The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 34:2,
"Command the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries'"
As the Lord gave Moses directions for their entry into the promised land, note that he gave them boundaries. A boundary is something that fixes a limit or extent. The Lord gave them land, but that land was defined. It was not left up to the Israelites to decide for themselves whatever they wanted. The Lord gave them what he wanted.
We read in 1 Corinthians 3:21b-23, "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." How many times I have seen this taken as a license by those who should know better! Paul speaks of our inheritance in Jesus Christ as "all things", however, Paul is not saying anything and everything is ours. What he is saying is that everything the Lord desires to give us is ours, all of it.
In looking at the context of what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 3, he was providing a limit or boundary on the outlook of the believers there. "Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become 'fools' so that you may become wise." Verse 18. That is a limit, a boundary. What was theirs as an inheritance in Jesus Christ was all theirs, and fully so, but not everything in life - just those things the Lord desires to give us.
I am reminded that, in what passes as the "church" today, a lot of things are offered that actually fall outside of what it is the Lord has determined to give us. It behoves all of us to verify what we are hearing as "all things are ours" actually falls within the boundaries of what it is the Lord is actually providing for us.
"Command the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries'"
As the Lord gave Moses directions for their entry into the promised land, note that he gave them boundaries. A boundary is something that fixes a limit or extent. The Lord gave them land, but that land was defined. It was not left up to the Israelites to decide for themselves whatever they wanted. The Lord gave them what he wanted.
We read in 1 Corinthians 3:21b-23, "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." How many times I have seen this taken as a license by those who should know better! Paul speaks of our inheritance in Jesus Christ as "all things", however, Paul is not saying anything and everything is ours. What he is saying is that everything the Lord desires to give us is ours, all of it.
In looking at the context of what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 3, he was providing a limit or boundary on the outlook of the believers there. "Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become 'fools' so that you may become wise." Verse 18. That is a limit, a boundary. What was theirs as an inheritance in Jesus Christ was all theirs, and fully so, but not everything in life - just those things the Lord desires to give us.
I am reminded that, in what passes as the "church" today, a lot of things are offered that actually fall outside of what it is the Lord has determined to give us. It behoves all of us to verify what we are hearing as "all things are ours" actually falls within the boundaries of what it is the Lord is actually providing for us.
And, by the way, he offers us a whole lot! Forget this extra nonsense that appeals to something other than our new nature in Jesus Christ. Just as the Lord provided boundaries for the inheritance he gave the Israelites, so he has boundaries for our inheritance as his children today.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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