What Does God Ask of Us?

Do we really know what God expects of us? What if we're doing all the wrong things and they don't count? How can we know what He asks of us? Do we just do our best and hope that will be enough to please Him?

The book of Deuteronomy means repetition of the law and during the final weeks of Moses' life, he reminds the new generation of Israelites of what God wants them to do and be. We find these instructions in Deut. 10: 12-13 :: "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to 1) fear the Lord your God, 2) walk in all his ways 3) love him, 4) serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and 5) observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I (Moses) am giving you today....for your own good!"

What does this look like for us?

1) Fear God = to respect God for who He is; the One True and Holy God. Not "the man upstairs" or the "big guy in the sky", but our Heavenly Father who deserves our respect and desires a relationship with us.

2) Walk in all His ways = follow Him. The key verses for this study come from Psalm 25:4-5 - "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths and guide me in your truth...." Learning God's Word and knowing what He expects of us is the way we follow Him. Asking Him to show us, teach us and guide us guarantees that we are walking on the right path!

3) Love Him = making our relationship with Him the number one priority in life. Not our job, not our family, not our friends, not our money, not our church, not our social life, but Him.
Whenever we put anything above the importance of our relationship with God (sleeping in on Sunday, skipping Bible study time, spending time and money on our own pleasures instead of giving to God's work, etc.) we say to God that His relationship with us is not as important as these other things.

4) Serve Him with all your heart and soul = do what you say you're going to do. Don't make half-hearted promises to people and not keep them. Colossians 3:17 reminds us that "whatever we do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God..." We should consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to serve others in Christ's name.

5) Observe His commands = obey Him! The Israelites had seen first hand what happened when God's people disobeyed. Obedience is very important to God and He doesn't take disobedience lightly. It's quite simple - Obedience brings blessings; disobedience brings death (Deut.30:15-18).

Moses was reminding the nation of Israel that these things were from God and for their own good. How often we complicate faith with man-made rules, regulations and requirements. Are you frustrated and burned out from trying hard to please God? Concentrate on what He asks of you and you will find peace, contentment and meaning in your life.

Simply // Respect.....Follow.....Love.....Serve.....and Obey!


Online Class: 1) Share with us the Christlike qualities you admire in Moses. 2) Comment on what you're learning about who God is under the "I am God" link.

Complaining Has Consequences

As we begin the book of Numbers, we find that God has spent a year preparing the Israelites for their journey to the land He promised Abraham hundred of years earlier. He is ready for them to leave Mt. Sinai, but before they do, a census is taken to determine the number of men, 20 years and older, who are fit for military service.

If you were an Israelite during this time, wouldn't you have been excited to see what God had in store for you and your family? You have been hearing about this land "flowing with milk and honey" for years. Your parents, grandparents and their parents passed down the story of how God promised Abraham He would make a great nation from his descendents.....and that is you! Wouldn't you be ready to get the journey started and be willing to withstand whatever came your way for the privilege to see the Promised Land for yourself?

Unfortunately, this was not the Israelite's attitude. We see that their unbelief, lack of faith & trust and disobedience had disastrous results. They longed for the pleasures of the past and had somehow forgotten the misery they endured as slaves. But most devastating was their constant grumbling and complaining. You may side with the Israelites and say they had good reason to complain; life was rough in the wilderness. But to be honest, without God's provisions, they never would have survived their journey. Unfortunately though, they were focused on what they didn't have and were blinded to all that God had done for them.

Do you consider complaining a sin? Do you ever think about how your complaining effects your relationship with God, the lives of others and your future? Philippians 2:14 tells us, not suggests, to "do everything without complaining, murmurings, arguing and disputings."

1) Complaining weakens your relationship with God. Through out Numbers, the people complained and God punished. They grumbled to each other instead of bringing their concerns to God. They were anxious about their future and chose not to trust God's promises. Philippians 4:4-7, reminds us to "rejoice in the Lord always. Be anxious for nothing, but instead (of grumbling and complaining) bring everything to God in prayer, with thanksgiving!" Then God affirms that His peace, which no one can comprehend, will guard your heart and mind.

