"But if her husband refuses to accept her vow or impulsive pledge..."
Numbers 30:8
Numbers 30:8
My Take Aways
Something Old:
Wendy, be careful not to make a vow, promise, pledge, or commitment that you are not able to keep. And Wendy keep the vow, promise, pledge, or commitment you make! You are only as good as your word.
Something New:
Impulsive-rash utterance; utterance without due consideration (Strong's 4008)
Something to Do:
For one day speak only the righteousness and blessings of the Lord. Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to be angry.... James 1:19
16 Comments:
Thank you, Wendy, for your vlog today talking about keeping our vows and not speaking impulsively. I feel like I am pretty good at this at work, but it's another story in my own home when I get frustrated by my husband or my girls... Definitely a big thing to be working on!
My question about today's reading is simply this - what did they do with those 12,000 virgin girls the army plundered?? Just integrate them into camp? Wondering about that...
I pray everyone has a blessed day. I am off to find out about when I can bring dinner to a friend who just had a baby. A vow I made that I confess I was probably going to let slip by the wayside (b/c I am not a good cook!!), but have been convicted to keep! Have a blessed day, everyone.
Kate
Your comments could not have been more timely. Please pray for me and my "quick to speak mouth"! I so desperately want to be a woman who indeed has a quiet and gentle spirit, but my mouth gets me in trouble more than I can express. I pray that the dear Lord truly helps me to be slow to speak, quick to listen and slow to get angry. Ladies, please pray to that end. Blessings to all, Terri
Wendy,
Thank you!
When I did the reading today I was lingering on the battle, but you pointed out another battle... one that the Lord has been working on me about. Watching what I speak and what I listen to. Thanks for the scriptures, and I like holding my opinion or criticism and offering it to the Lord.
Sometimes when the Lord is giving me a revelation and speaking a word to me, it's hard to convey how much it touches me, but just know today was a good day.
Thanks,
Lynn
Something Old: Vows are very serious matters. I must keep them.
Something New: My husband's thoughts on what I promise are a must to keep when making a vow.
Something To Do: Watch what I promise to do. I get caught up in the moment and don't always consider what is the Lord's.
Happy Tuesday & Good Morning All,
Wendy thank you for this very meaningful message today. Speaking too much, not listening, being a opinionated, has been a life long battle for me. My Lord has helped me in this area however there is still junk that needs His grace! Praying that each of us will find the wisdom to know when to speak & the peace of knowing when not to speak.
*Did not know before today's reading.
Numbers 30:9 if she is a widow or divorced her must fulfill her vow or pledge. I thought that was interesting.
Blessings & Peace, Mary
Great points today! I am really trying to improve upon this in my own life. Like Kate, I am better at this in situations outside of my own home! I have a harder time knowing when to bite my tongue in certain situations with my husband. It is hard to admit how opinionated I can be sometimes- wanting things my way or thinking my way is better...
Have a great day everyone!
Thanks Wendy!
Elizabeth
Familiar but new: They killed the prophet Balaam who was living with the Midianites. I wonder why he lived among them instead of the Israelites?
Did not know: The partitioned the young girls they saved. I had the same question as Kate: what happened to them? I read that they killed the non-virgin women because they caused the plague that killed the Israelites, the young boys were killed because they will grow up to fight them. But what happened to the young girls? Were they kept as slaves? Did they grow up to marry the Israelites? (I guess I have more questions than answers today.) What I get here is that it is important to cut off those things that eventhough they seem innocent, can cause plagues in my Christian walk.
To do: Reiterate to myself - and my boys - the importance of keeping our vows. And along with this, to pray for discernment before we promise to do something.
Have a blessed day, everyone!
Wendy-
Thank you for your words of encouragement and a challenge today that I needed to hear!
Nugget for today-to remember that God does keep his promises and that I need to rely on God to help me be slow to speak, slow to become angry and quick to listen!
Blessings!
Kimberly
Good morning everyone...
It has been a long time since my last post - but I have been reading and tracking with you all!!
I took today off from work (mental health day) and am just soaking in God and His word. It has been such a blessing. Today's reading is so right on the mark for me. I have to watch what I say - that quick convenient answer that makes everybody happy - and then I don't follow through! God is really dealing with me about people pleasing and watching what comes out of my mouth. The junk that comes out of my mouth surprises me sometimes and I think - Lord, is that what is really in my heart? Yikes - I need Your help!!
So thank you for today (and all days) Wendy and everyone!! I am going to praise the Lord before opening my mouth (Lord, you are probably going to have to give me a nudge on this one). Lifelong habits are so hard to break. Help me to say only things that encourage and build up instead of destroy and tear down - especially with my husband and teenagers!!
God bless all you today!!
Teri
Wendy I loved what you pulled out of the reading today. I looked up the scriptures in the NIV and it used the word "rash" for impulsive. How many times have I made rash decisions and then regretted them later? As women we tend to make decisions with our emotions and that is why it is so important to be submitted to God and know His Word so when our emotions go against His truth we can go with truth. Men are more logical and they can help us when we want to make decisions that really might not be the best. I have gotten to the place where I don't commit to things without discussing them with my husband first. I always pray for God to speak to me through him about His plans and what He wants me to do. Every time He does and I trust following my husband's advice because I know I have prayed before talking to him.
You all have a blessed day!
Brandee, TN
Yes, today's reading did speak to my soul. Like some of the others commented on, I also wondered about the virgin girls. My study bible said they were integrated into the Israelite culture and respected the way other foreigners were.
