Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Numbers 34

    Numbers 34

    Read Numbers 34

    Boundaries of Canaan

    34 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries:

    3 “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea, 4 cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, 5 where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea.

    6 “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This will be your boundary on the west.

    7 “‘For your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor 8 and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath. Then the boundary will go to Zedad, 9 continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.

    10 “‘For your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham.11 The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ainand continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee. 12 Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

    “‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

    13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot as an inheritance. The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

    16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land.19 These are their names:

    Caleb son of Jephunneh,

    from the tribe of Judah;

    20 Shemuel son of Ammihud,

    from the tribe of Simeon;

    21 Elidad son of Kislon,

    from the tribe of Benjamin;

    22 Bukki son of Jogli,

    the leader from the tribe of Dan;

    23 Hanniel son of Ephod,

    the leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph;

    24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan,

    the leader from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph;

    25 Elizaphan son of Parnak,

    the leader from the tribe of Zebulun;

    26 Paltiel son of Azzan,

    the leader from the tribe of Issachar;

    27 Ahihud son of Shelomi,

    the leader from the tribe of Asher;

    28 Pedahel son of Ammihud,

    the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”

    29 These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

    Go Deeper

    In this last section on Numbers, we see the New Generation, also known as the Conquest Generation, preparing to enter into the Promised Land. These final chapters are marked by both warning and encouragement. In chapter 33, we read a review of Israel’s journey from Egypt and God’s instructions to drive out the inhabitants of the land. The chapter ended with a warning of what would happen if they did not obey the Lord’s command to do this.

    This idea might not sit well with us or be confusing. Eugene Merrill, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, gives four reasons behind why God instructed His people to drive out the inhibitions of the land. He states that these are: “The irremediable hardness of the hearts of its victims, the need to protect Israel against spiritual corruption, the destruction of idolatry, and the education of Israel and the nations as to the character and intentions of the one true God.” God is ultimately creator and judge, all have sinned, and He is impartial. 

    In this chapter, we see God through Moses giving the people specific directions on what their boundaries were to look like in the Promised Land and instructions for assigning the land to the Israelite tribes. Moses gave detailed commands for the borders in the north, south, east, and west. The southern border (v. 3-5) went from the Scorpion Pass in the desert to the Brook of Egypt. The western border was the Mediterranean Sea (v. 6), the northern border was at the entrance of Hamath (v. 7-9), and the eastern border was the Dead Sea (v. 10-12). The land within these boundaries were 150 miles long by 50 miles wide. This land was a real and tangible place with definite boundaries.

    The question you might be asking is Why did the Lord give them boundaries? Boundary markers were a stone pillar that marked a property line. They instructed the people how far they could go and were used to establish order. The purpose of these were also to prevent them from coveting others’ territories and wanting to expand outside the borders that the Lord gave them. It was against Mosaic law to move these boundary markers or go past them (Deuteronomy 27:17). Like the Israelites, the temptation in many of us is to want more than what we have been given. God freely gave them a land to inherit and live in, and He wanted them to experience this blessing within those borders. 

    This essentially addressed the lack of contentment that the Lord knew the Israelites would have. It is easy for us today to have a lack of contentment in what the Lord has given us. We compare ourselves to others and desire the things that they have, because we can believe the lie that what we have is not enough. Contentment will ultimately never come from what we have, it is a perspective. Psalm 23 says that we lack no good thing in Him, and He provides everything we need. Additionally, the commands the Lord gives us are for our benefit. They are not meant to be burdensome, but for our protection and for our good. Following Jesus and obedience to His commands go hand in hand. As it says in Psalm 19, would we see God’s instructions to us as perfect, reliable, righteous, and more valuable than gold.  

    Questions

    1. What do God’s commands in this chapter teach you about His character? 
    2. In the Great Commission, Jesus reminds His followers to obey everything He has commanded. His instructions are His boundaries for us. What is a boundary or instruction that God has set in place that you are tempted to cross? 
    3. What is something you desire more of than you currently have? What does it look like to have contentment in what the Lord has given you?

    A Quote

    “This is the secret of being content: to learn and accept that we live daily by God’s unmerited favor given through Christ, and that we can respond to any and every situation by His divine enablement through the Holy Spirit.” –Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Numbers 28-33)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Numbers 28-33)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Read This

    As we near the end of our study on Numbers, check out this resource page (along with a helpful FAQ section!) from The Bible Project!

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Numbers 28-33 Family Guide!

