Powerful Numbers

Powerful Numbers

Revelation 11: I was then given a stick that looked like a measuring-rod, and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who are worshiping in the temple. ² But do not measure the outer courts, because they have been given to the heathen, who will trample on the Holy City for forty-two months. ³ I will send my two witnesses dressed in sackcloth, and they will proclaim God's message during those 1, 260 days.”

 

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“There is strength in numbers” I was taught. I sought crowds of people that had large numbers. But there were times when I was with a lot of people and felt more alone than if I were with a smaller crowd. “Maybe I have this numbers thing wrong” I thought to myself.

 

• I thought “more” was better.
• I thought that if I did not have large numbers, then it was not valuable.
• I feared not having large numbers, causing me to waiver in things GOD told me to do.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was given a measuring stick. The voice, perhaps JESUS, told him to measure the temple and to number those who were inside worshiping. Then the voice said “two witnesses” would be sent to proclaim GOD’s message.

 

My Observations:

• GOD is so powerful that HE only needs small numbers to do mighty things.
• GOD seems more comfortable using two versus two million.
• GOD is aware of the number of hairs on your head and is concerned about that, especially those who do not have hair.

 

There is power in small numbers. I mean, when a tow truck lifts a car off of someone, it would not make the news, but when one person is given strength to lift that same car off of his or her child, that act makes the news. GOD seems to delight in amazing things that happen in small numbers.

 

HE whittled down Gideon's army from thousands to hundreds and frightened the Philistine nation with David’s one rock. GOD uses the supernatural to take care of big problems. HE does not need more than enough.

 

Challenge

• What instructions is the writer given?
• Why do you think GOD revealed certain numbers?
• If you are concerned with amounts of money, or people or sizes, then could you give it to GOD who has the power to address your concerns with small numbers rather than what you may think?

Expectations Met

Expectations Met

1 John 5: ⁶ Jesus Christ is the one who came with the water of his baptism and the blood of his death. He came not only with the water, but with both the water and the blood. And the Spirit himself testifies that this is true, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷ There are three witnesses: ⁸ the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and all three give the same testimony. ⁹ We believe human testimony; but God's testimony is much stronger, and he has given this testimony about his Son. 

 

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Sitting in driver’s school, I looked at my watch all day! It seemed like the hours moved as days as the instructor warned all of us speeders about the dangers of driving fast. I had to check in at the beginning of the class and then check out at the end.

 

• I was sentenced to serve eight hours for my speeding.
• I was required to take the driver’s class.
• I needed an official witness that I took the class in order for the speeding ticket to not count against me.

 

John addressed something that people are still looking for to this very day, namely a person who can fix the mess humans are in. Poverty, sickness, violence and other problems seemed to grow, removing all hope. John addressed the fact the JESUS is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Humans witnessed HIS baptism, but only HE experienced death and the SPIRIT testifies that HE met the criteria, GOD was looking for.

 

My Observations:

• Satan’s pride caused him to get kicked out of heaven, and he introduced sin into the world by tricking Adam and Eve into performing an seemingly innocent sin.
• All of humanity became sinners through Adam and Eve and needed a sinless Savior.
• JESUS became a human, who never once sinned, who was baptized and murdered by HIS creation, but was raised from the dead by the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

Human witnesses are good, BUT GOD’s witness is the ultimate. I mean, humans can provide a witness to something and still be wrong or possibly have a sinful motive behind his or her witness. BUT GOD’s witness is pure and contains no sin.

 

The HOLY SPIRIT witnessed JESUS’s death and raised HIM from the dead. This act redeemed all humans who believe in the need of salvation. HIS resurrection was enough to meet GOD’s expectations. I am glad GOD supplied everything I needed to remove my sentence and to become redeemed by HIS SON.

 

Challenge

• What does the writer point out about JESUS?
• Have you ever pondered why did HE have to go through all of the pain and suffering?
• Will you see GOD’s love in JESUS’s actions by surrendering your life to HIM and by knowing that all expectations of you have been met, simply by believing in what HE has done today?

Expected to be Corrected

Expected to be Corrected

Hebrews 12: ³ Think of what he went through; how he put up with so much hatred from sinners! So do not let yourselves become discouraged and give up. ⁴ For in your struggle against sin you have not yet had to resist to the point of being killed. ⁵ Have you forgotten the encouraging words which God speaks to you as his children?

 

“My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you,
    and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you.
⁶ Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves,
    and punishes everyone he accepts as a child.”

