NUMBERS

Today, is the first day of school for Grand View Christian Academy and also this evening we have a memorial service for my brother-in-law, Craig White.  It will be a full day, but a blessed day.  I'm reading in Numbers, and here are a few things I jotted down while I read with a cup of coffee right beside me.  I've only had one cup this morning, and I need to get another before I type too long.   1) IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE- In Numbers 4:48, we find that when the workers about the tabernacle were all totaled, it came to 8,580 men between thirty and fifty that did the work of the tabernacle.  They served for 20 years and it took a lot of men.  The work of God continues to take a lot of men.  Church staffs sometimes look large, but the work is great and it takes a lot of men and women to do all that needs to be done.  Then the rest of the congregation has to pitch in and get involved in some ministry so that the work of God gets done and people are reached and ministered to for Christ's sake!  It takes a lot of people.... get involved!! 2) I TAKE THE LEVITES- That is what God did.  Every firstborn of Israel was his, but instead of taking every firstborn male child, he took a whole tribe... the Levites.  Numbers 8:18 says:  "And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel."  Now it came up short, so the Israelites paid 5 shekels each for every first born they came up short.  In other words, there were not enough Levite men to count for every firstborn in all of the other tribes, so they paid a price to the Levites to make up the difference.  God had it all figured out.  Now in verse 25, we find that the Levites served for 25 years.  (from 25-50 years of age)  *This Sunday, I celebrate 26 years as the pastor of Grand View Baptist Church, and 34 years as a pastor, and 38 years since I was called to preach!  Wow, I'm getting up there in years. (56 this Oct. 1st) 3) RISE UP AND RETURN- When the children of Israel camped, before they moved, God would send out the Ark of the Covenant ahead for a three day journey to find the next camping spot.  (Numbers 10:33)  As the Ark went out, Moses would say:  (vs. 35)- "Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee."  and each evening, as the Ark came back, he would say (vs. 36) "Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel."  Rise up and then later, Return.  I like this.  I want to say each morning as I start the day... Rise up O LORD, God of Mike Mutchler and go before me and then go with me.  And, later that evening; Return, O LORD, God of Mike Mutchler and thanks for never leaving me as well.  Rise up and Return!  Wow!  I love it! 4) MURMURED... AGAINST WHO?  Numbers 14:2 says:  "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron:"  But, here is how God took it in verse 29 "Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which murmured against me,"  When we murmur against God's called man.... we murmur against God!!  Oh how I wish laymen understood this so that they don't get in trouble with God.  I have seen too many face God's consequences for murmuring against me or other preachers who God has called.  Like Moses, I'm a nobody, but we are God's men who He called into ministry.  Let us follow God's men and thereby follow God.   Hope you have a blessed day, my time has quickly gone this morning.  An hour and a half was not enough.  God bless you!  Pastor Mike Mutchler