Wholly Follow the Lord

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 1:36 'except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.'

 

Caleb was one of the spies who checked out the land God had promised the Israelites and in spite of giants in the land and great fortified cities. He and Joshua believed God would overcome those obstacles and give them victory.

God rewarded Caleb and his offspring simply because Caleb believed God, he “wholly followed the Lord.”

 

Friend, it is a good thing to “go all in” with the Lord. But what does that look like? Simply put, you believe God’s Word and if you believe it, you will act on it.

 

2Ti 3:16 tells us: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

 

Complete trust in the truth of God’s Word must be your starting point. The journey begins at that point and each step of obedience to God’s revealed truth will guide you along the way to “wholly following the Lord.”

 

This definitely will require some course correction in the way you live. It will require repentance and confession of sin, but the end result is a life lived out more and more in alignment with God’s will for your life.

 

Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Wars and Rumors of Wars

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

I’ll never forget the picture. I saw it at the start of the war between the Ukraine and the Soviet Union. It was a Ukrainian father tearfully saying goodbye to his young daughter. I pray for them often, asking that God would safely reunite them at the end of this conflict.

 

Wars! Caused by the lust and pride of sinful man as we are reminded in Jas 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.

 

It is because of this unshakeable pride and lust of man that we will always have war and rumors of the same.

Jesus said in Mr 13:7 "But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.

 

 

Even though wars “must happen,” doesn’t mean that we can’t pray for an end to any specific conflict. I was made aware of this truth today as I was reading in  Ps 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.

 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

 

God is able! Go to Him in prayer for the many conflicts taking place in our world today. Pray with me that that daughter and father and thousands just like them may be safely reunited.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Besetting Sins

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 33:55 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.

 

This passage is a reminder of the problems associated with besetting sins. You know those things that you confess as sin, and then ten seconds later, you have committed them again.

 

A thorn in the side is a good description, these repeated sins are like a sharp pain in the heart as you are reminded that you have once more offended God.

 

I don’t have time in this blog to go into all the details here, but this incident in Numbers is exactly what the Apostle Paul was dealing with when he talked of his “thorn in the flesh.”

 

It was Paul who summed up our “besetting sins” and his own struggles this way:  Ro 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

 

And in verses 24,25

24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

 

Jesus Christ our only hope for besetting sins. Never stop fighting them, (should we go on sinning that grace may abound? Certainly not!)  But take heart from the crown of THORNS that Jesus wore. Your besetting sins were on His mind as He took on those thorns, and spilled blood to pay for every one….every time

 

You are forgiven in Christ! He does not condemn you, but for your part. keep fighting, keep resisting sin, and like that woman caught in adultery, go, and sin no more!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Secret Sins

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 32:23 "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.

 

What a chilling statement from the Lord and a warning for all of us.

 

Unchecked sin sends out repercussions in waves. It can affect us physically, emotionally, and certainly, spiritually. It can lead to a lifetime of lies as we seek to “cover our tracks.” It puts a damper on all our relationships, keeping them from what they were meant to be.

 

It's very likely that all of us have secret sins, sins we just as soon would not like others to know about. We may be able to hide them from others, but they certainly aren’t hidden from God.

 

In that regard, I have good news for those of you who have surrendered your life to Christ. God has seen your sins BUT He has no record of them, they are buried in the “Sea of Forgetfulness,” they are as far removed as “East is from the West.” He promises that if you “confess your sins to Him, He will forgive them and cleanse you from ALL unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9)

 

The news is not so good for those who reject Jesus as Savior and Lord. On the Last Day the books on you will be opened and all your deeds done in the light and in the darkness will be revealed and used as evidence against you.  On that Day, Lu 8:17 tells us,  "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.”

All your sins on the celestial scoreboard for all to see! Chilling thought I know, but again, there is a solution that God freely offers to you. Believe in the name of Jesus! Ac 10:43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Moses Last Hurrah

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 31:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

 2 "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people."

 

Not many people are privy to this kind of information. Moses is given a glimpse of when God is going to call him home. God has given him one more assignment to complete before his day will come. This would be Moses’ last hurrah.

 

I’m 77 years old and have just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and these words from Numbers got me to thinking: What will be my last hurrah? And please I’m not looking at this from a fatalistic standpoint.  But I wonder: What will be the last thing God desires to use me for?  What is the last thing He has prepared for me to carry out before the “sweet chariot” swings low to carry me home?

 

Eph 2:10 tells me He’s got something me and for you! For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

I don’t know what it is, but I know I won’t find it by sitting on my trembling Parkinsonian hands. Our first and last hurrahs are always found in trust and obedience of God’s Word.

 

Lord give me the eyes to see and the resolve to do whatever you set before me today, and if there is any “hurrah” in that, let it be for You and Your glory.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Knee Deep In Muck

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Ps 40:1 <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.>> I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

 

 

I grew up along the Fox River in the southern part of the state of Wisconsin and spent many hours swimming in its mucky waters. There were places you tried to stay away from when swimming because the bottom was knee deep in “miry clay.”

