinder my presence in Your court, my heart for Your Name nor my devotion to Your redemption and Your people.  Only by Your grace, precious King of the Universe and my Messiah.

Luke 2:21-35

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ...

The Lord Jesus fulfilled every point of the law.  His compliance, His submission, His yieldedness began before He could roll over.

(Matthew 5:1 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.";
Luke 24:44  He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”)

Jesus fulfilled the law, that's what love does.

Romans 13:8  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

And he (Simeon) came in the Spirit into the temple ...

Simeon came into the temple, not for Simeon; but for Jesus.  Why do I come to temple?  For me, my deal, my kids, it's what I do; or do I go in order to wait for Jesus?  Is my life characterized by waiting for Jesus?  The divine appointment He has with me everyday, all the time.  Do I recognize, as it was recognized about Simeon, that I come and go in the Spirit?  What difference does that make to me and my encounters?

Oh my God and Father, please help me to love and be yielded to You, for the praise of no other Name; but Yours.  Please help me not to love my reputation more than I do Yours, my purposes more than Your divine plan, my comfort more than You.   May my motives continue to be purified that I come and go for You; that the evidence of Your Spirit is obvious to all and that I am content to wait before You, fully satisfied in You. I need Your wisdom and restraint, Your passion and equipping, Your desires and intentions; I thank You for You give what I need for what You have called me to do.  Let me do well all of that which You've called me to and may it bring You glory and praise.

Luke 2:15-20

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Life continues after revelation and mountaintop experience.  Do I remember to thank God, to glorify Him and praise Him for all the things He allows me?  How do I return to my life after hearing and seeing what God has revealed?  Am I undone, unchanged or uninvolved?  What is my response to what God tells me?  Do I move out in belief or do I continue as if nothing has been said.

Lord, I desire to be grateful, glorifying and praising You with my whole life.  Thank You for Your gracious revelations and actions.  When You speak I am undone - may I never neglect to respond to Your words and interventions.

Luke 2:8-14

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

One angel appears and these unsuspecting shepherds were terrified as they were bathed in God's glory.  I wonder what gave them the terror ... the angel, the splendor and magnificence of God's glory, the timing, their seclusion and the relative darkness - apart from the evening sky, the suddenness of this encounter.

They had probably noticed "the star" and discussed its significance in their night watches.  I wonder if they had spun any "what if" scenarios ... what if that's a sign from God ... what would the Lord be saying through His star ... what if it is close for a reason ....  I also wonder if they talked themselves out of that wonder ... what if it doesn't mean anything ... what do I know of stars, I know sheep ... what difference does it make to a lowly shepherd, who society tends to ignore ... whatever it means, we'll be the last to know about it.

I am struck by this particular display of our Father to these men, tending sheep.  They were not part of the frenzy in town.  They were not terribly welcomed in town.   They were separate.  The holy words do not convey what they were thinking or looking for that night; just a sudden and divine experience with a long awaiting birth announcement.  Good news.  Good news indeed.  But it came to the most disconnected group.  And they were directed to the most unusual of places for a birth - except it was a location which was all too familiar to these sheep-tenders, they knew stables and mangers.  It wouldn't be unusual for them to attend to matters in that environment. 

A question comes about this heavenly proclamation ...  Why?  Why not the religiosity?  Why not to the common town folk?  Why not the wealthy and well-connected?  Why not the upper echelons of power and influence?  Why such disconnected and discounted people?

But then I resonate with that description.  It's me.  And praise His wonderful and ever-loving Name, God's heart is for those disconnected and discounted sorts.  Those that, despite the fact they are committed to what they are doing,  choose to respond to Him, to His words and personal invitation.  Those that catch the meaning of announcement, and only by His grace.

Then I am reminded of the history of these noble folks, the heritage my Messiah was born into, the line from which He was promised to descend.  King David.  After the dismal time of the judges, where people did as they saw fit, the Lord God of the Universe raised up David to rule His people and establish David's name in the books of history.  David's debut was as a shepherd, insignificant and even overlooked by his own biological father.  But the Heavenly Father never overlooks nor deems insignificant that which He has created.  And this young shepherd became the king of that same God of the Universe's people.  

That little bundle of new flesh and blood, now using lungs and breath just as the creation He had previously spoken into being (who can complain about the design when He Himself had planned to implement it), had appeared and was wrapped in cloths.  Not Heaven's glory; but a manger held Him.  That we might behold His glory and receive grace upon grace ... from the work, sacrifice and life of the Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that many would come to You in these days, Lord Jesus, just as the shepherd did.  May they come running at the revelation of You.  May I be a faithful revealer of my Messiah this week.  

