“The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was.” – Numbers 27:12-13

What a bittersweet moment for Moses! After decades of service, leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and through the desert, he would finally get to see the Promised Land. But only from afar. He would catch a glimpse of God’s faithfulness, then pass away. This was because of a moment of pride, anger, and frustration the led him to disobey God’s instructions. A moment in which anger boiled over and rather than quietly speaking and giving all glory to God, he acted dramatically, struck the rock to bring forth water, and let the credit and glory go to himself.

To us, this may seem like a very small thing over which to lose entry into the promised land. However, pride, insecurity, frustration, anger, and the need to look “large and in charge” can easily put us in very bad situations. Attitudinally. Spiritually. Practically. For followers of Jesus, the good news is that our inheritance is secured. Not by our efforts and outcomes but by the person and work of Jesus Christ. That said, our attitude and how we handle frustrations, irritations, fear, and insecurity still matters.

For many Christians, those moments still bring out the worst in them. Challenges reveal that the “old man”, their nature from before they met Jesus, still has a great deal of influence over their mind and heart. That isn’t how it should be. Followers of Jesus are new creations called to crucify the flesh and walk in the Spirit instead. The evidence that is happening is that the character of Christ comes out under stress: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. AKA the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Does it for you?

This fruit isn’t manufactured by hard work and self-discipline. It’s produced by the Holy Spirit as we walk closely with Jesus, transformed by the Spirit through the Word (read and meditating), prayer, worship, fellowship with believers, service, and sharing the Gospel. So, what comes out of you in stressful moments? Is it the Spirit or is your same old nature? If the latter, let that be a wake up call to evaluate the health of your spiritual life. Then #FollowJesus

“But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?”” – Numbers 23:26

THAT is a great principle for life!!! Just do what the Lord says. It won’t always be popular. It won’t always be easy. It won’t always be safe. But do it, anyway.

To this point, Balaam was still doing fairly well. He hadn’t yet turned into the notorious person of infamy condemned throughout Scripture. He hadn’t yet found a loophole to disobey God’s clear will while following the letter of God’s commands. If he had continued on this path, he would have lived to go home. But he didn’t.

“All that the Lord says, that I must do.” Grab hold of that principle with all your might and #FollowJesus

“God said to Balaam, ‘You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.’ So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, ‘Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.’” – Numbers 22:12-13

If Balaam had just held firmly to this, his story would have ended just fine. He might not have made it into the pages of the Bible. His donkey might not have talked to him. But he would have been OK. He’d asked God an honest question, received a clear answer, and obeyed it. All good! Balaam went wrong when he decided he should check to see if God had changed His mind. After all, more money and prestige was on the table for Balaam. Surely the Lord might have changed His mind. NOT! So, one thing led to another and Balaam did the opposite of what God told him to do here. It didn’t go well for anyone involved.

If God has given you a clear answer about something, don’t keep asking the same question. Don’t be a Balaam. Accept God’s answer. Be thankful for the clarity. Live by His answer. Don’t keep going back to God just because you didn’t like His answer. Just because you really, really want a different answer. Eventually you will persuade yourself that it’s a good idea to do whatever you wanted to do in the first place, regardless of what God said. And it won’t go well. It never does.

God isn’t fickle. He doesn’t change His answers on a whim or because YOU got new information or a better offer. He always knew. His answer was right the first time. It was best the first time. And the more often you ask, the more likely you are to confuse your own voice for God’s. The more susceptible you will be to listening to the devil’s voice rather than the Lord’s. Don’t continue asking if God has already answered. Live out His answer, whatever it is, in peace and with trust that God’s answer is best. #FollowJesus

“And the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.’” – Numbers 18:20

The priests and Levites didn’t receive permanent land in the promised land. They weren’t to receive family property that would secure their livelihood for generations or build their earthly wealth. Instead, they were receiving something infinitely greater – the Lord Himself. He is their portion and inheritance. Their unique privilege was being near to Him and being able to devote themselves to His service. They got to experience more of the fullness of His glory. And had the experience of being provided for by Him through the giving of God’s people. Their inheritance was deeper dependence on God and the faithfulness of His people.

To materially-minded people, this might not seem like a good gift. For those who recognize the infinite greatness of God, it’s infinitely more precious than having land, crops, and earthly wealth. To be able to dwell in the presence of the Lord. To live in utter dependence on Him and to see, on a daily basis, His unlimited capacity to provide, that’s a blessing beyond compare!

Here’s the thing…. For followers of Jesus, we’re in exactly this same situation. We have no guarantees on earth. We may prosper financially or we may struggle terribly. We may have much or we may have little in the eyes of the world. None of that compares to what we actually have in Christ, if we’re willing to embrace the truth and delight in it. For those who have entrusted their lives to Jesus, we have the Spirit of God living in us. Christ is in us and we are in Him. God IS our portion at all times. He is our inheritance that never ends. Never gets lost. Never gets stolen or ruined. Not here on earth. Not in heaven. Not in the new heaven and the new earth.

Every follower of Jesus is a priest. Regardless of what we have in an earthly sense, we all have God in us and with us. If Jesus is your Lord, then Lean into this truth. Meditate on it. Pray and praise God for it. Sit with it. Let this reality empower you for faithful service. Let it drive you to pursue the holiness that is yours in Christ. Come to understand how much greater and more wonderful what you have in Christ is than anything else you could ever have on earth. He is your portion and your inheritance! #FollowJesus

“And Moses said to Korah, ‘Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.’” – Numbers 16:8-9

Do you want to do great things for the Lord? A “holy ambition” to serve and glorify God is generally a good thing. Unless it keeps you from actually serving and glorifying God in the way He has appointed. The Levites had been appointed to help in and near the Tabernacle. It was a vital and sacred service, but also one that involved a lot of manual labor. It was considerably less glamorous than the priest’s work. That didn’t sit well with Korah and his followers. They wanted better work for the Lord. They wanted to be priests. In the end, it cost them everything.

If God has called you to serve Him in some particular way — a specific ministry or role in your church or community — do that service faithfully. Be consistent. Be effective. Be excellent. Do it with joy, rejoicing that the Lord has prepared it for you. Don’t let yourself get to a place where you’re wishing God would call you to something bigger, better, or more glamorous. Or worse, trying to make that happen without the Lord’s blessing or permission.

Serve faithfully and then let God lead as, and when, He chooses. Do everything for God’s glory. It’s a biblical principle that we must usually demonstrate sustained faithfulness in small things before being directed by God into bigger things. Don’t try to skip past those small things. Serve well, seeking to please and glorify God. After serving faithfully, God may call you to something different. Or He may help you experience His pleasure, joy, and satisfaction through continued faithful service in that area. Regardless, don’t be so busy looking toward “the next big thing” that you forget to worshipfully fulfill “this small thing”. #FollowJesus