Daily Reading: Numbers 20

It is significant that Numbers chapter 20 groups together three significant events: Miriam’s death, Moses’s sin (striking the rock twice), and Aaron’s death. 

These three events point to the fact that neither Aaron, representative of the Priesthood, nor Miriam, representative of the Prophets, nor Moses, representative of the Law, could successfully lead Israel into the land of promise and rest. The way into the Promised Land was to be led by Joshua who, in the book that bears his name, is an incredible type of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Note: Joshua is the Hebrew rendering of the name Jesus and is actually translated Jesus in Acts 7:45! KJV)

The reason God was so stern with Moses about disobeying His command to speak to the rock is revealed in 1 Corinthians 10:4. That wasn’t just any rock! That Rock was Christ! The Rock had already been smitten once (Ex. 17:5), and God didn’t want it smitten again. Striking it again would imply that Christ’s one sacrifice on the Cross wasn’t sufficient to pay for man’s sin. Because of Moses’s defilement of the type, he was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. Husbands, take note, God does not take kindly when someone spoils the picture of His Son! You, too, are a picture of Christ in your relationship to your wife (Eph. 5:22–32). Unless your relationship with your wife is right, it will be as impossible for you to enter Canaan (the fullness of life in Christ) as it was for Moses!

Chapter 21 presents another incredible picture of Christ. The people had been bitten with the fiery serpents because of two sins: 1) They spoke against God; and 2) they spoke against Moses. Because of their sin, they were dying (vs. 5–6). In like fashion, we are sinners who have sinned against God and against our fellow man (Mark 12:30–31). We have been bitten by the fiery serpent of sin and are destined to die (Rom. 6:23a – “the wages of sin is death”).

God’s remedy in Israel was a serpent of brass that was to be lifted up on a pole among the people, and all who looked to it were delivered from death to life. In John 3:14–15, Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him [i.e., looks to Him in faith] should not perish, but have eternal life.”

It is therefore easy to compare the physical salvation provided through the serpent of brass lifted up on the pole with the spiritual salvation provided through the Lord Jesus Christ, lifted up on the cross:

1. Their salvation was by faith.
It wasn’t by anything they did, the command was simply to “look and live”!

2. It was by faith alone.
Israel was not saved by looking at the serpent and keeping the Law ... or bringing a sacrifice ... or promising reform. They were saved by faith alone. Likewise, our salvation is not Christ plus anything! If anything needs to be added to Christ, then Christ is not sufficient in Himself to provide our salvation. God forbid!

3. Their was only one remedy.
Many people are convinced that “there are many roads to heaven, or many ways to God.” There was only one remedy in the camp of Israel, and there is only one remedy today! Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way [not a way] ... no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Unless a person looks to Christ by faith, the “sting of death” (1 Cor. 15:56) is inevitable and eternal.

4. Their salvation was immediate.
Just as the bitten victim in Israel received an immediate miracle when he looked to the serpent of brass, so every sinner bitten by the fiery serpent of sin receives the immediate miracle of eternal life when he looks to Christ by faith.

Have you come to Christ by faith... and by faith alone?

the Postscript Interview #2

In this episode of the Postscript, I share some of the crazy twists and turns of my journey that somehow, God, in His grace, has been able to use to shape me — everything from turning into a long-haired Jesus freak... to getting in the ministry and working for the “Antichrist.” Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Learn more at lfbi.org & lffellowship.com

Follow the podcast at thepostscriptshow.com

Find us on all major podcast platforms.

the Postscript Interview #1

Hey Y’all,

I had a blast doing this series of interviews with Brandon Briscoe for the Postscript, a Living Faith Fellowship podcast. We get into the story of how God called me to ministry and was gracious enough to introduce me to a philosophy of biblical discipleship. Check out this episode and other future episodes!

In Episode 18 we have the privilege of interviewing Pastor Mark Trotter of One Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA and Instructor in Living Faith Bible Institute. In this episode he shares his testimony of salvation, how God brought him to understand a biblical philosophy of discipleship as well as the story of how he learned he could be confident in the Bible he carries. An encouraging testimony of a life of ministry.

Learn more at lfbi.org & lffellowship.com

Follow the podcast at thepostscriptshow.com

Find us on all major podcast platforms.

Romans 1:14 - Biblical Tidbit

One of the reasons the Apostle Paul was so effective in reaching people with the Gospel is because he saw himself as a “DEBTOR.” (Rom. 1:14)

That is, he believed he “OWED” every man two things:

#1 – An INVITATION. 
He believed he “OWED“ every man an explanation of how to receive Christ. 

#2 – A WARNING.
He believed he “OWED” every man an explanation of the consequences for not receiving Christ. 

For those of us who know Christ, may God help us to see ourselves as “DEBTORS” in 2019!

My Biblical Nothingness

😳😳 My biblical “Nothingness”  😳😳
(Danger: Sharing what you believe about your “nothingness” may cause people to think you need a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst!)

I totally own the fact that...

1. I am nothing. (Gal. 6:3)

2. I know nothing. (1 Cor. 8:2)

3. Without Christ, I can do nothing. (John 15:5)

4. Without Christ, nothing makes any sense. (1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Tim. 6:3-4)

5. I have nothing of which to glory. (1 Cor. 9:16)

6. My religiousness is nothing. (1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:2)

7. I brought nothing into this world and I most certainly will carry nothing out. (1 Tim. 6:7)

Praise & Worship Course at LFBI

PrayerWorship_2020.jpg

Hey Y’all,

I am excited to announce that Living Faith Bible Institute will be featuring one of my archived classes this semester - - Praise and Worship (8 wks). I loved teaching this course. If you aren’t familiar, LFBI is the Bible school of the Living Faith Fellowship. Check it out!

Praise & Worship / Pastoral Prep / 1 credit

Class Description: A study calling the student to the primacy of effective prayer and worship in the private life of the pastor - directly impacting the spiritual vitality of the entire church. Attention is given to the application of Scripture in prayer and worship

LIVING FAITH BIBLE INSTITUTE

2 Corinthians 4:18 - Biblical Tidbit

Have ya ever seen things that can’t be seen?

One of the keys to living the life God called us to live—is to constantly be looking at the things we can’t see! (i.e. the things in the other half of reality that we can’t see with our physical eyes—but are clearly seen through the eyes of faith.)

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:18: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Biblical Tidbit: Proverbs 11:29

The principle and warning of Proverbs 11:29 is strong, y’all...

“He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.”

In 2 Samuel 11, God gives us the record of the “man after his own heart”, David, “[troubling] his own house.” First, he took Uriah’s WIFE (adultery)... and then he took Uriah’s LIFE (murder).

In 2 Samuel 12–24, God gives us the record of David “[inheriting] the wind.” The brutal effects of the violence, bloodshed, insurrection, pain and heartache David and his entire household experienced (inherited) as a result of his momentary lapse in judgment—far surpassed any temporary pleasure David could have possibly experienced with Bathsheba. 

Oh Lord, for Your glory’s sake, please give us the wisdom to learn from the mistakes/sins of others. 

May we not sacrifice the permanent—on the altar of the temporary.

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