Feb 19th

February 19th 

Laws Against False Spirituals. 

These laws are pretty easy to understand. God warns the people not to imitate, or take up the ways of the people of the lands they will occupy. Following other people's ways would be rude, if you think about it, because God brought them this far, and once they get comfortable they not only lose their reverence for God but start to follow other gods that have done nothing for them, who do not exist? I know that I'm guilty of only going to God when I'm in trouble, taking advantage of His open arms and comfort during the bad times, but going and worshiping false gods would be like an extra slap in the face to our God.

God then foreshadows the coming of Jesus, and also gives us a test for false prophets. 

Laws Regarding Blasphemy

This section is very relevant to my life. Swearing, along with misuse of the Lord's name, is something I hear often. I'm sad to say that swearing like this comes naturally to a lot of my friends and family. The next time you hear someone swear or are tempted to swear yourself, first ask if it's really necessary. Does the situation your in really require such language? And then remember what a great God we have, and how awesome He is, and compare that vastness to the now trivial situation you would swear for. 

Laws Requiring Dedications

These laws are for reminding the people of what God has done for them. I must admit, when I first read this passage, I was upset. Why would He take away what He gave? Then it hit me. He was the one who gave the people the opportunity to have their firstborn sons and animals. These laws are to remind the people that He was the one to give these gifts. 

Laws Requiring Tithing

These laws are for the Levites, the priests. These are the laws that explain that the priest should not concern himself with making a lot of money. I always took this passage to be God's way of warning the priests not to get greedy for power, and then also His laws for the people to feed the priest keep the priests alive and healthy. 

Special Instructions for Conquest

These laws are for when the people move. They are to thank God for all He has done and to remind the people who is ultimately responsible for their good fortune. 

Law of the Sabbath

The Sabbath is the day when everything rests. It is the day that symbolizes the last day of creation, when God Himself took a rest. This is the part of the Bible I used to go to when I was younger when my grandmother asked me to do chores on Sunday :) 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Gina

Feb 18

February 18, 2012     Good morning and welcome to the beginning of two and a half weeks of the Mosaic Law!!  This begins the section where most people are tempted to quit. Today we discover the most important reason to stay connected to God and his laws.   

 

During my high school years I had the prestigious job of being a lifeguard at one of the public pools in Allentown, Pa. We had the "commandments" of pool life published on a board as you entered the pool area.  There were commandments like no pushing people into water, no running, no diving in the shallow end, no swimming in the diving area, no glass bottles and no babies in diapers allowed in the pool.

Many of the kids didn't like the commandments. They complained that the commandments were too restrictive, cramped their style, weren't fun, and that everyone was doing these things at other pools.  

 

Dream with me for a moment about what pool life would be like without the commandments. I can see a group of kids wanting to just have fun as they grab a friend and throw him into deep water. But the kid can't swim. Pushing people into the pool is fun for the pushers but what about the pushee?  Lifting the commandment about not diving into the shallow end would have catastrophic results. And how about allowing babies in diapers... let's not even go there.

 

Why did we have "the pool commandments?" Were the lifeguards crabby people who were hungry for power?  Did we want to force our narrow ways on people? No, the commandments were given to provide the best pool experience for everyone. They were designed to maximize the joy of all swimmers. These commandments were given to protect lives. No one ever drowned under my guard.

 

God gave us the 10 commandments for the same reason. God is not trying to take away our fun. He is providing the best possible life for everyone.

 

The first commandment is that we should have no other gods before God. Literally this is "you shall have no other gods before my face." This idiom means we should have no other gods in his presence, no other gods even near him. Hebrew scholars tell us that this is the language of a marriage ceremony. God expects us to give him our lives and our total allegiance.

 

Imagine being at your wedding ceremony and your wife says to you, "Honey, I do love you, but there are a lot of things that need to be done in marriage. So I want to love another guy and bring him into our marriage." How would you feel?  How do you think God feels when we want to bring other gods into our hearts? The bottom line is the first commandment says, "I am your only God."  God demands to be our first priority in life.

 

A few years ago USA Today carried a headline article on the "Millennium" generation. "Millenniums" are people 18-25 years old.  When asked what their top life priorities were:   

81% said their top life goal was to get rich.

51% said their second goal was to become famous.  

10% said their goal was to become more spiritual.  