 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

                                                                                                                          Hebrews 13:20

Luke 2:1-7

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

Lord God of the Universe, the One who spoke the stars by His very word, I praise You for Your extreme power and wisdom and purpose.  You decree and it is so; You know all of the inhabited earth...and the uninhabited world...You know.  You already know.  May Your chosen ones be faithful to make You famous throughout the whole of the inhabited earth.  May I do my part in the campaign of holiness.  Thank You.

Luke 1:67-80

... to enable us to serve him without fear
  in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. ... 

to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Serve without fear.  I am a fearful thing.  To fearlessly serve Him, in holiness and righteousness.  That is some job description.  I want to do it, though.  Only by His grace and enabling.

To guide wayward, fearful, timid, unsure, undone me in the path of peace.  That is some responsibility He takes on.   Only He could authentically accomplish such a feat.

Only my God can bring this fearful child triumphantly along peace's pathway in holiness, blamelessness and fearlessness.  Only God.  And only for God.  

Please make this so, my precious Lord.  Peace without fear, service without ego and attitude, life without impurities and bad choices.  And may this small life bring You much glory.

Luke 1:57-66

And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

After obedience, his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak in praise of God.  I wonder if ol' Zach had tried to speak about another matter, if he would be able to speak aloud.

Lord, I pray that You would show me where my tongue needs loosing, where I am not speaking in praise of You when I should be.  Help my attitude be increasingly grateful and my words more fluid regarding Your great Name.

Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.

Lord God, please grant that my reaction to Your handiwork would not be fear, but faith; not be intimidation, but expectation; not be argumentative, but gratitude.  May my reactions and choices reflect an increasingly humble and appreciative spirit; even when You change the entire way I relate to the world and who I understand myself to be.  It's about You, not me.   Lord, be my center-focus, my holy Bullseye.

Luke 1:46-56

Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
  How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
  and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy,
  and he has done great things for me.

The Lord has done great things FOR me; rejoice-worthy and praising-yielding great things.  Not to me, not for Israel, not for mankind, not He has done great things and that's it.  What the Mighty One did in greatness, He did for Mary.  What faith, expectation and conviction she displays.  

The fact she chooses at this opportunity to remind herself (and me) that the Lord God is holy intrigues me, further.  She had the complete list of attributes from which to select; but she lands on holy - tying the great things He has done into His holiness.  And, now, she brings the Holy with her.  I may have focused on His power, promises, provision, patience, faithfulness, wisdom, sovereignty, ...  Anything really, but would I have landed on the holy?  I don't think so.

Oh my Mighty One, Holy and All-Wise Lord God, I praise You for Your choice in that lowly servant girl who was the perfect mom for my Messiah.  What a stunning example she sets for me in her humility, her faith, her knowledge of the holy.  Lord, I thank You that You have done great things for me, too.  Help my soul and my spirit to join the eternal chorus of rejoicing and praising You.  Teach me holy, that I may more fully participate in knowing You in that way.  Thank You.

 

Luke 1:38-45

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” ...  Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary,  "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.”

May I respond like Mary - and truly desire everything You have for me to come true.  Help me not be timid or unbelieving in Your goodness as I pray for Your perfect will for me to unfold.  May my trust grow and grow in You and Your promises.  May I never forget that You are worthy of perfect trust and faith.  Help me to walk in that  blessed way of believing.  If it pleases You, may I be used of You to encourage others to walk in that way, too.

Luke 1:26-37

“How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

Not in disbelief; but in fact.  The fact she was and intended to remain pure.  I never caught the chutzpah in this statement before - that she had integrity and desired to maintain it, despite what mindblowing statement had just come to her.  She knew what was right and godly and she did not want to compromise.  Gabriel's explanation assured her that unfolding of God's favor would not (of course!) violate her honor.

Lord, I am encouraged and blessed by Mary's attitude.  It's as if she knew God and what He desired and was sold out to Him, despite what an angel would tell her.  I see in her courage to stand up to Gabriel, humility and tenacity to maintain what was right when possibly tempted to consider a wrong (only by limited human understanding and for a brief moment before the explanation).  I had not ever considered much about Mary's role before and I praise You, Father for showing me these qualities.  How important they are in being a mom.  I wonder if Gabe was delighted at her response after having a bit of an argument with Zechariah.  Cultivate in me, please, that devotion to righteousness, the holy chutzpah to resist even a thought - no matter how appealing and who offers it - of any compromise to what and who I know You have called me to be.  And Lord, the humility to submit to Your gracious words as soon as I hear them.  May You be praised in my life, may Your Name be glorified in my heart and my time through my small life. Thank You again for this insight in to Mary.