God wants you to share your concerns with Him. Why not? He's the only one who can do anything about them anyway! Don't let your complaining come between God and His blessings.

2) Complaining weakens others. Have you ever been around people who just wear you out with their whining and complaining? Maybe it's a small child who won't give up. Perhaps it's a friend who has chosen you to come to instead of going to God. Or, have you ever thought it could be you who's the one wearing people down? Constant complaining can effect others emotionally, mentally and spiritually!

In Numbers 11:10-15, Moses' despair and depression is revealed as he brings his frustrations to God -" I cannot carry these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me...put me to death now." The Israelites' complaining was wearing him down and out! In Numbers 20, the people start whining about not having any water and wishing they were back in Egypt (again). I think Moses was at the end of his rope with them and out of frustration, disobeys God's instructions (8-12). I'm not justifying his disobedience, but how many times have we done or said things we shouldn't have out of frustration with others' grumbling?

3) Complaining can destroy your future. God has had enough with the Israelites' attitude, disobedience, lack of faith, trust and gratitude and bans those 20 and older from ever entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14). They are told they will wander another 40 years until they have all died in the desert.

I don't want my future to be jepordized because of my sin of complaining. God wants to bless our lives, just like He wanted to do for His people. He wants us to trust and depend on Him for our every need and to be thankful for what He does give us. But it's our choice. We have the choice of being grateful or not. We can determine our future by the things we let defeat us.

In summary, through our study of Numbers this week, I hope you will realize that: 1) God is immensely patient 2) God's love is one promise you can always count on. 3) God's forgiveness is never-ending and 4) God is merciful, listening to and answering our requests. God has not changed since Moses' day!

Online Class: 1) Don't forget to post your comments on what you've learned about who God is from each book we've studied so far. 2) Share with us how you can take a complaint and turn it into something you can give thanks for!

Is Holiness Only For God?

Leviticus begins where Exodus ends. God's glory is now residing in the Tabernacle and God is ready to teach the people how to worship there. The book of Leviticus contains both a handbook for the priests and Levites outlining their duties in worship and a guidebook of holy living for the Hebrews.

Holy living.....is that something we could use a guidebook on today? We have that in God's Word, but are we using it? The book of Leviticus is not just about priests...beasts...and feasts. It's more about holiness. Holy/Holiness is mentioned 152 times in Leviticus, more than any other book in the Bible. So let's take a few minutes today to look at exactly what holiness is and ask whether it applies to anyone other than God?

What does it mean to be holy?

• It means to be separated from, set apart or different

Who is holy?

• God reminds us six times in Levitcus of what He is ....I am holy.
• He calls us to be holy as well. Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy (Lev. 18:2).

Why are we to be holy?

• First of all, God gives us the command to be holy.
• Secondly, since His commands are enablements, we can believe that He will enable us to do so and in turn, glorify Him with our obedience.

How can we be holy?

• The first step toward holiness is the admission of our own sin and the recognition that Christ is our only Redeemer from that sin.
• Holiness involves obedience and discipline. It's only when God's holiness increasingly begins to touch every area of our lives that we can say we're starting to make progress in being holy.
• When our motives to be holy are to glorify God, not just to be recognized as "holy people".
• We live before Him openly and sincerely, hiding nothing, fearing nothing.

The good news is that holy living is possible, otherwise, God would never have said eight times in His Word, Be holy, for I am holy". His commandment is the promise of His enablement! God's desire is for us to be a holy people, not perfect, but holy:

* Set apart from the sin of the world.

* Separated from the things that draw us away from Him.

* Different in our thoughts, feelings and actions.

Take time to be holy today. Claim God's enabling promise that we CAN be holy, as He is.

Is Your Past Chasing You?

