The Houston Zoo has a bald eagle in one of their displays. Looking at that majestic bird, one cannot help but feel sorry for a creature that once soared over the trees and mountains to be bound up in their zoo enclosure. Likewise, it is so sad to see a person living so far under the capacity that God intended for them. Too often this happens because we limit what God can do in our life. Israel often limited God. They would not trust Him to do all that He was capable of doing. Even while living a miracle during the forty-year wandering in the wilderness where God provided all their needs, they never fully trusted Him to do all that He wanted. They limited Him by the way they lived, but even more than that, they limited HIm by how they DIDN’T live. They limited him when they failed to remember all the miracles that had saved them in their flight from Egypt. How could it be that they did that? They had seen the parting of the Red Sea. They had eaten the manna and the quail. They drank the water that He provided, but somehow they continued to doubt their survival and provision. What did they miss because they didn’t trust Him? What blessings could have been if they had trusted Him? Too often, Israel put a period where God only intended a comma. How do we draw circles around God? We limit Him when we try to bargain with Him about how to work out the things in our life. We do not want to drink the bitter cup. We do not want to endure the storm. But often, the bitter cup and the storm are part of the lesson that God is trying to teach. When we limit God, we miss out on His wisdom and power. When we limit God, we think that our sin is too great to forgive, or that our problems are too big to get through. When we try to solve it ourselves, we limit God. God has the situation worked out, but if we do not let Him move, He cannot bless us as He wants to do. We need to take out the eraser and wipe away those lines we have placed around God. Erase that line of fear. Erase that circle of doubt. Quit drawing circles around God.

The Houston Zoo has a bald eagle in one of their displays. Looking at that majestic bird, one cannot help but feel sorry for a creature that once soared over the trees and mountains to be bound up in their zoo enclosure. Likewise, it is so sad to see a person living so far under the capacity that God intended for them. Too often this happens because we limit what God can do in our life. Israel often limited God. They would not trust Him to do all that He was capable of doing. Even while living a miracle during the forty-year wandering in the wilderness where God provided all their needs, they never fully trusted Him to do all that He wanted. They limited Him by the way they lived, but even more than that, they limited HIm by how they DIDN’T live. They limited him when they failed to remember all the miracles that had saved them in their flight from Egypt. How could it be that they did that? They had seen the parting of the Red Sea. They had eaten the manna and the quail. They drank the water that He provided, but somehow they continued to doubt their survival and provision. What did they miss because they didn’t trust Him? What blessings could have been if they had trusted Him? Too often, Israel put a period where God only intended a comma. How do we draw circles around God? We limit Him when we try to bargain with Him about how to work out the things in our life. We do not want to drink the bitter cup. We do not want to endure the storm. But often, the bitter cup and the storm are part of the lesson that God is trying to teach. When we limit God, we miss out on His wisdom and power. When we limit God, we think that our sin is too great to forgive, or that our problems are too big to get through. When we try to solve it ourselves, we limit God. God has the situation worked out, but if we do not let Him move, He cannot bless us as He wants to do. We need to take out the eraser and wipe away those lines we have placed around God. Erase that line of fear. Erase that circle of doubt. Quit drawing circles around God.

The Houston Zoo has a bald eagle in one of their displays. Looking at that majestic bird, one cannot help but feel sorry for a creature that once soared over the trees and mountains to be bound up in their zoo enclosure. Likewise, it is so sad to see a person living so far under the capacity that God intended for them. Too often this happens because we limit what God can do in our life. Israel often limited God. They would not trust Him to do all that He was capable of doing. Even while living a miracle during the forty-year wandering in the wilderness where God provided all their needs, they never fully trusted Him to do all that He wanted. They limited Him by the way they lived, but even more than that, they limited HIm by how they DIDN’T live. They limited him when they failed to remember all the miracles that had saved them in their flight from Egypt. How could it be that they did that? They had seen the parting of the Red Sea. They had eaten the manna and the quail. They drank the water that He provided, but somehow they continued to doubt their survival and provision. What did they miss because they didn’t trust Him? What blessings could have been if they had trusted Him? Too often, Israel put a period where God only intended a comma. How do we draw circles around God? We limit Him when we try to bargain with Him about how to work out the things in our life. We do not want to drink the bitter cup. We do not want to endure the storm. But often, the bitter cup and the storm are part of the lesson that God is trying to teach. When we limit God, we miss out on His wisdom and power. When we limit God, we think that our sin is too great to forgive, or that our problems are too big to get through. When we try to solve it ourselves, we limit God. God has the situation worked out, but if we do not let Him move, He cannot bless us as He wants to do. We need to take out the eraser and wipe away those lines we have placed around God. Erase that line of fear. Erase that circle of doubt. Quit drawing circles around God.