 

Even from a casual observation, it is clear that the vast majority of people are breaking the very first commandment. So let me ask you these questions as we begin to study the law:

What is the most important priority in your life?

What does your heart beat fast for? W

hat gets you out of bed in the morning?

What's your mission in life? 

Can you really say that God is your number one priority?  

 

Having God in first place in our lives is the only way we will ever find joy. 

February 17, 2012 - Deuteronomy 9-11

Friday, February 17, 2012
Deuteronomy 9-11

In Deuteronomy 9:4-5, Moses said, "After the Lord your God has
driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, 'The Lord has
brought me here to take possession of this land because of my
righteousness.' No, it is on account of the wickedness of these
nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not
because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in
to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of
these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to
accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob."

In fulfilling His promise to His people, God reminds the
Israelites that they did not do anything to earn the Promise Land. God
did not favor the Israelites because of their own righteousness, for
they were still a disobedient rebellious people. God favored Israel
because of His promise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God favored
Israel because the nations they were up against were wicked.

I must confess, when I look at my life before knowing God, I would
have to put myself in the "wicked category" of people. I worshipped
money, sex, mind-altering substances, and people. My major focus was
pleasing myself. I didn't even know God, yet I had already rejected
Him. I deserved God's wrath. Even as a believer now, I still deserve
God's wrath because I sin every day. Nevertheless, God saves me from
His own wrath simply because of my belief in His son Jesus Christ.
God's love and forgiveness has created the desire in my heart for
obedience. I have found life in obedience. This was God's plan even
for the Israelites. He wanted them to experience the fulfilling life
that obedience had to offer.

In Deuteronomy 11:8-9, Moses said, "Observe therefore all the
commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to
go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to
possess, and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore
to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land
flowing with milk and honey." Like the Israelites, we must aim for
keeping God's commands. We will never be able to maintain anything
like perfect adherence to them, but it's about progress, not
perfection. Jesus was perfect, therefore we don't have to be. We just
have to give God our best. Remember, we deserve death, but God gives
us life anyways through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. In Romans
8:10-11, the apostle Paul said, "But if Christ is in you, then even
though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives
life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit
who lives in you."

You're Blessed,
Anthony

February 16: Deuteronomy 4:44-8:20 (Excerpts)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Deuteronomy 4:44–8:20 (Excerpts)

Today’s reading encompasses Moses’s second address to the Israelites in the month leading up to their entering the Promised Land.  As we have discussed recently, God declared that Moses would not join his people in taking the Promised Land as a result of his prideful response to the people’s challenge to his leadership.  Yet, God continued to use Moses to guide and serve the Israelites, culminating in the great admonishments in Deuteronomy; the book’s title, from the Greek Septuagint version, means “second law,” referring to its recounting of some content from Leviticus.

 

As I reviewed the passages, three key takeaways emerged from Moses’s words:

 

1) Even for the Old Testament’s chief lawgiver, Moses, the three “core commitments” for the Christian life held supremacy.  You may recall that Pastor Scott has shared several times about our three core commitments as individuals and as Christ’s body at Grace Church:  a) to love God; b) to love others; and c) to make disciples.  He has argued that, if we were to fulfill these three objectives, we would enjoy the complete richness that God has intended for us in Christ.

 

Two of these three appear directly in Exodus 6:4–9, the first part of which received the name the “Shema,” referring to the command to “Hear”:  “Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your strength….  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

 

Moses urges his people to esteem the Lord God above all created things.  As A. W. Tozer explained in The Knowledge of the Holy, “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us….  The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.”  Without a proper conception of God’s character, we will most likely fall into idolatry, as our sinful nature prompts us to prioritize the here-and-now over the eternal.

 

While the second commitment doesn’t appear directly, other passages in the Law do speak about individuals’ responsibility to care for and love others, including the poor and the alien.  The Law clearly emerges from the idea that all people have equal value, having received that worth through the very act of God’s creation.  In a parallel New Testament passage, Jesus links the words from Leviticus 19:18 – “Love your neighbor as yourself” – explaining that “all the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments” to love God and others (Matthew 22:37–40).