Get up….leave…take off – these words sound good to those trapped or enslaved. Some resist their marching orders, however, preferring present surroundings to a new, unknown environment. It’s not easy to trade the comfortable security of the known for an uncertain future. But what if it’s God that gives the order to move? Will we follow His lead?

Exodus is a book about departure and guidance. God's people (the Israelites) have been set free from slave bondage in Egpyt and are making their mass exodus toward the Promised Land. God is guiding the more than 2 million Jews by a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

Let's take a quick look at how God wants to be a part of our LIFE as He Leads, Instructs, Fights for and Encourages us, just as He did the Israelites. We meet them in Exodus 13:17-14:31:

L - leads. We find in v. 17-18, that God did not lead them on the shortest route to the Promised Land. Their enemy, the Philistines, lived along that path and God knew this newly freed group of people were not ready for a battle and in fear, may turn back.

• God may not lead you along the shortest path because He knows you're not ready for the unseen obstacles. Only He can see the end of your journey from the beginning!

I - instructs. In verses 14:3-16, we find that Pharaoh has changed his mind and wants his slaves back. God hardens his heart (v. 4) and Pharaoh sets out, along with over 600 chariots and his army to recapture the Israelites and bring them back to Eygpt. During this time, God is giving Moses clear instructions on what to do with all these people and how to get them safely across the Red Sea. While the Eygptians are fastly approaching, the people are grumbling, complaining and blaming Moses for their situation. Moses patiently gives them instruction to, "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14: 13-14). God then gives HIS instruction to them in verse 15 - "GET MOVING!! I have great things to show you and your enemies, and you are standing around complaining! This is not the time to stop and have a holy huddle. IF you don't get going, you're going to mess up my plan!" (my paraphrase)

• Prayer must have a vital part in our lives, but there is also time for action. Sometimes we know what to do, but we pray for more guidance as an excuse to postpone doing it. If we know what we should do, then get moving!

F - fights for. In 14:23-25, the Egyptians are pursuing the Israelites when God brings great chaos and confusion among them. "...and the Egpytians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt."

• God had a plan and was going to fulfill it whether the Israelites trusted and believed in Him or not. God has a plan for your life and He's not going to give up fighting for you to accomplish the purpose for which He created you.

God stated His plan several times within this passage - " But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." (14:4, 17)

E - encourages us. If you know the rest of the story, you know that God causes the Red Sea to part and allows His people to safely cross over on dry ground. He also causes the waters to kill and destroy the Egyptian army. In verse 30, we see "that day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore."

• Sometimes in order to encourage us, God allows us to see our enemies; our past; destroyed in hopes that it will increase our faith and trust in Him.

Verse 31, "And when the Israelites saw the great work/power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.”

What is chasing you from your past? God wants to lead, instruct, fight for and encourage your life today. What kind of miracle is it going to take for you to see the great power of God and to trust Him with your life? Ponder that today! Are you holding on to something that needs to be left behind? Like the Israelites, are you thinking your life would be better off "back there in Egypt"? Don't let a damaging hurt, a distracting habit or a debilitating hang-up keep you from enjoying the freedom that leaving the past behind can bring and allowing God to let you see your enemies destroyed.

Online Class: Make sure you comment on the articles you read this week: Why the Ten Commandments are Un-Amercian and Do the Ten Commandments Cover All the Bases?

God is the Creator of All Beginnings

I am thankful for new beginnings. I look forward to the New Year each January. Not for the cold weather, but for a chance to clean out the clutter in my life (and closets), that has accumulated over the past year. As Paul says in Philippians 3:13 – “…Forgetting what is behind and pressing toward what is ahead.” – I am grateful for what the New Year brings. We need that fresh start every once in awhile to help us refocus on what's important and what can go!

God is all about new beginnings as well. Take a look at what Lamentations 3:22-24 says about His compassions (love) for us – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are NEW every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say to myself, The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him.” Isn’t it exciting to know we can have a clean slate every morning; a fresh start to every day? Make sure you take advantage of His compassions and thank Him for this privilege.

