Did God really say it’s okay to use violence to defend your home and family?

Yes … yes he did.

Up to a point.

This is what God says: “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed. But if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of bloodshed.” Exodus 22:2. God goes on to say, “A thief must make restitution for what he takes.” And if he cannot, the thief must, “be sold to pay for his theft.” Exodus 22:3

The spirit of this command seems to be: the theft of property does not justify the taking of the thief’s life. On the flip side, incarceration without restitution does not restore the victim. Let us pray that all our judges rule wisely and administer justice fairly.

Did God really say he makes men and women deaf, blind, and mute?

Yes … yes he did.

When speaking to Moses in Egypt God said, “Israel is my firstborn son.” Exodus 4:22. Then Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let my son go, so he may worship me.” Exodus 4:22-23

But before Moses found the courage to confront Pharaoh, to take on the most powerful man in the land, he begged God to send another. God answered Moses,“Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:11-12

Perhaps you have heard someone say “God doesn’t make mistakes.” This is often used to justify their actions, their beliefs, their behavior. God has, can, and will use our imperfections for his glory, but he will never call our sinful behavior his will.

Once Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9: 2-3

God willed this man to be blind from birth. God ordained it. But if Jesus had not passed by that day, if the blind man never met Jesus, he would have remained blind. We are all born spiritually blind. Even as light shines around us, our sin leaves us groping in darkness. And so we say of our sinful behavior: “God does not make mistakes. I was born this way. It is God’s will.”

While our physical afflictions may appear grossly unfair, the greater loss is our inability to recognize Jesus when he passes by. God gave you your mouth, eyes, ears, limbs, DNA … but he also comes to us asking if we wish to be spiritually changed at a heart and soul level.

“You(r) blind!” Jesus called. “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

God seeks change on the inside, at a soul level. He knows our body will perish but our soul will last for eternity.

Israel is God’s firstborn son.

Jesus is God’s only begotten son (having no peer, unique, one of a kind.)

And if you gave your life to Christ, you are God’s child. Physically marred, perhaps. Mentally lacking in areas, but spiritually perfect as a result of the spirit of Christ living inside you.

Lord, you gave me this mouth, these eyes, these ears … you shaped me in a fashion best suited to serve you, to testify to your power and sovereignty. Please help me to accept your will in my life. Though I may wish to be changed physically, help me to be transformed into the image of Christ so that others may say of me, “There goes one of God’s children.”

Did God really say he is pulling for you?

Yes … yes he did.

Early in his career as leader of Jewish slaves, God said to Moses and the people, “I will be with you.” Exodus 3:12.

“I AM!” Exodus 3:14.

“You will plunder …” Exodus 3:22.

“I have promised to bring you up out of your misery and into a land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:17.

Then much later God, working through Jesus, said, “I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Often we think we are alone, that nothing we do matters — that our efforts are a waste of time, a waste of money. But if God is for you, if you have exchanged your life for the life of Christ, then when you are doing the thing he called you to do, he is pulling for you. You may not see your efforts rewarded immediately. You may not hear his voice or see circumstances change, but he is working on your behalf.

Moses and God’s people heard these promises from God, but outwardly nothing changed. They remained slaves in Egypt. In fact, over the next year their conditions grew worse.

In what way do you wish God was pulling for you? Ask for his help.

“Lord, please be with me today. Be my God today. Be the great I AM that stands for me against my enemies. Take plunder from my enemy, Satan, and provide for my daily needs. Bring me out of this land, these circumstances, and lead me into your expansive kingdom. Finally, Father, at the end of each day, each week, and my life, give me rest in you.”

Does God allow us to devote others to his service?

Yes … yes he does.

Or he did. Here is what God says: “Nothing that a man devotes to the Lord—not even a man—may be redeemed. Everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:28

This is how one mother offered her child to the Lord’s service:
After he was weaned, Hannah took the boy with her, young as he was … and brought the boy to Eli and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:21-28

“If anyone makes a special vow to the Lord involving the valuation of persons, then the valuation” is as such:

A male age 20-60, 20 ounces of silver
A female age 20-60, 12 ounces of silver
A male age 5-20, 8 ounces of silver
A female age 5-20, 4 ounces of silver
A male age i month to 5 years, 2 ounces of silver
A female age i month to 5 years, 1.25 ounces of silver
A male age 60 years or older, 6 ounces of silver
A female age 60 years or older, 4 ounces of silver”

These verses provide the redemption value: the value to be paid to redeem someone from God’s service. Christ has already paid this price for us, but what if each of us were to devote those we love to God and pay our Lord their silver valuation as a tithe to affirm our prayer that God would use that individual for his service? Something to ponder.