consequence of choice (Numbers 14:20-35)

We have a God who gives us choice, choice to choose him or not too. I do believe though that when we choose him, when we pledge ourselves to him, when we vow our lives to him, that he holds us accountable to that choice. Why wouldn't he, he gave his life for us.

In the below passage the Israelites are grumbling yet again and God is sick and tired of it. He had enough and punishes them severely to the point that almost all of them would not see the promised land.

Numbers 14:20-35

New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, ²² not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. ²⁴ But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. ²⁵ Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[a]”
²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. ²⁸ So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: ²⁹ In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. ³¹ As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. ³² But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴ For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”

I wonder sometimes about my own life. When God is asking me to trust him and follow him and I am unwilling, does his grace period last forever?

Currently I believe;
- that if we continue to ignore God, he may allow circumstances into our lives to get our attention. When we choose poorly, whether it is to watch something we shouldn't, speak unkindly to someone, drink too much, have an affair and just to blatantly sin, there are consequences to these choices just as there were to the continued grumbling of the Israelites. King David and his offspring paid severely for his poor choices. King Solomon paid for his poor choices. Peter's decision to deny Christ, I am sure had its consequences. Ananias and Sapphira paid a steep price for lying and yes that was in the New testament. Check out the link to their story;

Ananias and Sapphira lied

These stories support my current thinking, that yes while we are shown God's grace, it doesn't mean that we should foolishly abuse it.

God wants us to obey him. He offers us his help, but when we choose to continually disobey him, we should not expect an easy ride, should we??

I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on the above, please feel free to comment.

Clifton Jansky ~ I choose Jesus

Moriah Peters - "I Choose Jesus"
 

speaking up when its not popular (Numbers 14:1-12)

Its very hard to be unpopular, to speak up when the majority seem to have a different mindset. In the below passage Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb do just that. They are trying to stay true to a God who has led them out of Egypt and wants to lead them to the promised land.

Numbers 14:1-12 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

 

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. ² All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

 

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”

Do you ever feel like God is asking you to do something that is not popular? Perhaps its to take a stance, to behave differently, not to partake in a certain activity, to bring a matter up to a friend who has miss- stepped, etc.

Are we willing to be a Moses, an Aaron, a Joshua or a Caleb? Are we willing to take a stance for our God, for what is right?

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus hymn

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus - Promise Keepers

Do we have faith like Caleb? (Numbers 13:1-3, 26-33)

Are we people of faith like Caleb or are we like the majority of the Israelites, doubters? The below is a story of God giving clear direction and a promise of his provision. In the end the Israelites respond just as we do today, unbelieving and unwilling to believe in what God has already promised them many, many times. How many times did he promise to make them a huge nation, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey and yet when asked to take a step in faith, they preferred to grumble and complain.

Numbers 13:1-3, 26-33 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. ²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”
³⁰ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” ³² And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. ³³ We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

In God's word he promises many thing to us and yet how often are we doubters like the Israelites. How often do we fail to be a person of faith like Caleb? How often do we leave fruit on the tree because we don't have enough faith to go and pick it off?

Caleb believed God's promises in verses 1 to 3 and was ready to walk in faith. Are we prepared to believe God's promises such as "he will never leave us or forsake us", "his grace is sufficient" or are we leaving precious fruit on the tree to spoil instead of to enjoy simply because we do not have faith.

So often in my own life I fail to trust God even with the simplest of things. Lately I have been reminded to ask him for help as I navigate a heavy workload and I am amazed at his provision when I ask, ask in faith and don't try and manipulate the outcome.

Am I desiring to be a Caleb or am I like many of the Israelites, unbelieving and spreading my discontent like a disease?

Our God is a God who follows through on his promises.

How Great Is Our God (Chris Tomlin)

 

 

Jealous that God isnt using you as he is others (Numbers 12)

Have you ever been jealous that God isn't using you or hasn't gifted you as he has others. Perhaps you wish you had the voice of the person who sings so beautifully, or the words of the speaker who seems to do it with such ease and eloquence.

In the story below, Moses own siblings had been with him on an amazing journey, had been delivered from Egypt and now had the audacity (boldness) to turn on their own brother and on a God who had chosen to use Moses.

Moses must have thought to himself, if you only knew the 40 years of preparation I had to go through to be prepared for this and now your jealous?? Do you have any idea of the enormous responsibility I am being held accountable for?

Numbers 12 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

12 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.

³ (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
⁴ At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, ⁶ he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams.
⁷ But this is not true of my servant Moses;
    he is faithful in all my house.
⁸ With him I speak face to face,
    clearly and not in riddles;
    he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
    to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous^[a]—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, ¹¹ and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. ¹² Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”
¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!”
¹⁴ The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran

In our day and age when we all think we know best, are we prepared to pay attention when God is using someone else to speak to us, to lead us, or are we jealous and think we know best?