 

If you wandered into it, you could barely move and you couldn’t wait to get your feet back on more solid ground.

 

Maybe you are finding yourself stuck these days in your day to day living. You’ve hit a snag in your spiritual growth, or you have been praying, but God’s not answering, or you know, you’re just stuck.

 

David’s answer is not the one we typically want to hear. He says, “I waited patiently on the Lord.” That’s the key! Wait the season out and while you wait don’t take the Law into your own hands.

 

God hears your cry! Help is on the way. He will lead you to solid footing and set your steps back in motion again, on the path of His choosing.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Speak the Truth In Love

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Ps 39:3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

 

This verse can be summed up with two words, “righteous indignation.” I believe it’s one of those things that go along with being a follower of Jesus.

 

Jesus put it on full display for us when He overturned the money changers tables in the temple. But it was on display elsewhere in Scripture, especially with his verbal exchanges with the self-righteous of His day.

 

As you read through the Bible, you should note too that a flashpoint for the righteous indignation of God often is centered on injustice. Especially among the weak, the orphans, the widows, the poor.

 

As you live out your faith, there are times when you heart will burn with a desire to speak out about injustice, and eventually it will speak out in action and words.

 

Sometimes you just gotta say  or do something! Before you do, I urge you to temper your reaction with the words of Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

 

 

With the presidential election just around the corner and the announcement that President Biden is withdrawing from the race, the abortion issue will be front and center. There will be much rhetoric on both sides, and as your heart burns to speak out, remember to speak with grace seasoned with salt. Just another way of saying  “speak the truth, but speak it in love.”

 

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Be Intentional

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

I was reading an article written by Amy Skogerboe in the July edition of “The Lutheran Ambassador,” (a publication of the Association of Free Lutheran Churches) and something that she wrote struck a chord with me.

 

She said, “as believers, if we are not intentional in seeking biblical truth, we will lean toward the world’s definition without realizing how far off target we’ve gone.”

 

I can think of no better example than that of birth control. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that protestant churches bought into the policies of Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood! We bought into the concept that we could and should control God’s gift of life through means that would bypass God’s natural way of creating it.

 

That was in the 1930’s, this is 2024 and look how far off target we have strayed! It’s no longer a matter of blocking God’s stated gift and reward of children through birth control, Ps 127:3 reminds us “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward”.

Now it’s the matter of we believe we have the right to kill them  in the womb! Abortion was not legal in this country until 1973, but look how far off target we have veered. Abortion for the masses has become a “fundamental right” and a loudly proclaimed part of party politics.

 

One party in favor of no holds barred abortion, the other afraid of losing votes continually back-pedaling and softening their stance by putting time limits on when the murder can occur. “Don’t touch that baby after 6 weeks in the womb, but you can end its life before 5 weeks and 6 days.”

 

Really? Congratulations, you just missed the whole point!

 

Life is a gift from God. It begins at conception and as a matter of fact He had plans for those lives even before conception as He told Jeremaih in Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

 

Thank you, Amy, for the reminder for the followers of Jesus to be more intentional in seeking out the truth as found in God’s Word.  Neglecting that duty will lead to acceptance of and living out of the skewed values of the world rather than the on point values of our Creator.

And as always, I remind you who have condoned or participated in  the act of abortion. “There is no sin that Jesus did not pay for on the cross. Confess it and receive His promised forgiveness, then “Go and sin no more.”

 

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

The Institution That God Loves

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 25:6 And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

 7 Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand;

 8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel.

 

This telling event in the history of Israel gets another mention in the Bible in Ps 106. This Psalm highlights some of the sins committed in the history of God’s people, and this was one of the notables!

 

Ps 106:28 They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, And ate sacrifices made to the dead. 29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped.

I referred to this incident as a “telling” event because God is trying to tell us something  here. He’s trying to tell us that “marriage is the institution that He loves.” And the marriage bed is to be “undefiled.”

 

Mal 2:11 Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The LORD'S holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

 

 Heb 13:4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

 

Now, no one is going to run any such sinners through with a spear, but may the Word of God in this matter pierce our hearts and lead us to  right view of marriage. It is God’s institution not man’s and He loves it!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

The Trustworthy Word of God

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Reading in Numbers 23 today, I was reminded again of one of my favorite Bible verses. When this prodigal (yours truly) came back to the Father’s house through faith in Jesus, this was one of the first verses I memorized! 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

 

ALL SCRIPTURE!

 

This verse is foundational to my faith in Jesus because it cements the veracity of God’s Word (all of it) in my heart. It gives supernatural clout to all the rest of Scripture including Jn 3:16! The Bible IS the Word of God and it can be trusted to guide the follower of Christ in their new life!

 

But what does Numbers 23 have to do with it? Good question! Numbers 23 has a companion verse to 2 Tim 3:16 and worthy of memorization as well. It’s further proof that Scripture interprets (backs up ) scripture!