The sanctuary is a special place. It is more than the sheetrock and carpet that make up the room. From the beginning, the sanctuary was to be a place where God could meet with His people. It is more than a place where we can feel good, though it can be that. It is a place where we can get right without selves and right with God. The sanctuary was a place where people could come to offer their sacrifice and shed off the sin that keeps us from being close to God. It is a place where we can wash ourselves of the dirt and filth of life.

Our text from Numbers describes the offing that each of the tribes of Israel made to God in the sanctuary. Fourteen times, God meticulously describes the offerings down to the weight and measure. In each case, the measure is the sanctuary shekel. There is a reason that there is such detail. The exactness and definition matter to God. The sacrifice had to be according to God’s standard. Worship must be to the expectations and definitions of God. More than that, having the same expectation and measure means that everyone has that same standard. There is not one measure for you and a different standard for another. Numbers seven is one of the longest chapters in the bible. God took great pains to describe each gift. Every one of them mattered to Him, and He took note of it. Numbers chapter seven tells us that God is interested in what each one of us has to offer. Our worship means something to God. He knows when we are sincere or if we are just going through the motions. God is particular about our attitude and the spirit in which we worship. That measure and standard are there for our good. If we fail to meet the standard, we are not where God wants us to be. God is as interested in what comes out of our spirit as He is about what comes out of our mouth. The reason for these rules and expectations is to provide boundaries. The sanctuary is a safe place to come when we need help. The sanctuary is a place where we can come to return to where God needs us to be. The sanctuary is a place of safety for us. It is a safeguard for life.

The sanctuary is a special place. It is more than the sheetrock and carpet that make up the room. From the beginning, the sanctuary was to be a place where God could meet with His people. It is more than a place where we can feel good, though it can be that. It is a place where we can get right without selves and right with God. The sanctuary was a place where people could come to offer their sacrifice and shed off the sin that keeps us from being close to God. It is a place where we can wash ourselves of the dirt and filth of life.

Our text from Numbers describes the offing that each of the tribes of Israel made to God in the sanctuary. Fourteen times, God meticulously describes the offerings down to the weight and measure. In each case, the measure is the sanctuary shekel. There is a reason that there is such detail. The exactness and definition matter to God. The sacrifice had to be according to God’s standard. Worship must be to the expectations and definitions of God. More than that, having the same expectation and measure means that everyone has that same standard. There is not one measure for you and a different standard for another. Numbers seven is one of the longest chapters in the bible. God took great pains to describe each gift. Every one of them mattered to Him, and He took note of it. Numbers chapter seven tells us that God is interested in what each one of us has to offer. Our worship means something to God. He knows when we are sincere or if we are just going through the motions. God is particular about our attitude and the spirit in which we worship. That measure and standard are there for our good. If we fail to meet the standard, we are not where God wants us to be. God is as interested in what comes out of our spirit as He is about what comes out of our mouth. The reason for these rules and expectations is to provide boundaries. The sanctuary is a safe place to come when we need help. The sanctuary is a place where we can come to return to where God needs us to be. The sanctuary is a place of safety for us. It is a safeguard for life.

The sanctuary is a special place. It is more than the sheetrock and carpet that make up the room. From the beginning, the sanctuary was to be a place where God could meet with His people. It is more than a place where we can feel good, though it can be that. It is a place where we can get right without selves and right with God. The sanctuary was a place where people could come to offer their sacrifice and shed off the sin that keeps us from being close to God. It is a place where we can wash ourselves of the dirt and filth of life.

Our text from Numbers describes the offing that each of the tribes of Israel made to God in the sanctuary. Fourteen times, God meticulously describes the offerings down to the weight and measure. In each case, the measure is the sanctuary shekel. There is a reason that there is such detail. The exactness and definition matter to God. The sacrifice had to be according to God’s standard. Worship must be to the expectations and definitions of God. More than that, having the same expectation and measure means that everyone has that same standard. There is not one measure for you and a different standard for another. Numbers seven is one of the longest chapters in the bible. God took great pains to describe each gift. Every one of them mattered to Him, and He took note of it. Numbers chapter seven tells us that God is interested in what each one of us has to offer. Our worship means something to God. He knows when we are sincere or if we are just going through the motions. God is particular about our attitude and the spirit in which we worship. That measure and standard are there for our good. If we fail to meet the standard, we are not where God wants us to be. God is as interested in what comes out of our spirit as He is about what comes out of our mouth. The reason for these rules and expectations is to provide boundaries. The sanctuary is a safe place to come when we need help. The sanctuary is a place where we can come to return to where God needs us to be. The sanctuary is a place of safety for us. It is a safeguard for life.

