And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. Numbers 20:12.
Some would regard … [Moses’] sin as one that should be lightly passed over; but God sees not as man sees. When within sight of the hills of Canaan, the Israelites murmured because the stream that had flowed wherever they encamped ceased. The cries of the people were directed against Moses and Aaron, whom they accused of bringing them into the wilderness to perish. The leaders went to the door of the tabernacle and fell on their faces. Again “the glory of the Lord appeared,” and Moses was directed, “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock” (Numbers 20:8).
The two brothers went on before the multitude, Moses with the rod of God in his hand. They were now aged men. Long had they borne with the rebellion and obstinacy of Israel; but now, at last, even the patience of Moses gave way. “Hear now, ye rebels,” he cried; “must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (verse 10). And instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded him, he smote it twice with the rod.
The water gushed forth in abundance to satisfy the host. But a great wrong had been done. Moses had spoken from irritated feeling…. “Shall we bring water?” he questioned, as if the Lord would not do what He promised. “Ye believed me not,” the Lord declared to the two brothers, “to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel” (verse 12).
More than this, Moses and Aaron had assumed power that belongs only to God. The necessity for divine interposition made the occasion one of great solemnity, and the leaders of Israel should have improved it to impress the people with reverence for God and to strengthen their faith in His power and goodness. When they angrily cried, “Must we fetch you water out of this rock?” they put themselves in God’s place, as if the power lay in themselves. By these words they greatly dishonored Christ, their invisible Leader. God, not man, should have been glorified. The Lord reproved these leaders, and declared that they should not enter the Promised Land. Before the Hebrew host He demonstrated that the sin of the leader was greater than the sin of those who were led.—Manuscript 169, October 12, 1903, “Words of Warning Against Present Dangers.”
The Upward Look p. 299
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for this lady. She wants to serve God but is caught up in a relationship with a man who has had two different wives whom he left because he liked someone else. And now he wants to marry this girl. She has children with him and living together. Pray for her deliverance please. Rosemary
—-Please pray for a friend who has brain cancer. Tony

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23, 24.
In … [our] work for the Master, self is [to be] hid. The language of the heart is, He must increase; I must decrease…. The love of self dies, the love of Jesus burns upon the altar of the soul. There is no spirit for low, common, self-seeking, or worldly ambition, because we are living in His presence, doing His work, and are in contact with Jesus Christ and His life. His character and His work are all-absorbing. The life imperceptibly becomes one with Christ as He was one with the Father. The truth and light and life are interwoven with life and character, and the aspirations are elevated, pure, unselfish, after the order of heaven….
If ever a people needed spiritual perception, vigor, and steadfast faith and power in prayer, it is the people who claim to be keeping the commandments of God and looking for the Lord Jesus Christ to come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory….
Love to Christ will always be seen in those who are laborers together with God. The common, earthly thoughts and motives are discarded as the love for Christ increases. None, however weak in faith and hope and courage, need to despair, for Christ has provided divine assistance to combine with man’s human effort. Christ works constantly to draw the soul into a pure and holy atmosphere. He is acquainted with our infirmities, and with the embarrassment we meet on every hand in the world. Assistance has been provided for every advanced step. When the earnest, struggling soul is compassed with infirmities and surrounded by foes to discourage, the Comforter draws near. The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities.
We must, if we overcome, use the means placed within our reach. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith we must clothe ourselves with the righteousness of Christ and put no confidence in our own merits. Many are seeking to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb in their own citizen’s dress, discarding the robe woven in the loom of heaven and prepared for all at infinite cost, as a free gift to His guests that shall eat of His supper. We must wear the livery of heaven. We must be clothed in Christ’s righteousness and go to warfare at His expense and under His bloodstained banner, or we are none of His.—Manuscript 41, October 9, 1890, “Diary: Labors at Adam’s Center.”
The Upward Look p. 296
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Prayer Requests
—-Ron had many tests yesterday and all came out ok. Please continue to pray that he will start feeling normal. Rose
—-Please pray for my dear family friend, Hannah, a very social 15 y.o. teen, who has been struggling with depression, especially made worse by the Covid lockdown. She attempted to hurt herself recently, and thankfully it was unsuccessful. Many teens I heard are also struggling with this Covid isolation. Let’s lift them up in prayers. ML
—-Please pray that God will take control of David’s life. Buck
—-Please pray for healing and comfort for Nanette who is undergoing surgery today. Andy
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Dear Friends,
When my father-in-law was in his late forties, he had a very bad accident. Because of this, he was unable to continue his painting business. Since he had many children still at home, the state of Michigan put him through college to become a teacher.
He often spoke about his experience with the various students and teachers. One of his professors used to grind on his (and all the other students) nerves. Mr. Henry had an unusual way of speaking that made him the laughing stock of the school. He repeated everything he said three times each time saying his thought in a slightly different manner. No doubt he started doing this to make sure that his students understood what he said in his lectures. In this way even the slowest writers could take notes with ease. However, it had become such a habit that even in normal conversation he still repeated everything he said three times.
The students laughed about his unusual habit, for they could see no reason for his odd behavior and thought that he was a bit eccentric. Behind his back they called him “Mr. Henry, Mr. Henry, Mr. Henry.” When they got together in the student lounge, they often thought up possible scenes in Mr. Henry’s life such as the simple act of going to the gas station. They decided that he would say to the attendant (this happened back in the days before self-serve), “Fill her up. Fill up the car with gas. My fuel tank is almost empty, fill it with gasoline.” Or if he went to the bakery, they imagined he would say, “I would like three cookies. I’ll take one-fourth dozen cookies, please. Please give me a half of a half dozen cookies.” Then the students would laugh heartily. If Mr. Henry ever knew that he was the object of their jokes, he never said. His motive was good, and although the students might not have realized it, they did have an easier time learning in his class.
Just as Mr. Henry’s redundancy had a purpose, so our Heavenly Teacher must often deal with us. Our Dear Creator leads us down paths in our experience that are hard to bear, but it is the very thing that we need. Often God brings us into the same or similar situations during this chastening process, because we failed to learn the lesson the first time. It is like learning school lessons by repetition. Having to travel the same “path” over and over again, makes us almost despair, but God has His hand in it, leading, guiding, urging us to make the right decision; so we do not have to repeat that lesson again.
Solomon advises, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Prov 3:11,12 Paul reminds us, “despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Heb 12:5-11
May we cooperate with our Heavenly Teacher as He uses the circumstances of life to mold us into His image. May we determine to learn the lesson He has for us the first time, so we do not have to go through the same trial over and over again. May we thank Him for His patience with us, His erring children is my prayer.
Rose

