A Thought for the Week, March 10, With Bible readings March 4-18
by David Simon, Minister of Education, Peninsula Baptist Church, Mooresville.

This week our thought asks us to examine our lives and eradicate the sins
of Anger and Grumbling -

Numbers 20:1-5 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the
Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was
buried.  Now there was no water for the community, and the people
gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.  They quarreled with Moses and
said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD!
Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our
livestock should die here?  Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this
terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And
there is no water to drink!"

     We need to start out by remembering - the people were not better off
in Egypt, they were in slavery.  God has provided thus far for their
lives, and God is directing their travels with a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night. 
     We also need to observe that the people were not mindful of God's
leadership.  Shortly after leaving Egypt, while Moses was on Mt. Sinai
they built a golden calf to worship.  In Numbers 13 the people were led
to the Promised Land - and rejected the land out of disobedience and
Fear.
     The people are in wandering and punishment of God - They are
criticizing God's man.

     How does God's man hold up under pressure?  (Have you ever asked
that when you are critical of your pastor?)

Numbers 20:9-12 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he
commanded him.  He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of
the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you
water out of this rock?"  Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock
twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their
livestock drank.  But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did
not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the
Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

     Because of his Anger - Moses was only allowed to SEE the Promised
Land but not INHERIT it.  Sin begets sin.

Numbers 20:13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled
with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.

PR 10:17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever
ignores correction leads others astray.
PR 10:18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads
slander is a fool.
PR 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his
tongue is wise.

Bible Readings for the week:
Monday, March 4 - Num. 20-21; Mark 1:1-20
Tuesday, March 5 - Num. 22-23; Mark 1:21-45
Wednesday, March 6 - Num. 24-26; Mark 2:1-13
Thursday, March 7 - Num. 27-29; Mark 2:14-28
Friday, March 8 - Num. 30-31; Mark 3
Saturday, March 9 - Num. 32-33; Mark 4:1-20
Sunday, March 10 - Num. 34-36; Mark 4:21-41
Monday, March 11 - Deut. 1-2; Mark 5:1-20
Tuesday, March 12 - Deut. 3-4; Mark 5:21-43
Wednesday, March 13 - Deut. 5-6; Mark 6:1-29
Thursday, March 14 - Deut. 7-8; Mark 6:30-56
Friday, March 15 - Deut. 9-10; Mark 7:1-23
Saturday, March 16 - Deut. 11-12; Mark 7:29-37
Sunday, March 17 - Deut. 13-15; Mark 8
Monday, March 18 - Deut. 16-18; Mark 9:1-29
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A Thought for the Week, February 25 , With Bible readings February 25 - March 11
by David Simon, Minister of Education, Peninsula Baptist Church, Mooresville.

GAL 4:21-23 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware
of what the law says?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one
by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.  His son by the slave
woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was
born as the result of a promise.

GAL 4:24-27 These things may be taken figuratively, for the women
represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears
children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.  Now Hagar stands for Mount
Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because
she is in slavery with her children.  But the Jerusalem that is above is
free, and she is our mother.  For it is written:

  "Be glad, O barren woman,
    who bears no children;
  break forth and cry aloud,
    you who have no labor pains;
  because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband."

GAL 4:28-31 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.  At
that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the
power of the Spirit. It is the same now.  But what does the Scripture
say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son
will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the
free woman.

This week rejoice in the Grace that come through Jesus Christ - For we
are Free from the Law and Heirs of the Promises of God.  We are not the
world's but are here to overcome the world with the Gospel.

Bible Readings this week:
Monday, February 25 - Num. 4-5; Gal 4:21-31
Tuesday, February 26 - Num. 6-7; Galatians 5
Wednesday, February 27 - Num. 8-10; Galatians 6
Thursday, February 28 - Num. 13-14; Col. 1
Friday, March 1 - Num. 15; Colossians 2
Saturday, March 2 - Num. 16-17; Col. 3
Sunday, March 3 - Num. 18-19; Col. 4
Monday, March 4 - Num. 20-21; Mark 1:1-20
Tuesday, March 5 - Num. 22-23; Mark 1:21-45
Wednesday, March 6 - Num. 24-26; Mark 2:1-13
Thursday, March 7 - Num. 27-29; Mark 2:14-28
Friday, March 8 - Num. 30-31; Mark 3
Saturday, March 9 - Num. 32-33; Mark 4:1-20
Sunday, March 10 - Num. 34-36; Mark 4:21-41
Monday, March 11 - Deut. 1-2; Mark 5:1-20

This race we have distributed into two parts, the one consisting of those
who live according to man, the other of those who live according to God.
And these we also mystically call the two cities, or the two communities
of men, of which the one is predestined to reign eternally with God, and
the other to suffer eternal punishment with the devil.  Augustine in Two
Cities
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David Simon's, "Thought for the Week" ... with Bible Readings February 16 - 22

LEV 16:3-5 "This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a
young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.  He is to
put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body;
he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These
are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts
them on.  From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a
sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

The highest holy day of the year is the day when atonement is made for
all the people.  This is Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement.

We all need cleansing.  Paul said: "for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God," Romans 3:23

Note the preparation the Priest makes for the day of atonement.
   1. He is to take a bath and put on clean linens (Read Zachariah 3)
   2. He gives a sin offering for himself (the required shedding of blood for the cleansing of sin)
   3. He makes a burnt offering (the voluntary offering of total dedication found in Romans 12:1)

The priest then makes offering for the people
   1. He makes a sin offering and brings its blood into the Holy of Holies
   2. He sends a scape goat into the wilderness to symbolize PS 103:11-13 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

Note the preparation the Christ made for the True day of atonement.
   1. He washed the disciples feet and put on a clean tunic (John 13:1-12)
   2. He shed His own blood in prayer on the evening before He gave Himself (Luke 22:44)
   3. He willingly gave His life in total commitment to God (John 18:11)

The priest then makes offering for the people
   1. "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people"
Hebrews 9:28
      "MT 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two
from top to bottom." Mt 27:51
   2. "After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a
cloud hid him from their sight." Acts 1:19

RO 3:21-26 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been
made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness
from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is
no difference,  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by
Christ Jesus.  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through
faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in
his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--
he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be
just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Bible Readings for this week
Monday, February 16 - Lev. 14; Mt. 26:57-75
Tuesday, February 17 - Lev. 15; Mt. 27:1-26
Wednesday, February 18 - Lev. 16; Mt. 27:27-56
Thursday, February 19 - Lev. 17-19; Mt. 27:57-66
Friday, February 20 - Lev. 20-21; Mt. 28
Saturday, February 21 - Lev. 22-23; Galatians 1
Sunday, February 22 - Lev. 24-25; Galatians 2
Monday, February 23 - Lev. 26-27; Galatians 3
Tuesday, February 24 - Num. 1-3; Gal. 4:1-20
Wednesday, February 25 - Num. 4-5; Gal 4:21-31
Thursday, February 26 - Num. 6-7; Galatians 5
Friday, February 27 - Num. 8-10; Galatians 6
Saturday, February 28 - Num. 13-14; Col. 1
Sunday, March 1 - Num. 15; Colossians 2
Monday, March 2 - Num. 16-17; Col. 3