 

The third commitment – to disciple others, sharing with them the Good News of God’s sovereignty and Christ’s saving power and encouraging their growth into the likeness of Christ – lies in Moses’s words, too.  Discipleship involves both an inward and outward focus.  Each follower of God must write these commandments “upon their hearts,” but their reflection on the Law must not stop at an academic or purely personal exercise.  Instead, each community member should take responsibility to “impress them on your children,” imparting consistent lessons throughout each day with both words and visual symbols.  Character development would therefore serve as the focal point of education and nurturing.  Implicit in Leviticus 19:33,34, the Israelites were called to reach out with God’s love to the alien:  “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.  The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born.  Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.  I am the Lord your God.”  Isaiah 14:1 and Psalm 67 foretell a great outpouring of grace on multiple nations.  Even in the Old Testament, God has called His people to personal and intentional discipleship.

 

In living out these three commitments, we seek to hold an attitude of worship -- that is, giving to God the Father His proper standing and bringing glory to His Name through our words, thoughts, and deeds.  At the outset, however, any efforts on our part must originate from the love of God.  1 John 4:7–10 express how we receive the capacity to love only from God’s initial lovingkindness:  “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us:  He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  Indeed, we receive power through the Holy Spirit through His fruit of “love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22,23) so that we may serve as His “witnesses.” (Acts 1:8)

 

2) God applies discipline for our benefit.  Moses later exhorts:  “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.  Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.  Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.”

 

We often look to Romans 8:28,29 for encouragement during our struggles:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”  We may trust that God has arranged even our trials so that we might more completely “be conformed to the likeness of his Son.”  Moses notes that the people’s challenges in the desert had “humbled” them.  Through these circumstances, God had sought to identify the content of His children’s hearts.  May we cling to our loving Father in all circumstances, giving thanks that He has chosen everything in His sovereignty.

 

3) Pride and idolatry will lead us astray.  Moses argues that the people must not allow their pride to cloud their minds:  “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.  Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions.  He brought you water out of hard rock.  He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.  You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’  But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”

In essence, pride declares that we know better than God.  This pride allowed Adam and Eve to follow Satan’s temptation in the Garden, when he asked:  “Did God really say… ?”  I reflected on that question a few times when considering today’s passages.  So often, we desire to “explain away” what God has clearly stated, preferring our own vantage point.  We desire that God would “get behind” our plans when we ought to pursue the reverse.

 

Moses and the Lord God clearly understood that any pride would lead the Israelites away from wholehearted devotion to their King.  These shortcomings will mark the entire remainder of the Old Testament.  As British orator John Bright once chided, “he is a self-made man and worships his creator.”  In the long run, pride will lead us to some form of creation-worship, either of ourselves or man-made gods, celebrities, money, fame, sex, or power.  We must remain watchful.  The proper antidote to pride lies in praising God:  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

 

QUESTIONS

1. How may you grow in living out the three core commitments?
2. How may you guard your heart from pride through praise?

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February 15 Deut 1- 4:40 (ish)

February 15

Deut 1- 4:40 (ish)

 

Well, if you're anything like me, you must have some really marked up pages!  I love writing in my Bible.  Love underlining and making notes, circling and of course using different colors J  Good stuff in these first four chapters of Deuteronomy…like an anthem of the Israeli nation thus far.  Battles have been won, land is already being divided between the tribes, and the Promised Land is within reach and view.  Talk about chills!!!!  Moses, their great leader is very old by now, but still addressing the millions before him.  We're gonna look at three parts tonight: Moses, Israel, and God.

 

Moses:  Bob Daniel brought up a serious question and concern that I wondered too.  I don't know the answer, but this is my thought.  If you disagree or have more knowledge than me, please let me know.  I have been praying about this all day.  It sounds like Moses is not taking responsibility for his sin and his faults from the past and blaming the Israeli people for God's anger against him and why he will never enter the Promised Land.  We see this in 1:37, 3:26, and 4:21 ("The Lord as angry with me because of you…") Moses recognizes and acknowledges his punishment from God because of his sin from Numbers 20:10-13 (Feb 10^th.) But he directs all blame to the nation.  Remember it was the people who complained and complained about everything: no food and no water, even though they should have had faith that God would supply their every need.  It was because they complained in the first place, that Moses spoke to God for them asking for water.  So I wonder if Moses is thinking, "Well, because you did this, I did this, and I was punished…"  just an idea. I'm can't imagine the yearning Moses had to enter the land.  He had invested the last 4 decades to this conquest, but he can't enter.  At one point we even see him pleading with God (how many times have we just ached for something?) and God said N-O….stop asking.  (I have heard that one before too.:)  Instead of being angry at God, rejecting God, or jealous of those who will enter, we see Moses wise, faithful, and obedient.  He encourages and builds up his successor (Joshua) and joyfully prepares the people for the promises that are ahead.  That is amazing leadership.    