Often in life, when things do not seem to be going well, we declare that we will just prepare for the worst. Although that is human nature, it is not the way that God wants us to live. If we look back to the first-century church, we see people in a wicked world who were not so concerned about what the world had become, but rather what had come to the world: The gospel of Jesus Christ. God does not want us to look at the world through the lenses that are dirtied by the world, but to look at it through His eyes. God has never left his people where He has not equipped them to live and thrive. We have a choice in how we live. We can endure it. We can try to escape reality, or we can choose to enjoy the life that God has provided. Even in what seems the worst of times, God can bring good things to his people. God is not surprised by anything that happens in this world. He has the outcome already mapped out.

The culture in Noah’s time was corrupt and immoral. The bible describes things that would be abhorrent even by today’s standards. In that environment, God called a man to His service because of his righteousness. Noah could influence people by the way he lived his life. The problem in Noah’s time was more than just the immorality; it was the indifference to it. Noah lived apart from that environment and was a just man. The bible says he walked with God, not the rhythm of the world. What made Noah different is he lived his life based on God’s word, not the world’s word. Like Noah, our most powerful testimony is the life we live and demonstrate to a world that needs to see the goodness of God played out in someone’s life.

Often in life, when things do not seem to be going well, we declare that we will just prepare for the worst. Although that is human nature, it is not the way that God wants us to live. If we look back to the first-century church, we see people in a wicked world who were not so concerned about what the world had become, but rather what had come to the world: The gospel of Jesus Christ. God does not want us to look at the world through the lenses that are dirtied by the world, but to look at it through His eyes. God has never left his people where He has not equipped them to live and thrive. We have a choice in how we live. We can endure it. We can try to escape reality, or we can choose to enjoy the life that God has provided. Even in what seems the worst of times, God can bring good things to his people. God is not surprised by anything that happens in this world. He has the outcome already mapped out.

The culture in Noah’s time was corrupt and immoral. The bible describes things that would be abhorrent even by today’s standards. In that environment, God called a man to His service because of his righteousness. Noah could influence people by the way he lived his life. The problem in Noah’s time was more than just the immorality; it was the indifference to it. Noah lived apart from that environment and was a just man. The bible says he walked with God, not the rhythm of the world. What made Noah different is he lived his life based on God’s word, not the world’s word. Like Noah, our most powerful testimony is the life we live and demonstrate to a world that needs to see the goodness of God played out in someone’s life.

Often in life, when things do not seem to be going well, we declare that we will just prepare for the worst. Although that is human nature, it is not the way that God wants us to live. If we look back to the first-century church, we see people in a wicked world who were not so concerned about what the world had become, but rather what had come to the world: The gospel of Jesus Christ. God does not want us to look at the world through the lenses that are dirtied by the world, but to look at it through His eyes. God has never left his people where He has not equipped them to live and thrive. We have a choice in how we live. We can endure it. We can try to escape reality, or we can choose to enjoy the life that God has provided. Even in what seems the worst of times, God can bring good things to his people. God is not surprised by anything that happens in this world. He has the outcome already mapped out.

The culture in Noah’s time was corrupt and immoral. The bible describes things that would be abhorrent even by today’s standards. In that environment, God called a man to His service because of his righteousness. Noah could influence people by the way he lived his life. The problem in Noah’s time was more than just the immorality; it was the indifference to it. Noah lived apart from that environment and was a just man. The bible says he walked with God, not the rhythm of the world. What made Noah different is he lived his life based on God’s word, not the world’s word. Like Noah, our most powerful testimony is the life we live and demonstrate to a world that needs to see the goodness of God played out in someone’s life.

The expression “In The Meanwhile” is a literary tool to transition the reader to another event that is transpiring simultaneously. In westerns, it is often used after the writer has outlined a dire situation to set the reader up for the solution to that situation. In our text, the man of God has prophesied that there would be no rain until he said so. After three years, he prophecies that it will rain, but there is no sign of rain. God was developing a meanwhile in Elijah’s life. God always has a meanwhile. We may not see it, but it is there. God is not surprised. He is timeless. He knows our future and has our steps ordered. We may be facing a storm, but in the meanwhile, God has it worked out. Elijah had to endure the fire, the wind, and the earthquake to make it to his meanwhile moment. If it were not for the trials and the storms, we would never realize the meanwhile