Luke 1:19-25

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ..."

Lord, I, too, know Your Presence.  I, also, have been commanded to speak Your good news.  May I be as faithful as Gabriel with the words You give me.  Help me to not base my obedience on anyone's response or anticipated response.  Enable me to receive Your words to me in faith, confidence and expectation of Your Name and Your unfailing faithfulness.  Instruct me in how to respond best to You.  And may I never view Your timing or Your withholding as disgrace; but favor to me and best glory to You.

Luke 1:1-18

... servants of the word. ... righteous ... observing ... blameless.

Does this describe me?  Am I a faithful slave of His Word?  His trust?  His instruction set?  Does my execution follow His commands?  Does it look like I am running His operating system?

  When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ... asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? ..."

Lord, help me, when I am startled, fearful, amazed by what You are doing; please help me to respond in faith.  Let my trust in You lead my heart and my mouth, not my reasoning nor my (faithless) fear.  Lord, when You say something, may I receive it and live in response to it.  May I bring You much glory rather than small distrust or ingratitude.  You are faithful and You enable me to be faithful, too.

Revelation 12

the accuser of our brethren ... they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. ...  And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth ...

The accuser accuses - with words - maybe even a constant flood of them.  He is overcome by the blood of the Lamb (given for us), the word of their testimony (our response) and their complete commitment to the Lamb - even unto death, (more of our response).  The blood of the Lamb is readily available.   The testimony of the Blood-bought Body versus the testimony of the cast-out accuser and the dedication of the Body to the Lamb are our ways of overcoming the onslaught of the accusations ... our choices ... my choice.

Lord, I thank You and praise You for the gift and privilege of overcoming the enemy.  You have purchased me at great cost to Yourself.  The defeat of the accuser was established at that bloody moment; my responses are what is left for me give - and they come only by Your grace and enabling .  Please help me to remember the testimony You have provided for me and  to grow in my love for You that I may steadfastly love You more than I love me.  May I respond gratefully and sincerely to all that You have done and to never believe the words of the accuser.  i am Yours and You are mine.  That's enough.  Really.  Amen!

Matthew 2:13-23

I love the obedience of Joseph and the wise-men.  They had their own intelligence, reason and logic, the direction of the government, the orders of the king; but when God issued a countermand to what they were doing - they just did it.  
 
Lord God, may I hear and obey Your words as evenly and naturally as these honorable men, these Jesus-seeking worshipers.  May I be more responsive to You as I bear Your Spirit, a holy privilege and responsibility.

Matthew 2:1-12

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”

 

How diligently do I  seek my King in the dailyness of my life?  

Do I make the knowing and the relationship the point of the day or do I stick Him in somewhere, most days?  

Do I see and respond to the evidence of Christ in my life?  

Am I intentional about worshiping Him apart from the Sunday morning gathering?  

How far would I go and what would I spend/lay down for to be in His presence?   

Why do I even need to be asking these questions?

Lord, help me.

Matthew 1:18-25

He knows us by name and He knows we have to be reminded to not be afraid.

LORD, please help me to be brave in You. Let anything conceived in me be of the Holy Spirit and not my own doing or reacting. May I praise You with my life and may i wait as carefully and patiently as Joseph for You to come.

John 1:1-18

The Word.

Omni-Existent.

Co-Existent with God.

God.

Creator.

Life-Giver.

True-Light.

Light-Inextinguishable.

Came.

Unrecognized.

Rejected.

Believable.

Acceptable.

Right-Giver.

Agent of Adoption.

Human.

Full of Unfailing Love.

Full of Unfailing Faithfulness.

Glorious.

Anticipated.

Greater Than.

Abundance.

Dispenser of Gracious Blessings.

The Unique One.

Near the Father's Heart.

God-Revealer.

Jesus Christ.

You are all of these and more.  I worship You today and praise You for You sought me out.  You did not hold tightly to Your heavenly comforts when a people needed saving.  Thank You for coming and being unfailingly faithful.

Jeremiah 23

... for from the prophets ...
   ungodliness has gone out into all the land.

I can be a vessel for ungodliness with my words.   I can pledge myself to God, to His work, to His people and still I can dispense ungodliness with what I say.  