  • Numbers 33

    Numbers 33

    Read Numbers 33

    Stages in Israel’s Journey

    33 Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. This is their journey by stages:

    3 The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians, 4 who were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lordhad struck down among them; for the Lord had brought judgment on their gods.

    5 The Israelites left Rameses and camped at Sukkoth.

    6 They left Sukkoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the desert.

    7 They left Etham, turned back to Pi Hahiroth, to the east of Baal Zephon,and camped near Migdol.

    8 They left Pi Hahiroth and passed through the sea into the desert, and when they had traveled for three days in the Desert of Etham, they camped at Marah.

    9 They left Marah and went to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.

    10 They left Elim and camped by the Red Sea.

    11 They left the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin.

    12 They left the Desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah.

    13 They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.

    14 They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

    15 They left Rephidim and camped in the Desert of Sinai.

    16 They left the Desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.

    17 They left Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.

    18 They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.

    19 They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez.

    20 They left Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah.

    21 They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.

    22 They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.

    23 They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.

    24 They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.

    25 They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.

    26 They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

    27 They left Tahath and camped at Terah.

    28 They left Terah and camped at Mithkah.

    29 They left Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.

    30 They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.

    31 They left Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan.

    32 They left Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad.

    33 They left Hor Haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.

    34 They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.

    35 They left Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.

    36 They left Ezion Geber and camped at Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.

    37 They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom.38 At the Lord’s command Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor, where he died on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. 39 Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

    40 The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev of Canaan, heard that the Israelites were coming.

    41 They left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.

    42 They left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.

    43 They left Punon and camped at Oboth.

    44 They left Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab.

    45 They left Iye Abarim and camped at Dibon Gad.

    46 They left Dibon Gad and camped at Almon Diblathaim.

    47 They left Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim,near Nebo.

    48 They left the mountains of Abarim and camped on the plains of Moabby the Jordan across from Jericho. 49 There on the plains of Moab they camped along the Jordan from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim.

    50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54 Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.

    55 “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’”

    Go Deeper

    At first glance, Numbers 33 reads like an ancient history book recounting the locations  and movements of the nation of Israel. This chapter begins with the note that the Lord wanted Moses to record these movements (v. 2), so Moses did just that. Beginning with their defiant escape from slavery in Egypt (v. 3), Moses goes on to list all the places Israel traveled and set up camp. He even makes special note of where Aaron, his brother and trusted co-leader, passed away on Mount Hor (v. 39). 

    Towards the end of this chapter, Israel is presented with its next task: to drive out the Canaanites from the land that had been promised to them (v. 50-56). They weren’t just to assimilate into the culture–they were to destroy the idols and purge the ungodliness from Canaan. God even gives them a warning of what will happen if they don’t do this! 

    Pastor David Guzik, author of the Enduring Word commentary, has this note connecting it to us as readers today: 

    “The abiding spiritual principle teaches us that it is of no use for the church to succeed in the eyes of man–as Israel had succeeded when they occupied the land and became a legitimate nation, instead of an enslaved people–if it merely allows the corrupt practices and attitudes of the Canaanites to take root among God’s people. If, spiritually speaking, a similar thing happens among God’s people today, they should expect to be eventually driven from their place of apparent success or influence.”

    While it’s easy to read this list full of locations that are difficult to pronounce and think they are insignificant, it’s important to remember that these are all real places. This historical narrative is exactly that: history. And each one of these locations was an important part of Israel’s history as they were delivered from the hands of the Egyptians, wandered in the wilderness, and walked in repentance. All of these places had meaning and significance. They all mattered and shaped Israel into the people they had become.

    Today, remember where you’ve been and God’s faithfulness in your own life and remember the call God has on your life to be salt and light in a dark world (Matthew 5:13-16). 

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?
    2. Why was it so important for Moses to record this series of events and locations from Israel’s past? Why is it so important to remember?
    3. What does it look like to destroy and demolish the idols in your own life? What is a step you can take today to begin that process?

    Did You Know?

    By the end of this chapter as the Israelites set up camp on the plains of Moab, they were a few months away from crossing the Jordan and making their way into Canaan after 40 years of wandering. 

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  • Numbers 32

    Numbers 32

    Read Numbers 32

    The Transjordan Tribes

    32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— 4 the land the Lord subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.”

    6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them.10 The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath:11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israeland he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.

    14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel. 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

    16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens here for our livestock and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle and go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance. 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”

    20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him—22 then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the Lord.