 

Israel:  In these chapters we see a recap of the past 40 years from when they left Egypt.  Moses repeats the Covenant God made with Abraham In 1: 8 – 10 ish that they would be a great nation and inherit the land He promised them.  We see the structure of their nation: tribes, judges, and the leadership.  We see the people flip back and forth, obedient and disobedient.  Faithful to God and doubting God.  (the never-ending saga of the Israelites, and we can fit right in there too!) We see them blessed and we see that God is on there side.  They were delivered and God was always faithful to them.  We also see the warnings from Moses…almost like a father speaking to his child getting ready to enter the real world.  Beware of idols and false teachings, but teach to your children and our children's children everything that you have seen and been apart of so they will stay away from anything that is not glorify God.  Deut 4:25 -31 is foreshadowing or prophecy of what awaits Israel centuries to come: the Assyrians and the Babylonians will capture and scatter the tribes.  They will became slaves again and lose the land that they were about to inherit.  Later in the 1^st century AD, another great diaspora will take place and again, the Jewish nation will scatter to the ends of the earth. 

 

God:  We see many faces and attributes of God: God keeps His promises (ALL of them!!!)  Provider (He gives food, water, and land.)  He goes ahead of us and sets a way.  He does not listen to disobedience (He turns a deaf ear to complaining after disobedience)   He watches over us and is with us.  Wrath…He punishes and judges the wicked and unbelievers.  Is near when we pray.  Expects and wants obedience from us.  "The Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."  We will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart and with all our soul.  "The Lord our God is a Merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy you of forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath" (4: 31) Revealed Himself through miraculous events so He and His name would be known (glory).  Has great strength.  He is in Heaven and here on earth.  There is no other.  Amen.   

February 14

On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 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. Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.

~ Numbers 33:50-53

 

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desire not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, we are like ignorant children who want to continue making mud pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

~ C. S. Lewis

 

In today's reading, the Israelites were still preparing for their move into their new home. Joshua had been appointed as Moses's successor to lead the people. Instructions were given by God to conquer and settle the land.

 

It stood out to me that God specifically told the people to not only drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan, but to also destroy all remnants of their pagan religion. Once all the idols and high places were gone, then they would be allowed to settle the Promise Land. I think this means that God knows human nature all too well. Our nature, unfortunately, is to gravitate towards things that are not of God. He knew that if the Israelites had settled the land, but left all the items associated with false gods and pagan religions, they would quickly turned their backs on Him. (As it turns out, they ended up doing that anyway.)

 

Sin is and always has been very attractive and very deadly to people. Part of God's plan is and always has been to protect us from our sin. By telling the people that they must get rid of all idols and high places, He was protecting them from the consequences of idolatry and disobedience. In verses 55 and 56 of chapter 33, God warned them that they would suffer the same fate as the Canaanites if they did not follow His commands.

 

I find it amazing that the purpose of God's command was not simply to protect His people from sin. He also wanted to bless them greatly. He wanted them to live in a beautiful and fruitful land. He wanted them to experience fulfillment in a relationship with Him. He wanted them to be a shining example of His love and mercy.

 

God also wants the same for us as well. He wants us to drive out all things that hinder our relationship with Him. He wants to provide us with everything we need. He wants to experience fellowship with us. It seems crazy that we would ever choose mud pies in a slum over a vacation by the sea, but that's what we do whenever we allow something to come between us and God. As attractive as sin may appear to us, it leads to nothing but suffering and it doesn't even come close to the blessing and the joy that God wants us to experience in Him. I encourage you to evaluate what idols and high places there are in your lives. Once they are identified and then driven out of your life, then you can experience the true blessings of God.

 

February 13th

In today's reading we see the second census taken after the 40 years of dessert wandering that God inflicted upon the people due to their disobedience and lack of faith.  From this census each tribe is given their inheritance in the land.  What I find interesting is should the division of the land occurred prior to this second census the results would have been very difference.  The lack of obedience on the part of some influenced the division of the inheritance for all. 