The part about making impulsive vows, whew, that stood out to me. God's working on my mouth these days....I tend to be quick with it and say what's on my mind (not always in love).
**I'm so amazed that I am identifying with so much from the Old Testament! I never would have thought I'd be making the connections I'm making.
-Have a great Tuesday everyone. :)
Amy V.
Wendy, what a great challenge in today's vlog.
I totally respect my husband and always, always bounce my "impulsiveness" or a "rash" decision I'm thinking of making off him. He's so level-headed and logical. I always walk away feeling better for having consulted him. Therefore, I'm not surprised that this regulation was made toward the women!
Vow...solemn promise...what a reminder of how our yes should be yes and our no a no. Just this morning I was talking with God and having what I call my "Moses Conversation" with Him. "Please send someone else...I know I said I would do this, but I'm not an eloquent speaker." Something I WILL be following up on this weekend...and praying the whole way into it :)
Boy, I've been so busy here at work to stop and take a few minutes to meditate on the vlog and comment that I've missed doing it for the passed several days. I've watched the videos, but that's all. So it's good to be back.
Have a great Tuesday!
Hi Everybody,
Wendy, I loved your idea on …”Utter a praise to God”…instead of negative thinking. (something which I am a pro at)…..think before I speak…(this need some work too). :)
For Me today I was with Grace & Peace , Kate and a few more left with some questions?
Numbers 31:14-15, But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains* who had returned from the battle. 15“Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.
My questions:
*Why was Moses so furious with the generals and captains for letting the women live? I know what they did……but Moses married one of these women . (Zipporah) she came from Midian.
Exodus 2:15, But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian. As he was seated there by a well, seven daughters of a priest of Midian came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. But some shepherds came and drove them away. Then Moses got up and defended them and watered their flock. When they returned to their father Reuel, he said to them, “How is it you have returned so soon today?” They answered, “An Egyptian saved us from the interference of the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock! “Where is the man?” he asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him there? Invite him to have something to eat.” Moses agreed to live with him, and the man gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage. She bore him a son, whom he named Gershom: for he said, “I am a stranger in a foreign land.”
This was his wife’s homeland. She was one of them. He was once a stranger in that foreign land.
Found this information in one of the footnotes: The present raid was only against those Midianites who were dwelling at this time near the encampment of the Israelites.
*Just wondering too What happen to Moses 2 sons?
Kate your question on what happen to the 12,000 women? Numbers 32:25-27, The LORD said to Moses: “With the help of the priest Eleazar and of the heads of the ancestral houses, count up all the human captives and the beasts that have been taken; then divide them evenly, giving half to those who took active part in the war by going out to combat, and half to the rest of the community.
To do: Think about how I treat others.
Another Sunny Day:)
Rhonda
Hi Everyone,
I can say Amen to all the comments today! I read a blog recently entitled, Speak when spoken through. This is my prayer that I allow the Holy Spirit to be umpire of my soul. There is a reason why we have one mouth and two ears. We should listen twice as much as we speak.
On a side note, If you want to be truly blessed by a 3 year praying, you have to watch this youtube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftmAwbAzPDQ
The world’s opinion is that she is brainwashed by her parents. I see a child who has witnessed prayer going on and is on her way to living up to her name. Her name is Hannah. If you want to know what is really going on in a home, just listen to conversations of the children.
Blessings!
Debbie - North Carolina
Wendy, thank you for focusing on the vs in James. That is something that God is working with me on, I tend to be very reactionary, speaking first, then thinking about (and usually regretting) it, especially when I am angry.
John Piper just visited us in Seattle, and he spoke about Romans 8:13, that if we live by the flesh we die, but if by the spirit we put to death the misdeeds of the flesh, we will live. This I think speaks to that a bit, as far as what you mentioned about changing your focus, keeping your thoughts on God. Piper delved into how to move your thoughts from sin/flesh to things of the Spirit - by turning to His word for strength. I just thought that was so helpful. And here you helped me/us along with that!
I too camped on the seriousness of a vow, and yet didn't apply it to my life until you pointed out the impulsive aspect, which I am guilty of as well.
Thank you for all your insight!
One other thing that stood out to me was at the end of the reading, after the battle and disbursment of war spoils, the generals and captains brought (I think) an additional offering to God as a special thanks that NONE of their men had been lost in battle! How AWEsome is that!?! God was truly fighting with them and protecting them as He promised. I love that the Isrealites could show appropriate gratitude for that.
Also, that Phinehas was honored for his zeal by carrying the sacred aspects and the trumpet into battle. That picture makes me smile, but also shows God's honor in rewarding those who honor Him.
Have a great Tuesday!
Okay, I have to come back, I was hasty in getting out what I wanted to say before reading the comments, and wanted to add things that a couple ladies brought up:
G&P: My study Bible mentioned that Balaal was a prophet but not only of the Lord, but many gods, so ultimately he was a sinner. God chose to use him, but it is believed that it was at the encouragement of Balaal that the Midianites tempted the Isrealites into sinning and worshipping their gods.
Teri - You brought to mind the verse "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". THAT is such a sobering, repentance-inducing verse for me, but definitely something I need to be reminded of repeatedly. And it's probably true, that the things that just "pop out" of our mouths IS actually what is in our hearts. SO, we must really pray for God to not change our words and actions, but our hearts.
And to add to the comments that answered questions about the Midianite virgins, I believe they were included in the spoils that were divided between the people and the priests to live among them as foreigners after being cleansed.
That's all, I think *wink*
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