    23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”

    25 The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands. 26 Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

    28 Then Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes. 29 He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.”

    31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said. 32 We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed, but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.”

    33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.

    34 The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer,Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks. 37 And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh and Kiriathaim, 38 as well as Nebo and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

    39 The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair. 42 And Nobah captured Kenath and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah after himself.

    Go Deeper

    Numbers 32 is difficult to understand without recalling back to what happened years before in Numbers 13 and Numbers 14. As a refresher, twelve spies were sent to investigate the land of Canaan and report back what they saw. The Israelites had been promised the land and wondered what it looked like. Ten of the twelve, however, got cold feet and were scared off by the giants they saw inhabiting the land. As a result of their lack of faith, an entire generation (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb) were not allowed into the promised land after all and they spent years and years wandering in the desert. 

    In this chapter, the leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben found a place where they wanted to settle and establish their homes. Instead of continuing to fight against their enemies alongside their brothers and fellow Israelites, they wanted to leave the fighting up to someone else and take an easier way out. Moses, however, was discouraged by their proposal and reminded them of what had happened a generation before. This was an important part of Israel’s history and Moses didn’t want history to repeat itself in this way. 

    As Moses points back to the story of Joshua and Caleb, he uses a word multiple times to describe their devotion: wholehearted (v. 11-12). That’s the kind of devotion God was looking for back then and it’s the same devotion He’s looking for today. We are easily distracted and amused people. We fill our minds, calendars, and free time with all kinds of things…but we often neglect the things of God. We are easily taken off mission by a lack of wholehearted devotion. While the leaders of Reuben and Gad eventually agree to join in the fighting, their obedience was delayed. 

    Paul’s words in Acts 20:24 can serve as a helpful reminder to us that our only aim is to finish the race and to testify to the good news of God’s grace. As you go about your day to day, do so in a way that shows a wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?
    2. What were the potential dangers if the leaders of Reuben and Gad had settled on the land? Why would that have been so disruptive to Israel?
    3. Where are you lacking wholehearted devotion today? What steps can you take today to center your devotion on Jesus today?

    Keep Digging

    What does it mean in verse 23 when it says “Be sure that your sin will find you out”? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org! 

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  • Numbers 31

    Numbers 31

    Read Numbers 31

    Vengeance on the Midianites

    31 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

    3 So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them.4 Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5 So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. 6 Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

    7 They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. 8 Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. 10 They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. 11 They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, 12 and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

    13 Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

    15 “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

    19 “Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killedmust stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives. 20 Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.”

    21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle,“This is what is required by the law that the Lord gave Moses: 22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. 24 On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.”

    Dividing the Spoils

    25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. 27 Divide the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. 28 From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. 29 Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. 30 From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

    32 The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys 35 and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

    36 The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

    337,500 sheep, 37 of which the tribute for the Lord was 675;

    38 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72;

    39 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the Lord was 61;

    40 16,000 people, of whom the tribute for the Lord was 32.

    41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    42 The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— 43 the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lordcommanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

    48 Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses 49 and said to him, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. 50 So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”

    51 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. 52 All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels. 53 Each soldier had taken plunder for himself.54 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    A few chapters ago in Numbers 25 we read God’s command to fight and destroy the Midianites due to their pagan worship and deceptive influences on the nation of Israel. God repeats that same command twice in Numbers 31, asking for 1000 soldiers from each tribe. He commanded these armies to totally destroy Midian and its people. The Israel captains did not obey the commands to the letter, and Moses expresses his anger which we read in verses 14 and 15. God, in His goodness, gives Moses specific commands on what to do next with the women, children, animals, gold and silver. Through these spoils, God graciously provides for the temple, priests, warriors, and people of Israel. Further, after a census of the soldiers who fought, not one soldier was missing. What grace and provision were shown to the Israelites in spite of their disobedience.

    The Midianites corrupted, misled, and fought with Israel for over 200 years. There are several thoughts to consider from this chapter. First, had Israel not forsaken God’s word from the beginning, this war would not have been necessary. This begs some questions for us today. Have we forgotten God’s word in some area of our own life that is causing unnecessary strife and problems? Proverbs 6:16-19 describes many of the traits of the Midianites saying, “There are six things God hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” The judgment of God is a reality we must consider throughout our lives. Paul wrote in Romans 2:2 the same message saying, “and we know the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.” 

