I'm Following Jesus – Page 1531 – Mark 8:34 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.

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: Sunday, February 23, 2020
Chapters: Numbers 1-2
Message: An Impact For Christ

Hello My Friend,

I was sending out invitations to my church on various community boards, one of them calling themselves an impact on the community, flagged me, and my post was removed and cited as SPAM. Let me tell you how much this aggravates me, these are supposed to be a group of people bringing a positive impact on the community, but what kind of impact are they wanting? It certainly is not God upon their lives. Then as I was praying and reading the chapters for today, God reminded me that there is a reason why His faithful are numbered among the elect, elect being the very few who walk with Christ. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” – I Peter 2:5-8.

“even to them which stumble at the word,” As born again Christians, we all grow at different levels, while some that ought to be feeding off the meat of God’s Word are in need of milk instead, most never become much of an impact because they never went beyond receiving Christ as their Saviour. 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 forty years that they were in the wilderness as a result of their disbelief of God. What we are to learn from the book is that God does not accept anything less than a total commitment to Him. Now, it had been two years since God brought the Jews out of bondage to Egypt, God ordered the first census among the males in order to establish an army, every male above twenty years old was numbered according to their tribe and automatically drafted into the army.

“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, 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; 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. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel. And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: 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.” – Numbers 1:1-4,16-18.

“These were the renowned of the congregation,” Renowned; Famous; celebrated for great and heroic achievements, for distinguished qualities or for grandeur. If you want to be an impact on a community, keep reminding yourself that you are in fact, one of Christ’s elect. You are famous, to Jesus, and He celebrates you for your great and heroic achievements. What exactly are they? First of all, you defeated the odds by bravely coming to Christ, admitting that You are a sinner and needed Him. Do you know how many people die and end up in hell because they were too cowardly to go to Him? “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” – I Peter 2:9-10.

“a royal priesthood,” 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. Unlike the rest of the tribes, the Levites were not numbered as they would be the ones who be used solely for the tabernacle, even transporting it.

“But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 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. 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 children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.” – Numbers 1:47-53.

“and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” This is why so many of the churches do not have an impact on the community, they are strangers to God. God will not acknowledge anyone who does not know His Son as they are strangers to Him. No one can even pray to God without being one of His, or live to tell about it. This is the same as all those who rely on their works in the churches to save them, then when they face Jesus, He will tell them to depart because He never knew them. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” – Matthew 25:41-46.

“ye did it not to me.” All these people who claim to be an impact on their community think that they are doing the world a favor by being politically correct. Let me tell you, they are all about me, myself, and I, and will turn on themselves in a heartbeat if it meant it would mean they would have to give up something for it. Being an impact for Christ on the other hand, is not, we learn that it is not all about me, myself, and I, and that great blessings come by putting others first. The key to being an impact for Christ is placing Him at the center of all that we do, that way, we are able to see Him from any distance. 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.

“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. 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. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun. And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth. Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.” – Numbers 2:2-9,17.

“with the ensign of their father’s house:” Ensign; The flag or banner of a military band; a banner of colors. The leader of each tribe carried a flag that made it known that they were an army of God’s people, but distinguished from each other. Then each tribe was put into one of four groups, Judah’s group was to always head out first. Another interesting fact is that the Levites not only were at the center, they lead the entire camp. “so shall they set forward,” Being an impact for Christ is not only placing Him at the center of all we do, it is also letting Him lead us. Letting Christ lead us shines this amazing light about us, and let me tell you, people notice, and this is why we keep going, they can attempt to put out the light, but it is too bright, it will breakthrough to someone.

“Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – II Corinthians 4:1-6.

Today’s Prayer: God, I cannot begin to tell You how much Your Son had made an impact on my life, for they are without number. Thank You, for loving me, and not giving up on me, and for seeing so much more in me than I have ever seen in myself. You have taught me a valuable lesson over the years, the love of Christ constrains us, not out of obligation or force, but out of our sincere desire to love as Christ loves. You do not send us out into the world to become one of them, nor do you compel us to bring the world into the Church, You send us forth as lights that shine Your Son upon them. Yes, many will shut the light upon themselves, but a few will receive the Light gladly. Lord, Lead us and guide us, and help us keep You at the center of all that we do so that we can keep shining His Light, and make an impact on the lives of others. I love You, and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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