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3.

Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1 Corinthians 5:6.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7.
Those who work against the natural laws of the being must suffer the penalty of transgression. But the Saviour pities us, even when we suffer from infirmities caused by our own wrong course of action. In Him there is a healing power for us. Let us praise God for the tree of life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations….
Everywhere the effects of the curse are seen. Let us praise God that in the earth made new “there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:3). Some little know what true service means. Those who expect to sing in an entertainment spend time in practicing, to familiarize themselves with the music and the words. That we may learn how to serve the Lord in heaven, we must enter His service now, becoming acquainted with Him and learning to be faithful servants….
It is our privilege to understand the blessed Word of God. We have fallen, it is true, but we are not always to remain in sin. We have been placed on vantage ground. The Lord God of heaven “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). What a precious hope we have in Christ! …
Temptations will come. But when Satan throws his hellish shadow before us, we should reach in faith through the shadow to the light of life—to Him who has not only created man but who by His own blood has redeemed him. We are Christ’s cherished heritage. In living faith we must cooperate with Him in working out our own salvation. Amid trials and temptations His hand upholds and sustains us. Those who rest in Christ Jesus are never restless or uneasy. He means just what He says when He bids us commit the keeping of our souls unto Him, as to a faithful Creator.
Those who hold fast their faith unto the end will come forth from the furnace of trial as fine gold seven times purified. Of this work the prophet Isaiah says, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir” (Isaiah 13:12). When in trouble, remember that faith tried in the furnace of affliction is more precious than gold tried with fire. Remember that there is One watching every movement, to see when the last particle of dross is taken away from your character.—Manuscript 110, October 5, 1901, “The Christian’s Hope.”
The Upward Look p. 292
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for _______ elderly care. Several staff members and patients have tested positive for covid. The hospital in ______ is full. Alma is one of patients tested positive this week. She is 94 yrs old and my husband Tom’s step grandma. Darla
—-Please pray for my family my mom died yesterday morning. Wanda
—-Maureen and Doug need prayers. Maureen she is in a coma from a motor cycle accident which also involved her husband Doug. He is in shock and is under great pressure blaming himself for the accident. Joe
—-Requesting prayers for Debbie who is battling cancer. Judy
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Dear Friends,
As we listen to the news, hear of rumors of the possibility of terrorist attacks here in this country, the spread of the war, crimes upon our shores that make us recoil in horror, the virus which has caused our lives to change so much, we can know of a certainty that we live in the days Jesus spoke about when He warned that there would be “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Luke 21:25,26 Yet, even amidst the storm we can have the assurance that we have a Refuge, Sure and Steadfast. We can “abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Our Great Protector assures us, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3
David sang of His protecting care that we, too, can sing through all the world unrest that is ahead, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.” Ps 46:1-3
What a wonderful psalm is this in these days of uncertainty. Praise God! We can safely trust in Him. Our Great Redeemer has promised to deliver us “from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” We do not have to “be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” We have the assurance that if we have “made the LORD, . . even the most High, (our) habitation,” “a thousand shall fall at (our) side, and ten thousand at (our) right hand; but it shall not come nigh (us)….There shall no evil befall (us), neither shall any plague come nigh (our) dwelling.” We have the promise that if we have set our love upon our Dear Saviour, He will deliver us. He promises, “he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” Ps 91 Blessed assurance! Precious promises!
May we daily anchor our soul in Jesus, the Solid Rock. May we continually pray for God’s protecting care. May the “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:7