    God is also showing us His desire for us to worship Him and Him alone. The Ten Commandments include this righteous jealousy of God over us in Exodus 20:3 saying, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Are we in unfettered worship of God daily and weekly?  Paul later writes in verse 4 in the same chapter writing words of hope saying, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience knowing the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Is there any area of faith where we are taking for granted the marvelous gift God has given us in Christ?

    Jesus went to the cross to save any and all who profess faith in Him and His redeeming work on the cross for all the world. He wants to draw us unto Him through His kindness and goodness. This single work of God gives our hearts, minds, and souls peace with God forever. Sincere and absolute repentance offered to God through this work of Christ on the cross will change our lives both now and forever. As we surrender to and walk with God, we also won’t have to fight self-inflicted sin driven wars that God never intended for us to fight. That is His promise.

    Questions

    1. Have you forgotten God’s Word in some area of your life that is causing you problems? If you feel conviction, seek the Lord for forgiveness and talk to a trusted Christian friend asking for prayer and guidance.
    2. Are you regularly abiding in Christ? Why or why not?
    3. Have you taken for granted anything in your relationship with Christ? Talk about this with your Life Group this week.

    A Quote

    George Williams, 18th century Bible commentary writer said, “The sin which seduces, can by faith in Christ, be utterly destroyed.”

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  • Numbers 30

    Numbers 30

    Read Numbers 30

    Vows

    30 Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

    3 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

    6 “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.

    9 “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

    10 “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her.13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

    16 These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.

    Go Deeper

    Numbers 30 is a chapter that dives into the importance of vows and the seriousness with which we should make a vow or pledge. As Moses gathered the leaders of the tribes of Israel, he had important instructions for them to heed. Vows are made all the time. We give a handshake, we share that someone has our word, and we stretch out our littlest finger for a pinky promise. In many moments of the human experience, we make covenants and commitments in the day to day.

    We interchangeably use the terms commitment and covenant, but there is a major difference. A commitment is a one-sided obligation that requires only one person. Think of the responsibility to a New Year’s Resolution, a student to their class schedule, an employee to a work project, or an athlete to their training program. On the other hand, a covenant is a shared agreement between two parties. The relationship between parents and children could be looked at as a covenant when we see healthy commitment of respect and honor. Additionally, the marriage of a husband and wife is our most transcendent yet immanent earthly picture of covenant. There is a deeply shared commitment from both parties that represent a bond greater than their own.

    Although modern Christians may say to value “relationship over religion”, it is crucial to glean the wisdom of the Old Testament and use it to view God’s whole story. In the book of Numbers, Moses wrote on the laws that were established by Yawheh, the One True God of the Israelites. The law shared in Chapter 30 declares the importance of the integrity in the covenant of husbands and wives. The wisdom of this teaching is not exclusive to those in marriage. The law is meant to reveal that what matters to God should matter to us.

    In Matthew 5:17, Jesus shares “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”. While Jesus was never in a marriage, we see the evidence of his faithfulness to the covenant with the Bride: the Church. We ought to be followers of Jesus that don’t only use him as a moral example, but a lifeline to our side of the commitment in covenants.

    Questions

    1. What does this passage teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity? 
    2. In your relationship with God, how have you seen him stay faithful to the covenant in difficult times?
    3. How seriously do you take the covenants in your own life? Are there any areas of your life where you’ve strayed away from your covenant with God or others?

    Did You KNow?

    Pastor David Guzik of the Enduring Word commentary has this note, showing the connection between this passage and when Jesus addresses making oaths:

    “Some people believe, usually based on Matthew 5:34-37, that vows or oaths are not permitted for God’s people today. But what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount regarding oaths was an emphasis on truth-telling and honesty, not an absolute prohibition of every oath. The Bible shows us that oaths are permitted under certain circumstances if they are not abused and used as a cover for deception.”

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  • Numbers 29

    Numbers 29

    Read Numbers 29

    The Festival of Trumpets

    29 “‘On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. 2 As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, offer a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 3 With the bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 4 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.5 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 6 These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are food offerings presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma.

    The Day of Atonement

    7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves and do no work. 8 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lorda burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 9 With the bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 10 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 11 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

    The Festival of Tabernacles

    12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the Lord for seven days.13 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lord a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 14 With each of the thirteen bulls offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; 15 and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth. 16 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    17 “‘On the second day offer twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 18 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.19 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

    20 “‘On the third day offer eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 21 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.22 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    23 “‘On the fourth day offer ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 24 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.25 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    26 “‘On the fifth day offer nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 27 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.28 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    29 “‘On the sixth day offer eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 30 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.31 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    32 “‘On the seventh day offer seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 33 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.34 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    35 “‘On the eighth day hold a closing special assembly and do no regular work. 36 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lord a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of one bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 37 With the bull, the ram and the lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 38 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

    39 “‘In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, offer these to the Lord at your appointed festivals: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.’”

