Even more reason to spend time with God daily – not just weekly on Sundays, not just during times of trouble, or of repentance, or of thanksgiving. Here God is even saying to perform the offering two times a day – at morning and then at twilight (or dusk, around sunset time).

There’s also one for every first of the month – might be a good habit to make?

I also noticed how often the phrase “you shall not do any work” came up. That says a lot about God – like, how he cares for our well being, and how He is basically saying for us to trust Him with provisions for those days we did not work to spend time with Him. It should be noted that those times of not working, is for us to spend time with God not on other things.

“No one living is righteous before you”

Even David, chosen by God and upright in man’s standards, acknowledges that before God no one is righteous. We all miss the mark. But we are able to approach Him, and bring our requests, our aches and pains, to Him because of His grace.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. (‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭5‬ ESV)

When we are discouraged, when our spirit and our faith is failing, think about God – what He has done, who He is. Great is the measure of our Father’s love.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ESV)

We need Him daily. Yes, in the morning, first thing. To remind us of His love, to get guidance in the way we should go.

“For your name’s sake”, “In your righteousness”, “In your steadfast love.”

Our requests to God should ultimately be according to His will. For His glory, not ours. According to His promises, according to His grace.

Let no one be idle.

What is idleness? It is not merely not doing anything – for example, we can be still and be quiet before God. That is not idle time. On the other hand we can be too busy with activities and yet actually we are idle. Paul calls this as being “busybodies”. With a car analogy, being idle means going nowhere. The engine may be running, but the car is going nowhere.

In my life so far I have had (still have?) a lot of idle time. I’m ashamed to admit it – maybe that’s why it took me a while to write this post.

In proper context – the early church shared everything, but some people would take advantage of this and leech off the church. Don’t be a burden to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

How to deal with idle people? The Bible says to keep away and have nothing to do with them. But not to regard them as enemies, but warn them as a brother. Why is that so? Maybe because idleness is highly contagious. It can also cause us to be demotivated and discouraged. “If he’s not putting in the work, but still getting the same amount, then what’s the point of all my trouble?”

How will the brother change? Not by your words, but by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

I was wondering how to understand this passage, then after praying, God prompted me to relate this passage to today’s topic for Filled to Overflow (Prayer and Fasting 2015). The first topic is about Stephen – the Spirit-filled volunteer.

The God Isaiah saw and heard, is the same God who lives in the lives of believers and followers of Jesus. The same God who abhors evil, extends mercy and grace, brings justice. Who is strong – not a pushover – yet keeps his promise, remains faithful to who he is, his character.

It is one thing to do evil but not know it, it is a terrible thing to know what is pleasing and what is deplorable to God – and then willfully choose to do the latter.

*Happy New Year!*

“Moses brought their case before the Lord.” (‭Numbers‬ ‭27‬:‭5‬ ESV)

By now, Moses understands – he can’t make quick decisions on his own. Especially here when lives are at stake, and the future will be written according to what will be decided here. He might not even have thought of it that way.

And why not bring the case before God? He has been continuously present and has shown sincere concern to Moses and Israel. He is not like human leaders that may at times be unapproachable.

Learn from this.

““Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (‭Numbers‬ ‭27‬:‭16‬ ESV)

Moses prays for a successor. This is true servant leadership. Caring for the people placed under his care until the end, and even after that.

Both lessons are relevant to you now right?