Judah remained the largest tribe.  They had the smallest increase (1900) but they were able to maintain the numbers and because of this they received the largest portion. Manasseh is an amazing story of the underdog.  They were the smallest tribe prior to the wandering but they had a whopping increase of 20,500 and became the 6^th largest tribe.  To have such a great increase shows that most of them must have gotten the point God was trying to make and lived their 40 years with little rebellion and as much obedience as they could muster.  Because of this they greatly increased their portion in the inheritance.  Simeon on the other hand was a sad showing of falling from grace.  They began as the 3^rd largest tribe in the whole nation but by the time God was ready to bring them into the land their numbers had decreased by 37,100 and they became the smallest tribe in the nation.  They would have had a great share in the land but their tremendous show of disobedience, negative influence and pride caused them to become the least and loose what could have been an even bigger blessing.

Not only did the disobedience of many affect how the inheritance was divided, it caused a decrease in the number of God's children.  His nation had decreased.  Those able to fight on the Lords behalf had been reduced by 1,820.  I don't think God desires to loose any from his nation.

Did you know that we too are getting ready to receive an inheritance and our portion will be greatly affected by a different kind of census?

Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

If you read the story that occurs before this passage in Matthew you will be reading the parable of the talents.  Where the Master entrust his own money to 3 of his servants to use to bring about additional gains to his household.  He gives each according to the obedience they have shown in the past with handling that which the Master deems valuable to him.  Upon his return when he is ready to settle his accounts only 2 of the 3 servants have an increase.  They knew their Master desired to have them use these treasures to bring about greater treasure for him. Because of this they received a larger reward.  They were trusted with so much more.  But to the one who did nothing, who wasted the Master's time and treasure, what they would have had was taken from them and given to another.

Like the tribes we read about in today's reading and the servants in the parable in Matthew, God has entrusted each of us with treasures.  He has given each of us spiritual gifts that he wants us to use to bring about an increase in His kingdom.  He desire to have His kingdom grow and he is trusting you and I to be obedient in whatever he calls us to so that we can use what he has given to us to bring about Kingdom growth.

Remember what we have learned the past 2 Monday??? You are a part of they royal priesthood, you are a holy nation.  Daily we must cleans our hearts of any impurities that have attached to our hearts in the past 24 hours so that we can serve him with a right heart.  Then where he is moving you are to follow and to bring with you his word and the gifts that he has given to you.  You are to do this out of obedience so that we can be a part of the work of increasing his kingdom for all of eternity.

What is amazing is that God says I will reward you for all that you do.  Now, let me get one thing straight here, we don't do anything to earn our salvation (Eph 2:8-9).  The Israelites didn't do anything to earn their way into the promise land; it was a gift from God promised to their forefathers.   But, their obedience and faithful service to God did determine what their portion would be.  The same is true with our portion in the Kingdom of heaven.  We are guaranteed salvation but a different kind of census will be taken of what we have done to show if there has been an increase or decrease in God's Kingdom due to our service and obedience (or lack there of) and we will be rewarded accordingly…

Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. " (Also see Romans 2:6 and 1 Corinthians3:8). 

We are the servants in the parable of the talents.  Our Master is coming back and he will want an account of what we did with the gifts that were entrusted to us.  How did we bless others and therefore increase his kingdom?  Our service, our obedience will not go unnoticed and God will reward us accordingly.

If you read Matthew 25:35-40 you will see that God is not asking you to do things that are grandiose and flashy but to just be obedient to where he leads you.  It can be as simple as seeing the needs of those around us and doing whatever we can to meet those needs.  To show hospitality and to give of our time as well.  He just wants you to be ready and willing to go where it is he leads you and to use that which he has given you, equipped you with.  In this way you will bring about an increase to his Kingdom.

It is just as easy for us to ignore the work God has equipped us for.  Laziness, pride, selfishness, self-centeredness, judgmental attitudes, self- righteousness, etc…. are all things that can interfere and cause a decrease in the kingdom work.  They are all in opposition to God and would be considered disobedience.

What kind of servant are you?
Have you been obedient to the Lord's leading today? This week? This year?
Have you been like one of the tribes that are seeing an increase or a decrease in God's kingdom due to your actions and attitudes towards others?
Are you using the gifts, skills, and abilities that God has blessed you with to bring about Kingdom growth or have you been judgmental, self-guiding, and stubborn?
Do you covet your time or make sure that you leave enough of it available for the Lord to use in ways he desires?
What are some ways you can become a Kingdom increaser and help be a part of the work God is calling you to?