    40 Moses told the Israelites all that the Lord commanded him.

    Go Deeper

    There’s no question that this chapter is (at times) hard to follow with the specific instruction of sacrifice. To properly understand the importance of this chapter it is important to remember that sacrifice isn’t considered regular “work” but it is considered worship. Sacrifice was required by the Lord to remind the Israelites of His continual plan of provision, and He never required a sacrifice He didn’t provide for. 

    In verse seven we read about the offerings for the Day of Atonement. While this looks similar to the sacrifice before and following in this chapter of Numbers, this instruction was not to prepare for a happy feast. The Day of Atonement was a day to carefully consider the burden of sin. As we continue in verse 12 we see instruction for an even bigger sacrifice celebrating The Feast of Tabernacles in memorial and celebration of God’s faithfulness to Israel throughout the Exodus. In The Bible Recap Tara-Leigh Cobble says, “The sacrifice of so many animals was a demonstration of the richness of God’s provision to them throughout the wilderness.”

    All of this instruction was essential for the Israelites as they were on the threshold of the Promised Land. They needed a reminder of responsibility and the need for sacrifice. Looking at the numbers referenced in this passage, it’s helpful for us to stop and ask ourselves how much do we sacrifice for the Lord? If we’re not careful, we can live with such a consumer’s mindset and miss out on the call to live sacrificially.

    Thinking back to Numbers 28 we learn about the sabbath again, emphasizing its level of importance. Sabbath can also be considered a sacrifice, as it is a sacrifice of time to rest and refocus on the Lord. Another way we can experience sacrifice today is through financial giving, or giving up something of this world to follow the Lord. This chapter of Numbers humbly reminds us that while Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and died on our behalf, we can still hold the riches and blessings the Lord has given loosely in reverence and awe of him. We can remember that sacrifice helps us remember God’s provision and helps us trust Him on a deeper level.

    Questions

    1. How are you practicing sacrifice in your life? 
    2. Is there something the Lord could be prompting you to sacrifice to draw nearer to Him?
    3. How does reading about sacrifice in the Old Testament stir your affection for Jesus?

    Did You KNow?

    In the Enduring Word commentary David Guzik says, “For Israel to obey what God commanded in Numbers 28-29, it meant that every year, the priests sacrificed 1,086 lambs, 113 bulls, 32 rams, more than a ton of flour, and some 1,000 bottles of oil and wine on behalf of the nation.”

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  • Numbers 28

    Numbers 28

    Read Numbers 28

    Daily Offerings

    28 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time my foodofferings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’ 3 Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect,as a regular burnt offering each day. 4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, 5 together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives. 6 This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. 7 The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary. 8 Offer the second lamb at twilight,along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you offer in the morning. This is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

    Sabbath Offerings

    9 “‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

    Monthly Offerings

    11 “‘On the first of every month, present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.12 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephahof the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenthsof an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; 13 and with each lamb, a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.14 With each bull there is to be a drink offering of half a hin of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon during the year.15 Besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the Lord as a sin offering.

    The Passover

    16 “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month the Lord’s Passover is to be held. 17 On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast. 18 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 19 Present to the Lord a food offeringconsisting of a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 20 With each bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 21 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 23 Offer these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 24 In this way present the food offering every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the Lord; it is to be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.

    The Festival of Weeks

    26 “‘On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the Lord an offering of new grain during the Festival of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 27 Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 28 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 29 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 30 Include one male goat to make atonement for you.31 Offer these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

    Go Deeper

    In today’s reading Moses receives a clear picture of the consequences of sin. He was commanded by the Lord to carefully and constantly make the proper offering for sin. Picture this for a second: all the Israelites, enduring the heat of the wilderness all while constantly sacrificing animals to atone for their sin. Blood surrounded them and there seemed to be no end to this way of atonement. This was a messy site and God was making it abundantly clear to them that all sin requires blood. Every sin must be atoned for. They are to offer daily, Sabbath, monthly, Passover, and feast of weeks offerings. Yet even with the high demand for offerings being made, there were clear requirements for the lambs. They were all to be male lambs, a year old, and without blemish. Symbolically, the one with no blemish would die to cleanse the blemished.