Genesis means: beginning or origin of: the world, human history, family, a nation, civilization and salvation. As the book of beginnings, Genesis sets the stage for the entire Bible. It reveals:
· the person and nature of God. (Creator, Sustainer, Judge, Redeemer)
· the value and dignity of human beings. (made in God’s image, saved by grace, used by God)
· the tragedy and consequences of sin. (the fall, separation from God, judgment)
· the promise and assurance of salvation. (covenant, forgiveness, promised Messiah)

A blueprint for beginnings in the first book of the Bible would look like:

• The Beginning of Life – Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 (Creation)
• The Beginning of Man – Genesis 2:4 - 5:32 (Adam, Eve and their family)
• The New Beginning – Genesis 6:1 – 11:32 (Noah and the flood)
• The Beginning of a Great Nation – Genesis 12:1 – 25:18 (Abraham and Sarah)
• The Beginning of Family – Genesis 25:19 – 36:43 (Isaac, Jacob, Esau)
• The New Beginning for a Family – Genesis 37:1 – 50:26 (Jacob, Joseph and his brothers)
  

What needs a new beginning in your life? Is it your relationship with God? Join our online Bible study, it's guaranteed to give your spiritual life the new beginning it needs. www.pathfinderministries.org/study.html Has the hurt and pain from unforgiveness affected your relationship with others in your life? Are you holding on to the guilt and shame from your past that you just can't forgive yourself for?

God wants to heal all these areas of your life and give you a new beginning. Remember that His love never fails and His mercies are NEW every morning! There’s no limit to His faithfulness…You can’t use it up! Go to Him and tell Him your hurts. He may already know, but He wants to hear you acknowledge what you’re feeling. He wants to know you are ready to move on; to start over. First John 1:9 assures us that “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – which means He wipes the slate clean; He allows us to begin anew.

Are you ready for a new beginning? Ask God-the Creator of all beginnings-to provide you with the hope and grace only He can give and make sure to take advantage of His new mercies EVERY day!

Online Class: Like Abraham, we must learn the importance of obedience to God. Share with us what obedience looks like in your own life. Also, how are others affected by your disobedience? Thanks for sharing...you'll never know what an encouragement you are to others!

Do you read or heed God's Word?

Is there a difference between reading the Bible and studying the Bible? Do you consider yourself one who reads the Bible for facts and information or in order to gain wisdom and understanding of God's Word and how you can apply it to your life? As we prepare for our journey through the Bible, one book at a time, I thought it would be good to recognize what the purpose of studying the Bible really is.

The first step in preparing to study the Bible should always be prayer. Asking the Holy Spirit to guide and guard your heart and mind is essential. Remember, the Enemy will try to distract and disrupt your study time with God every chance he gets.

Based on Psalm 25:4-5, we see three components of what we are to study the Bible for: "Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truths and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long."

1) David is asking God to "show me your ways." In order to be shown something, we have to look at it. We have to be willing to see what God's ways are and want to follow them. If we're not studying His Word, we will never know what to look for. Whose ways have you been following? Yours, God's or the Enemy's? Do you know how to tell the difference between the three?

2) David also asks God to "teach me your paths." In order to be taught, we must be willing to learn what God's Word means. This requires some work and effort. This is the part of Bible study that people want to skip over because learning takes too much time. They would rather read or listen to what someone else tells them it means, then to find out for themselves. Are you teachable? Do you desire to learn God's paths or are you content with living your life following your own or better yet, someone elses path?

3) David continues to ask God to "guide me in your truth." In order to be guided, we must be willing to listen to instruction and follow what it says. Are you dependent on a GPS to guide you to your desired destination? Do you listen intently to and faithfully follow the instructions on where to turn, which direction to go and when to re-route your course, if necessary? Then you are willing to be guided. Are you just as willing to listen to God's truth and instructions from His Word and be guided in the direction He wants you to go? Or do you prefer to map out your own course and be your own guide?