How many times do we question leadership, even leadership at church? Do we know how God has spoken to them, what he is asking them to do? Are we questioning God when we question them?

Yes they are human and prone to the same errors in judgement we all make. Yes they may not be as sensitive to God's spirit as we think they should be and the list could go on and on. They too are on the same journey of growth we are on.

The question is do we have their back in a God honouring way. If they are truly misguided, are we acting appropriately and taking the matter to God in prayer and then perhaps addressing them or are we spreading discontent?

How am I being a team player?










 

But its not good enough Lord (Numbers 11)

The Israelites grumbled about God's provision over and over again, They grumbled in Egypt and each step along their journey, when they needed to trust God and be grateful, they grumbled.

Below is a story of Gods great provision. He had already delivered them from Egypt and preformed many miracles during that process. Speaking of miracles, he parted the sea and defeated their enemy in the process and was now providing food for them.

It still wasn't enough, they wanted a certain kind of food now.

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-24, 31-34   (http://www.biblegateway.com)
New International Version (NIV)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. ⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? ¹³ Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.
¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”
²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”
²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.

³¹ Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits^[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. ³² All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.^[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. ³⁴ Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,^[d] because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

As I read this I ask myself, how often am I like these people, grumbling while I have plenty? Am I choosing to be thankful for what I have? Am I choosing to allow a spirit of content multiply or am I choosing to allow a spirit of discontent spread and conquer?

At work and in life in general it's so easy to allow little things to fester and become big, when if I look at the big picture, I have so much to be thankful for.

Give Thanks - Don Moen with Lyrics


 

Christmas 2013 - is what we do a celebration of Jesus birth?

Christmas 2013 is almost here. Its seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas 2012.

Its a busy time of year as we scramble to buy gifts, go to gatherings and Christmas parties and so on. Why do we do it all? Is it because we enjoy all of these things? All the fuss and stress during this busy season doesn't seem leave expressions of joy on us all.

Its seems like Christmas has become a reason to celebrate, an excuse to celebrate, but what is the central purpose of the celebration? We are quite removed from a time long ago when a babe was born in a manger. Many of us live in a land of plenty so relying on a saviour, that same babe that died for our sins many years ago also seems at times quite distant when we can seem so self sufficient.

Perhaps if we live charmed lives, we need to discipline ourselves a little more to be thankful for the greatest gift of all, then say people who have little and are desperately seeking a saviour.

My kids know the real reason for Christmas, but all of the other stuff we do during this time of year seems to overshadow the real reason for many of us. I mean lets be real, if I give them a flashy new toy and tell them the Christmas story, which do you think is going to grab there attention more?

So I ask myself, what am I going to do this Christmas season to remember the gift of Jesus? What am I going to do to remember the real purpose for all of our modern day celebrations?

O Holy Night - Josh Groban
Chris Tomlin - Joy to the World
Leaving Heaven - Matthew West

Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1-12 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”).
²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[h] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[i]”

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Luke 2:1-21 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

 

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Does the old testiment apply today (Leviticus 18-19)

Many of us today discount many parts of the bible because we feel they are cultural and don't apply in today's culture. The challenge with that is what do you discount and what do you give credit to?

Many discount the Old Testament because they feel we entered a period of Grace in the new testament and that the old no longer applies. Done with the law and in with grace. The challenge with that theory is the God of the New testament is the God of the Old testament times too. Do we really think his standard of living changed that much for us?

Hebrews 13:8 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever

Perhaps we need to more prayerfully consider what is cultural vs what isn't. Some things are obvious like say, we don't wear sandals and ride a camel as was common in that culture, other things like are detailed in Leviticus 18 and 19 apply today too.

Click on link to Leviticus 18 where detail is provided as to what kind of sexual relations we should avoid. In today's world we can see the consequences of relations that are not God honouring. We can see the hurt caused by lust leading to affairs. So should we discount these guidelines laid out for us in the Old testament? Would we not be in a better place if we adhered to them?

When Leviticus 19 (click on link) details that we should not turn to idols, steal, lie, deceive, pervert justice, hate our brother, practise divination or sorcery, should we simply discount these things because they are before Jesus died to pay for our sins? Should we discount them because his death paid for our sins and we are free from the law? What does free from the law mean? Does it mean there are no standards to live by, that we can do as we want because the blanket of God's grace covers us? We can clearly see what happens when we deviate from these guideline's, we can see the ugliness of sin in full form.

Canada was founded on Biblical principles. Would you say that our country has become more or less God fearing as we have chosen to put many of these principles in a closet? Is sin and evil more or less prevalent today? The current divorce rate would suggest sin is on the rise. Horrific events would suggest sin is on the rise? The breakdown of family would suggest sin is on the rise. What will it take for us to return to biblical based principles? How long will we think we know better?

Rather then try and decipher what applies based on our knowledge, perhaps we would do well to rely on God to direct us as we navigate his word. Oh but that would require faith? Are we willing to do that, to place our lives and futures in his hand, to let him lead us?