    On the 14th day of the first month, they were to remember the Lord’s deliverance of Passover. In Exodus 12 the Lord struck down all the firstborn of Egypt. However, for those who were marked by the blood, He would pass over and not destroy them. In light of God’s deliverance, they were to remember forever that the Lord saves those who are marked by the blood. 

    The Israelites longed for a day when the daily sacrifice would end and they could be made right with God forever. Years later, as John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him, he takes us back to Numbers 28. Upon seeing Jesus, John said, “Behold, the perfect Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus did, once and for all, what the sacrificial system could not. He would be hung on a tree He created to atone for the sins of the world and His blood shed. However, on the 3rd day, He rose to life and defeated death. Would we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice which is our spiritual worship (Romans 12:1) to the One who loves us and frees us from our sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5)?

    Questions

    1. What do you think was the purpose of the different offerings for different occasions?
    2. How can you make a practice of keeping God’s deliverance at the forefront of your mind today?
    3. What is a way to offer yourself to God today as a “living sacrifice”?

    A Quote

    “That’s who Jesus Christ is. He became the final Priest and the final Sacrifice. Sinless, he did not offer sacrifices for himself. Immortal, he never has to be replaced. Human, he could bear human sins. Therefore he did not offer sacrifices for himself; he offered himself as the final sacrifice. There will never be the need for another. There is one mediator between us and God. One priest. We need no other. Oh, how happy are those who draw near to God through Christ alone.” – John Piper

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Numbers 22-27)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Numbers 22-27)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Read This

    One of the more surprising things in the book of Numbers is the story of Balaam’s donkey speaking! Check out this article from GotQuestions.org to learn more about this story! 

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Numbers 22-27 Family Guide!

  • Numbers 27

    Numbers 27

    Read Numbers 27

    Zelophehad’s Daughters

    27 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meetingand said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

    5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him,7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

    8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

    Joshua to Succeed Moses

    12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Rangeand see the land I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

    15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

    18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

    22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter, we see two different narratives: one involving Zelophehad’s daughters and another involving Moses and Joshua. While both stories deal with the graciousness of the Lord (in Zelophehad’s daughters’ case, His sovereignty in providing them an inheritance), today we’re going to zoom in on the story of Moses’ leadership being passed to the next generation through Joshua. 

    Remember back in Numbers 20 when Moses disobeyed the Lord by hitting the rock for water, rather than speaking to it like the Lord instructed? Beginning in verse 12 we see the consequence of Moses’ disobedience begin to unfold and God’s graciousness highlighted. Verses 12-14 explain that Moses will not be able to enter into Canaan and how he will die after seeing the Promised Land from Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:48-52). Moses’ reaction to God’s announcement of his death was quite admirable. 

    Wouldn’t you think Moses would be upset that he wouldn’t be able to lead his people into the land the Lord has promised? Instead, Moses prayed to the Lord. “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community… so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd” (v. 16-17).  We begin to understand that Moses truly sees Yahweh as sovereign by surrendering full control to Him when deciding who is to be appointed next to lead the Israelites.  

    The Lord’s response back to Moses is where we can deeply see the Lord’s graciousness. In verse 18, the Lord appoints Joshua. One of the most important qualifications of Joshua’s leadership is mentioned in this same verse, “a man who has the Spirit in him” (v. 18, CSB). The Lord then asks his servant Moses to appoint Joshua by laying his hands on him in front of the whole Israelite community. This is significant because the Lord desired for his people to see and follow the man whom he appointed to lead the next generation into the Promised Land.

    When reading today we can be reminded that the Lord is the true Good Shepherd. The Lord is the one who fulfills everything Moses was pleading for in verse 16 to lead the Israelites. Deuteronomy 31:8 reiterates this to us: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” The Lord was sovereign in preparing a way for the Israelites to enter into Canaan with a leader whom the Spirit of the Lord was in.

    Questions

    1. What do both of these narratives teach you about God? What do they teach you about humanity? 
    2. Where do you need to surrender control to fully allow the Lord to be the Good Shepherd of your life? 
    3. In what ways do you feel the Lord is preparing you to enter into a new season?

    Pray This

    Lord, I thank you that you are the Good Shepherd in my life. Thank you for all the ways you have gone before me and prepared a way to care for me, even if it is different than what I expected. Please reveal to me where I need to surrender control to see the plan you have been writing for me. In Jesus name, Amen. 

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