4) Finally, David acknowledges God for who He is, "you are God my Savior" and confirms that "my hope is in you all day long." In other words, David is willing to lean on God for all his needs. He's willing to surrender control of his life. Knowing that his hope is in God and His Word, David can continue to grow in wisdom and understanding. In taking this action of surrender, he will be better able to understand God's ways, follow His paths and be guided by His truth.

Where are you today? Are you just interested in learning the facts about the Bible or are you wanting to know, understand and apply what it says to your life personally? If so, I encourage you to join our online study, Know the Bible. I know this is the desire of over 70 women who have signed up for this study! I am so excited to see what God is going to show us, how He's going to teach us and where He's going to guide us over the next year.

Online Class: Don't forget to post your verse(s) this week.

Top Ten Reasons for Personal Bible Study

As we begin our new study, Know the Bible, we want to start by looking at why we need to have a personal Bible study time. From the following list, keep track of how many of the benefits you are personally experiencing in your life today?

1) To settle the issue of our own salvation. Many believers struggle with assurance of salvation. Knowing that our salvation is God's number one purpose for sending His Son to die for our sins, I think He wants us to be secure in this area. If you are unsure, I suggest you read the book of I John "so that you can know you have eternal life" (I John 5:13).

2) To grow spiritually. Are you still a baby Christian living off the milk when you should be eating the meat of the Word? Just as our physical bodies need food to survive, our souls need the spiritual food of the Bible. What is your "spiritual age"?

3) To receive personal blessing and encouragement. Meditating on God's promises encourage us to persevere in our own Christian life with comfort and hope. What promises are you clinging to today? Do you even know His promises?

4) To receive personal guidance. Many times the Bible addresses our specific situation and other times it doesn't. Through studying the Bible, we learn what the will of God is and experience His direction. Do your personal decisions contradict or line up with the Scriptures?

5) To defend ourselves against the devil. When we read about the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, we see that the Bible, the Sword of the Spirit, is our only weapon! When we know God's Word and apply it to our lives, we will be able to overcome the devil's temptations. What are you using as your defense in your spiritual battle?

6) To effectively teach God's truth to the next generation. Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us that we are to diligently teach the next generation the things/truths of God. If we don't know what those truths are, how will the next generation know? We can't just assume they will learn them on their own.

7) To be able to counsel others. God wants to use us to provide knowledge about what He has said in His Word to others. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another" (Colossians 3:16). Are you able to give people godly advice and back it up with God's Words when they come to you for counsel?

8) To be ready to speak with unbelievers about Christ. Peter advises that we are to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (I Peter 3:15). We need to be ready; not with a sermon or a lecture, but with humility and respect, to give the reason why are hope is in God. Do you know what you will say when asked?

9) To verify that the teaching of others is the truth of God. A group of early Christians "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things (that Paul was teaching) were so" (Acts 17:11). There were false teachers, distorting the Truth, even in Bible times. Our world is full of "men/women of God" teaching things that are not from God's Word. Are you easily swayed to follow a teacher/preacher because they have a message that sounds good? Do you know God's Word well enough to identify the lies?

10) To present ourselves approved to God. Learning God's truth involves the work of studying. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). We are God's workmanship and our Foreman has the right to examine us and our work. God's Word does just that. It shows us areas of our life that need to be challenged, corrected and changed, so that one day we will stand before Him and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:21). Are you ready for your examination?
*Information taken from How to Study the Bible. Robert West (2007) Barbour Publishing.

There you have it. The top ten reasons why we need a personal Bible study. How many were you able to say you are experiencing today? Alot? A few? None? Either way, we can continue to learn, grow and prepare ourselves by studying God's Word. How? If you have not signed up for our free, online class, why not do it today? You will receive lessons to work on during the week, encouragement and support from other women doing the same study you are, an opportunity to share prayer requests and much more. For more information, visit http://www.pathfinderministries.org/study.html

ONLINE CLASS: What is your word for the year? I am anxious to hear what God has shown you that He wants you to focus on.