February 23, 2021 – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Chapters: Numbers 1-2
Message: A Soldier In The Making

Hello My Friend,

As I was praying this morning, for the first time in my life I actually understood what it means to be saved by grace. It is not the sin that Jesus died to save us from, it is the hell that every dead soul faces because of their sin. Until we accept Christ as our Saviour we are dead souls walking around in the flesh that God has given us. While we are given the breath of life when we are born in the flesh our soul is still dead. Remember, when God told Adam and Eve, if they ate from the one tree that was forbidden that they would die, [Genesis 2:17]? While they did not die in the flesh that day, their soul died. God took His Spirit from them and that is the curse that is passed down to us. Now, just like our flesh is given the breath of life upon our birth our soul needs to be born, hence the term born again, [John 3:7]. It is only through our faith in Christ alone that we are born again, and then our soul is born with God’s Spirit. Before life begins, there is always death, which is why Jesus said, [John 12:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.]

The Book of Numbers contains thirty-six chapters, the author is Moses and it was written to the children of Israel. The timeline for these events took place approximately 1490-1451BC. The purpose of the book was to record the next thirty-eight years, which was a total of forty, as a result of their disbelief in God. What we are to learn from the book is that God does not accept anything less than a total faith in to Him in order to reach the promised land. Now, it had been two years and one month since God brought the Israelites came out of Egypt, God ordered the first census among the males in order to establish an army. Every male above the age of twenty was numbered according to their tribe, and automatically drafted into the army.

[Numbers 1:1-4 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; 3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. 4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.]

[all that are able to go forth to war in Israel:] Did you know that every, saved, born again child of God are drafted into Christ’s army? Yes, some actually do go AWOL, and do not do very much for Christ after they are saved because they cannot handle the sometimes pressure that comes with being a soldier. Nevertheless, we are all soldiers, called to enlist lost souls, [II Timothy 2:1-4 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.]

Now, once we become a part of God’s family, we are numbered and given a purpose, some will go on the be pastors, missionaries, and teachers for Christ, they will endure a great deal of hardness like any soldier that goes to war. The majority of us will come together in our congregations, doing whatever it is that God places on our heart, whether it is contributing to the church or simply praying for them. Through Moses, God commands that a head for each tribe be chosen to lead the rest.

[Numbers 1:17-19,44-46 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. 19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. 45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 46 Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.]

[And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names;] This a great reminder that every soul saved is numbered, not one soul that receives Christ as their Saviour goes uncounted for. In fact, our names are written in the Book of Life. If our names are not written in the Book of Life, then that soul will receive eternal death, it will not just die off and be no more, it will suffer hell and the lake of fire, [Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.]

Remember, these are the dead souls, just like I mentioned earlier, these are the souls that do not have God’s Spirit in them. While we will all stand before Christ for judgment, the judgment of His children is not the same, we will be judged for the work that we did after we are saved, meaning, did we fulfill the purpose we were meant for, or did we just get saved and do nothing more. We must understand that while our works do not save us nor are necessary to keep us saved, it is our works that bless us while we are here and also lead others to Christ. We may not all be soldiers that march in His army, but we are all soldiers that serve a purpose. The Levites were not numbered among the tribes, but they were just as much a part of the congregation. Their sole purpose was for the service of the Tabernacle, anyone who was not a Levite was not allowed to touch it.

[Numbers 1:47-51 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.]

[and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.] It was God’s intention to make all believers priests, but after the debacle with the golden calf, and the Levites were the first tribe to take God side over the world [Exodus 32:26], He chose to use them solely for His ministry until Jesus would ascend. Now, all saved, born again children of God are priests, and no one stranger can stand before Him and live. This includes all the fools who thought they could earn their salvation, [Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]

There are just way too many people out there who love to tell you all about Jesus, how you are to live, and how much of a sinner you are, but they really have no clue. God’s children are not perfect by a long shot, they, in fact, sin every day, but they never stop learning to perfect in their walk with Christ. The day that you say you know everything about God is the day that God stops using you because He only uses those who admit they are sinners, even after they are saved, [I Timothy 1:15-16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.]

Do you see how and why God only uses sinners to reach the lost? Every single thing that we go through and endure is one lesson learned on how we can lead those dead souls to Christ. Our walk with Christ, even if we trip, fall, and get back up all day long, must be continuous, or we get nowhere. And the key to that is to keep Christ in the center of everything that we do. Now, after the tribes were numbered they were told to encircle the tabernacle, which was in the center of all the tribes, they were to pitch their tents at a distance in the order that God gave them, from the north, south, east, and west sides, beginning with Judah.

[Numbers 2:2-3,32-34 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. 3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. 32 These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.]

[of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies:] The reason Judah was first was because both Reuben and Simeon lost their birthright due to their sin, and Levi who was third in line was set apart from the rest of the tribes, so that made Judah the head of the tribes. Besides that, they had the largest number of people. Some churches only have ten people in them, while others have hundreds, yet every saved, born again, child of God has a place in His Kingdom. Regardless of whether or not we soldiers in His Church, we all serve a purpose, even if that purpose is only to get saved. And this is why we are saved by grace and not our works, we do not lose our birthright into the Kingdom of God because we sinned after we get saved. The only people who lose their salvation are the ones who never got saved to begin with, and thought they were saved by their works, [I Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.]

Jesus Christ Magnified: [Numbers 1:19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.]

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us a way to not only be saved from hell, but born again with Your Spirit to receive eternal life. Not by our own works or genealogy are we one of Yours, but by our faith and acceptance of Your Son alone. It is amazing that You chose us, and even more amazing that You continue to use us either as soldiers or ministers, to show the world that You are a merciful, gracious, and loving God who wants to save them. Lord, Your commands are not grievous, in fact, they are what keep us from suffering more than we have to. Lead me and guide me, keep teaching me Your ways, never let me stop learning, and give me Your power, mercy, and grace to serve You in whatever purpose You have for me until Your bring me home. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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