“Our prayers are to mean something to us if they are to mean anything to God.” – Maltbie Babcock

At the beach

In Numbers chapter nine some people come with a query to Moses, and straight away Moses goes to the Lord to get the answer for them. He says, “‘Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you.'” I notice the word ‘commands’. You find that in Numbers 9:8

Numbers chapter nine deals with the celebration of the Passover. It had to be celebrated at a certain time.

But some people could not celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Why? Because of a dead body they were ceremonially unclean. They wondered why they should be excluded from celebrating the Passover with the others at the specified time. To get an answer they went to Moses.

What are we doing, when people come with problems to us?

When people come with a problem to us, the best way to deal with the situation is to tell them to go to the Lord straight away alone and tell the Lord about what bothers them, or if they prefer, to kneel down with us straight away. Then we can tell the Lord about the problem together.

The Cross

Outline taken from “Deine Zeugnisse-mein ewiges Erbe” by Alfred Christlieb, 5. Februar.

When Pharaoh asked Jacob, “‘How old are you?'” he answered, “‘The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, …'” – Genesis 47:8,9

HERE ARE SOME OF HIS DIFFICULTIES:

A. Esau is threatening to kill his brother Jacob. Genesis 27:41

Finally he had to flee.

B. He fled to Laban. Laban is unjust in his dealings with Jacob. Genesis 31:40,41: “‘The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night,…'” “‘…, and you changed my wages ten times.'”

C. He has also trouble with his children.  Dinah, his daughter, is defiled. (Genesis 34)

D. The wife he loves, Rachel, is dying in childbirth. (Genesis 35:16)

E. Joseph is no more. He is sold by his brothers. (Genesis 37:12)

Jacob was told that an animal had eaten Joseph.

F. Benjamin is also going. Genesis 42:36 “Their father Jacob said to them, ‘You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!'”

It has been pointed  out to me that there was a complete change in the life of Jacob after he deceived his brother twice. First of all he took his birthright and secondly he took his blessing. (Genesis 27:36) Before he deceived his brother, he had peace at home and on the paddock with is animals.

How important our contacts, our connections are, was impressed on me again, while reading a column in our local newspaper, The Northland Age, Tuesday, February 7, 2017. The advice “a problem shared is better than keeping it to yourself,” is also given in the column.

We are in the middle of a drought in Northland and it is easy for dairy farmers to get worried about their financial position. The dairy farmers had two low payout years and now the draught, and no one really knows when the next rain is coming. Dairy farmers who are concerned about their financial position are told to make the following contacts:

They are told to make first of all contact with their bank, secondly withe their suppliers, thirdly with their vet, and fourthly with their stock company.

I am glad that I don’t need to keep a problem to myself, because I have a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has always time for me and I can call on Him, contact Him, at any time.

Praise the LORD!

“Isn’t it nice to know we have assurance for today through Christ and not just insurance against the what-ifs of tomorrow?” – Katherine Waldend