Scripture:
Numbers 5:5-8 ESV
[5] And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, [6] “Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, [7] he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. [8] But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him.
Observation:
Moses was the man GOD was speaking through. HE used him a lot to pass on messages to the people. I like to take things either backward or forward in these observations in this particular set of verses I believe that I can do both. The explanation of what I think it looks like to break faith is simple. Let’s look at it in the book of Genesis. Eve was deceived by the serpent into doing something that she knew was wrong. She put her trust in something other than what GOD said. One of the interesting things about these instructions from GOD is the saying if that person realizes their guilt. Guilt is something that GOD wants us to live without. These verses give a way to eliminate that confession and repentance are represented here. The person who understands they are guilty is to make it right to the best of his ability
Application:
Confession and repentance are a must. There have been things that I have done that later on, I realized I had done something I should not have. I am not only a member of Life Recovery at Cross Pointe church. Not only am I a member but I have been made a leader there as well. I say that to bring up this point. Life Recovery is a 12-step support group for all kinds of life-controlling issues. From addiction to drugs to sexual sin to lying all of them. The 9th step in that program is to make amends to those we have done wrong. Now as we process through this step we start to understand that amends are not just saying “I’m sorry” The people we have harmed have heard that enough. They want to see something different. In Ephesians 4 we see a great example of this it says if a man is a thief he needs to stop stealing and work hard so that he has something to give. This is not only repentance but restitution as well. The 9th step helps us to get all the guilt out of our lives. It’s a tool from the enemy that entered the world at the fall in the garden. Jesus Christ came so that we could live without condemnation. That lack of condemnation comes from a life changed by the power that is held within the blood of the son of GOD. If we want different we will do different. I was sick and tired of ending up in jail and being broken I wanted different. So I asked Jesus to take my life. Because everything I did with it hurt not only myself but all those around me. The amazing part is HE did, and now I don’t live the same life at all. The blood of Christ Jesus has changed my heart.
Prayer:
Father, I just want to thank you. You didn’t have to, but you did. You took a man who was running away from you and turned him around so that he would run after you. You have changed my desires. All I can say this morning is thank you, thank you, you didn’t have to, but you did, and you did it for me. THANK YOU. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.