 

Nu 23:19 affirms, "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

 

My flesh, the world, and the devil will lie to me, but God will never lie! I may not understand it all, but the Holy Spirit has convinced me of its truth, and reliability. May He do the same for you

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Lift Up the Suffering Symbol

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 21:6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.  7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."

 

 

I don’t remember the year, but I’ll never forget the concert. I was honored to emcee the appearance of Michael Card at Appleton West High school. Michael is a gifted song writer and teacher and on this night, one of the things he taught on and sang about was this incident found in the Book of Numbers. The song was entitled, “Lift Up the Suffering Symbol,” You can google it if you like! Michael Card - Lift Up the Suffering Symbol (Lyric Video) (youtube.com)

 

I was always puzzled why God would use a snake on top of the pole rather than a lamb (as in the Lamb of God) to heal the people from the deadly bite of sin. Michael reminded us that the snake symbolized sin and foreshadowed what Jesus did on the cross where “He became sin for us,” (2 Cor 5:21) In His sacrificial death, Jesus removed the sting of sin and makes all whole who look to Him in faith for their salvation.

 

In the song, Michael calls the plague of snakes, “God’s pen of pain,” and “writing in the sand, the fiery serpents came to call, with a holy message and a bite that burned.”

 

Sometimes God uses pain to get our attention and turn to Him  in faith for relief.

 

And don’t forget Michaels warning of using the cross as a painless piece of idolized jewelry. “In time the brazen serpent became an idol in the land,…when they forgot their suffering soon true faith had disappeared, so some idolize a cross today.”

 

Do you wear a cross? Good, Just don’t look as an amulet or a mere symbol, rather look o who is symbolized. Look to Jesus.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Hallowed Be Thy Name

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

 12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

 

Because Moses and Aaron didn’t honor God, (Must WE bring water out of the rock?) they would not have the honor of leading the assembly into the Promised Land.

 

Hallowing God, giving honor and glory to Him is one of the things we pray about in the Lord’s prayer, but what does it mean to “hallow  God?” Simply put, it means to “believe” God’s Word.

 

Luther’s Small catechism tells us that God’s name is hallowed “when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as God’s children, lead holy lives in accordance with it.”

 

Hallowing God, (giving honor and glory to Him is simply a matter of believing the Bible to be true and consequently acting on it as obedient children. This we will do with the help of God.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Gifts From God

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 18:6 "Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the LORD, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

 

God is in the process here in Numbers of setting up His Old Testament church, and I believe we can learn from it today in the New Testament church. In a nutshell, Aaron and his sons were to function as priests, focusing on the spiritual needs and the Levites (gifts from God) were to take care of the physical needs of the church.

 

Think of the priests as doing the internal work and care of souls, and the Levites doing the external work.

 

So much more could be said here about God’s gifting of individuals to serve in His church, but for today let’s just zero in the statement, “they are a gift to you.” The they being the Levites, the you being the priests or pastors if you will.)

 

I want you to think about this when you sit in your pew on Sunday. Who ran the vacuum cleaner over your carpeting? Who lit the candles? Who prepared the elements for the Lord’s Supper? Who ushered? Who greeted? Who sang? Who accompanied? Who did the things that allowed your pastor to spend time in God’s Word as He prepared to meet the spiritual needs of the flock that God has placed in his care?

 

They are the Levites of the New Testament church. They are caretakers, they are gifts of God to His church.

 

The next time you bump into one of these servants! Simply thank them and let them know that you consider their efforts as a gift from God! And use it as an opportunity to ask yourself, “How may I help in service to my King?” How may I do the work of a Levite?

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Go's Staring Down Contest

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Ps 11:4 The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

 Have you ever gotten into a staring contest? It’s kind of a fun thing to do. The idea is to lock eyes with another person and begin to stare. The first one to look away or blink is the loser.

 

This verse reminds us that God is first of all, ever watching us, and when appropriate, He will engage us in a staring down contest, and that contest boils down to this: Will we wait on the Lord and trust Him with our obedience, or try to take matters into our own hands through disobedience?

 

How long will a typical contest last? How long will God wait to move in your situation? I don’t know but in  Nu 9:22 we learn it could be a while!  Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey.

 

Perhaps the best answer is God will run the test as long  as necessary as He continually seeks to grow His precious gift of faith and courage in you and I.

 

This “waiting game” is more important than we have made it out to be. Think of two biblical examples: Abraham who waited  in obedience unto God just seconds before sacrificing Isaac, trusting that God would provide, and King Saul, who disobeyed and took matters into his own hands rather than wait for Samuel.

 

Abraham’s faith held up for an all time example for you and I in the matter of pleasing the Lord as we trust Him, and Saul, who’s impatient disobedience caused the kingdom to be taken from him.

 

In our “give it to me now” culture in America, this waiting on the Lord has become more and more difficult! But the psalmist says, learn to wait!  

 

Ps 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! In the waiting is courage and God-given strength!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word