Whens the last time I opened his word and my heart to him to guide my every action? How are you doing with this?

Thankful for the blood of Jesus (Leviticus 1-7)

What can make me whole again, "nothing but the blood of Jesus". Sometimes I take for granted the great sacrifice of my saviour, the blood that he shed so that my sins could once and for all be forgiven and so that I could spend eternity with him.

I am reading through the book of Leviticus, which provides great and lengthy detail into the different sacrifices that the Israelites were required to make for sin offerings, fellowship offerings, etc. and then also the different kinds of offerings that they were to make, like burnt offerings, grain offerings, etc.
One has only to read this to be thankful that Jesus paid the price and we don't have to make these offerings that are described in pain staking detail. There is so much detail that they would be so easy to mess up.

Are you thankful for the blood of Jesus today? Have you been washed white as snow?

Check out the scripture link (http://www.biblegateway.com);

Leviticus 1-7 (New International Version)

Check out these song links;

Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus

Nothing But The Blood - Hillsong United

Nothing But The Blood - Matt Redman

By His Wounds - Steven Curtis Chapman........

Golf and christianity

In the game of golf, when striking the ball it is very important not to look up to admire where you think the ball may end up. If you prematurely lift your head and take your eye off the ball as you are about to strike the ball you will likely affect your swing and the result will not be as desired. You may duff the ball and see it go only several yards in the grass instead of that 300 yard arcing drive that you were hoping for.

I was thinking about my relationship with God and drawing a similarity, when I take my focus off of him, my overall joy suffers. Similarly to taking my focus off of the ball and looking to see where it may land, when I worry about my future I am taking my eyes and focus off of God and the present.

Click on song link:
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Alan Jackson

The other parallel with the game of golf is that often the harder you try, the worse your game gets. Golf is all about relaxing and technique. So seems the Christian life, when we relax in the arms of Jesus and allow him to work in and through us, the results are much better.

Click on song link:
I Surrender - Hillsong Live

Matthew 16:24 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Click on song link:
Lead me Lord- Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

How quickly we turn our backs (Exodus 32:1-4)

We are not very patient are we? We so quickly lose faith and turn to other things, even idols for a source of comfort and strength. The Israelites even after the amazing display of power that they had witnessed from God, were so quick to grumble and turn on God. They do it yet again in the below passage.

Exodus 32:1-4 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods^[a] who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

² Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,^[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

I don't think the Israelites are alone here. I can certainly see similarities in my own journey when rather than trust and wait on God, I have tried to determine my own path by putting my trust in other things, rather than clinging to an all knowing God.

My faith can be so fragile and fleeting.

How are you doing in the faith department

Why do I doubt God when..........(Exodus 14:21-31)

Why do I doubt God when I read of the amazing things he has done, after all he is the same God today as he was when he created the world, parted the sea for the Israelites and on and on his feats go. So why do I find it so hard to trust this same God with my life, with my future, with things of less significance than parting a sea?

Exodus 14:21-31 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, ²² and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. ²⁵ He jammed^[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. ²⁸ The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant

As I read biblical time happenings like this I am reminded again of the importance of filling myself with God's word to remind me of his power, goodness, grace, etc. I am far from alone on this journey, he very much wants to be part of it, if I would only consistently choose to let him be.

Click on the below links to 2 beautiful songs;

Michael W Smith - Awesome God
How great thou art

But Lord I am so inadequate (Exodus 4:10-17)

But Lord I am so inadequate.....do ya know the feeling? Have you ever felt called to something you felt so inadequate for? Or perhaps you are in the midst of a journey and you wonder how on earth you can honour God's name in the midst of your journey, your struggle.

Well we are not alone, the great Moses also felt inadequate and actually refused to trust God to speak for and through him to give the "Let the Israelites go speeches" requiring his brother Aaron to do the talking. Check out the passage.

Exodus 4:10-17 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. ¹⁷ But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

I can relate to this as my wife and I have felt so inadequate to honor God and fulfil his purpose in the health journey's he has allowed us to be on. We have found him to be faithful though if we choose to seek him.

Are we reluctant like Moses? Do we feel inadequate like Moses did? How are we responding to what God is asking of us? 

We can draw encouragement from the fact that great bible characters like Moses had the same struggles we do.

I Surrender

Walk With Me

forgotten promises (Exodus 1:6-11)

Have you experienced a change in supervisors or boss's in your life? Perhaps if you have, you have felt like Joseph's family in the below text. Perhaps with your new supervisor or boss you have found that the promises and plans of your previous one have not been carried on.

This is how Joseph's family found things, once a prominent family of high standing, they were now being treated poorly under a new regime.

Exodus 1:6-11 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, ⁷ but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
⁸ Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. ⁹ “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. ¹⁰ Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
¹¹ So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Your story may not be as brutal, but you may well have experienced this in some form. It's very hard to remain faithful to God and be happy in the midst of disappointment at the hand of others.