Lord God, please help me to not ever promote ungodliness in what I say or dream or advocate.  Keep me from laughing at anything which tinges on unholiness or that which would not be giggled at by Your Son and my Savior.    Keep me from speaking vain words to console and empty assurances of hope.  God, You are the only Hope.  Christ is the only Way.  Holy Spirit, You are the only Advocate and Counselor.  Let my words, insights, reactions, suggestions come from You that You may be glorified, Your Kingdom expanded and Your people healed.  Keep my mouth shut when I don't speak from You.  To the praise of Your Name.

Genesis 49

The words spoken to the brothers were based often on what their lives had been like - what they had done.  So, consequences were spoken out, divinely.  Some of the pronouncements were truly prophetic and not related to prior action.  I guess the thing that speaks to me is that if I want a better blessing, a brighter future, I need to be more obedient in the present.  I can't change the past, nor can I change what God had ordained for me; but I can comply, humbly and intentionally in the dailyness of my life.  

Because you went up to your father’s bed; 
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.

Also, in the case of Reuben, that last line spoken of him still rings with the hurt,  betrayal and disbelief of his father.  This challenges me to be very careful with the what I can do, what I must do and what I should do choices in my life.  

Lord, please help me to live a life pleasing to You all the days of my life.  Keep me from any willful sin, any wasteful ways and any wanton preoccupations.  May my spiritual, emotional, academic, familial and physical (and etc.) life bring You glory and pleasure.  I pray that where I have acted in rebellion and with intent to harm another that You would divinely release them from the pain and hurt of that wrong.  Guide me to apologize and make every effort to right any situation which You wish me to address.  I thank You for Your amazing gift of forgiveness and pray that I may do so to those who have caused me harm ... even if the act is presently being perpetrated or is yet to come.  

Micah 5

And He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.  

I confess, Lord, that not much of this chapter makes sense to me.  Perhaps if I were reading it in context; but it matters not as I have You, dear Friend and Counselor to teach me.   And I have the mind of Christ to help me think; so it seems the mystery is intentional, for now.  I thank You, precious Lord for that consideration.  

What does strike me is that as the Lord will get up and shepherd His flock in the LORD's strength and in the "majesty of the Name of the LORD His God," I should do likewise.  I should get up from where I want to stay still and hide, I must operate and serve in my Heavenly Father's strength - or it will all fail.  His fame, His glory and His reputation are the goal - the majesty of the Name.  Lord God, please help me to follow Your example, in the majesty of Your Name.

Isaiah 7

Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, ... If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.

 Oh, Lord, You do not call me to be fainthearted nor timid.  You have promised struggles and battles, persecutions and prejudices - but in and through it all, You say to stand firm and to not be afraid, to be alert, self-controlled and calm, do not fear.  And You call me to believe.  Lord, I want to believe You.  I want to grow in my faith and my confidence in You - not only that You can act; but that You will.  I believe You.  I believe in You.  I believe Your words and promises - steady my heart that I may last to the glory of Your great Name and Your endless Kingdom.

Numbers 36

Thus no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall each hold to his own inheritance.

... for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  Romans 11:29

 I praise You Almighty Father that You do not change or shift.  That what You give, You give.  I am grateful for the individual attention You pay to each one, for the unique plans You have for every person, for the personal inheritance for each person.  I praise You for Your wisdom, Your omnipotence, Your organization.  You are worthy to praise.

Numbers 35

... for murder pollutes the land.  ... You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there Myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.

Jesus' standards are hatred equals murder and thinking is as significant as doing.  The thought pollutes the land, the mind, the relationships.  Just as the ancient children of God were to not pollute the land, we are not to pollute ourselves for He, Himself lives in us.

Holy Spirit, be holier than ever in me as I am charged by these words to keep myself from the uncleanness of the world's protocol.  Pure religion is to look after widows and orphans and to keep myself from being polluted by the world.  I want this.  Please help me to pursue the undefiled faith You call me to live.

Numbers 33:1-4, 50-56

At the LORD’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. 

Thank You Lord, that You desire us to remember from whence we came - our history with You.  We forget, we would rewrite or would remember wrongly.  You are the One who brings us out of captivity.  You are the One who gives us spacious places and green pastures.  Only You.  May we praise You as we inhabit Your abundant gifts of life and provision.  May we never cherish the gifts more than You.  Keep us close and teach us to remember, dear Lord, for we forget.

Numbers 32

Now why are you discouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the LORD has given them?

What can seem to me a good, wise and logical decision can be discouraging and a stumbling block to others.  Lord, help me to have Your wisdom in my choices.  Let me not choose for me before I know what pleases You.  I need help with this today, as I don't naturally like to wait.  Please inform me of Your divine preference, that I may follow suit.  To the praise of Your Name, not mine.