 

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Hearing “No” as the final answer, I dreamed of ways to sneak out of the house. “Maybe I can leave out the back door while everyone was sleeping.” I thought to myself. But for some reason. Everyone stayed awake this particular night. My plans failed. Next I actually got the car and drove all over the city. The radiator leaked and I spent all my time and money repairing the car. “I can’t catch a break!”

 

• I was trying to be sneaky and my plans failed.
• I was trying to do something I was told not to do, yet I did it anyway.
• I was trying to get my way but “something” kept me from doing wrong.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, talks about a difficult subject, namely sin. He addresses the “struggle” all humans face. He reminds everyone that GOD will correct HIS children through punishment that is meant to be a guide back to the right path.

 

My Observations:

• GOD knows there is a part of me that does not like HIS way, BUT HE gently corrects me to follow HIM.
• GOD sees when I do not want to be like HIM or follow HIM, AND HE corrects me when I rebel against HIM.
• GOD says to me “You are now in MY family so some of the things you do act against what I am trying to do.”

 

I can tell that GOD is speaking to me when I hear something I am supposed to do that would benefit HIS kingdom, yet I do not want to do it. I mean, when “that” person makes me mad and GOD says “reconcile even though it’s not your fault” I don’t want to do it. When I get punished for not reconciling, I question GOD.

 

HE then replies, “Because you are MINE and I expect you to act like you are in MY family.” GOD does not sin, is full of grace and tries to reach all people, not matter how horrible he or she is. GOD wants me to be filled with grace and sometimes HE uses mild punishment that does not kill me, to correct me. I reluctantly welcome GOD’s correction and I am glad when I get back on HIS path.

 

Challenge

• What children is the writer talking about?
• Have you ever been corrected and been thankful for HIS correction?
• Will you accept GOD’s correction with encouragement, knowing HE loves you and wants you to grow in HIS truth and grace today?

Meeting Expectations

Luke 3: ¹⁵ Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, ¹⁶ John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸ And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, ²⁰ also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

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Nervously I opened my mouth and told a person about my belief in CHRIST. I could not tell if he was joking or not about his thought on GOD’s existence but I was moved to say something at the lunchroom table.

When the words came out, I felt better and did not care as much whether I would be labeled as weird. This was my first time speaking about GOD to someone outside of my comfort zone.

• There were times when I wanted to just blend into the crowd.
• There were times when I wanted to simply be like everyone else.
• There were times when I wanted to meet the crowd’s expectation of me and fit in like the rest.

The people set expectations on John by asking “Who is this guy?” Some said he was The CHRIST, others thought he was a prophet, but all had to listen to him as he spoke candidly about their sins, even royalty. GOD wants me to speak up as well.

• JESUS says to me “I will baptize people with the HOLY SPIRIT and with fire.”
• JESUS says to me “I will gather the wheat you plant in the souls of people I send to you or send you to.”
• JESUS says to me “I will burn up the wasted efforts of those who do not turn to ME.”

Life is short. Everything I do and say will one day be accounted for and it is up to me to listen to the HOLY SPIRIT each day in order to make the best out of life. When I am not selfish and follow what GOD wants me to do, HE counts it as fruit and rewards me generously.

• What are you spending your time on?
• Are you squeezing GOD out of your life to the point that you cannot hear HIM?
• Do you spend enormous amounts of time meeting human’s expectations?
• Can you stop trying to please people and look to pleasing GOD today?

Great Expectations

Matthew 21: ³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. ³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

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What I noticed about this passage is GOD is the owner of everything. HE created people for HIS pleasure and had some great expectations that HIS creation would grow and multiply. HE desired a wonderful relationship with HIS creation so HE put people in charge of HIS created kingdom.

Those in charge soon realized they could have heaven on earth and would do anything to keep it. When people tried to give to the poor or serve one another, the greedy made more rules to make it increasingly harder for them to live. They sold their souls for money.

• GOD wants me to “collect HIS fruit.”
• GOD wants me to watch over HIS vineyard until it grows.
• GOD wants me to “Respect HIS SON.”

Since GOD owned everything HE decided to give it all to HIS creation. But instead of appreciating the gift, we treated it like we deserved it. We pouted for more and complained when we did not get our way. When GOD sent people to tell us our wrongs, we did not believe and slandered them and killed HIS SON.

• The more I can act like HIS expectations the better.
• The more I can appreciate HIS gift the better off I am.
• The more I can understand HIS expectations of me the more I can appreciate HIS gift for me.

GOD’s expectations were only out of love for me. HE gave me so much, and in return only wants me to express my enjoyment of what HE has done. My expectations of HIM are great!

• Are you complaining?
• Do you worry?
• Can you stop and praise GOD for giving you so much?