Exodus 23:29-20 - "But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land."
As I was meditating on this verse, the Lord showed me that sometimes we are in hurry to attain the goals we have set for ourselves. Also, God has given us promises, and we may be in a hurry to see them accomplished.
God had promised the people of Israel the whole land of Canaan, but not in a single year. God knew what they could handle. God knew they could to drive everyone out in a single year, but not able to keep control of it or care for it. God knows how much we can handle and what is best for us. God is always on time. We usually don't see the whole picture.
Abraham had Ishmael with Sarah's servant because he didn't see the whole picture. It wasn't a lack of faith on his part, but a lack of understanding. Often we plow ahead in our own strength and understanding, when it is not God's timing or way.
Many are wanting bigger ministries, higher positions, more money, faster results, and greater success. Yet, you may not be ready for these things. The time may not be right. God may have to a work in you first. There are certain things God is preparing and putting in place. God prophesied hundreds of years before Christ's coming that he would come and save us, but the timing wasn't right. If you look at when Christ came, it was the ideal time. There was not better time in history to establish His church.
So if today, you are getting impatient, maybe even discouraged, don't. God hasn't forgotten His promises, nor has he forgotten you. He is in full control, and knows what is best.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Grumbling
Exodus 16:8 - "Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.”
In this passage the people have been recently delivered from Egypt and are now in the desert and they were grumbling against Moses and Aaron and how they were brought out into the desert to die. We see in this verse that Moses said that they weren't grumbling not against them, but against God.
If you ask a believer, do they grumble against God? I would say that most would say no. We may grumble about people or grumble because of the circumstances, but while in actuality, we are grumbling against God. We are directing our complaining against a person or some circumstance, but indirectly we are saying to God, we are not pleased with you.We are not pleased with the lot you have given us in life.
As well we need to take extra precautions not to complain about the leadership that God has put over us. We see that God often judged the people hard for their grumbling and rebellion against their leadership. God does not take grumbling lightly.
The Bible exhorts us to rejoice always. (Philippians 4:4)
In this passage the people have been recently delivered from Egypt and are now in the desert and they were grumbling against Moses and Aaron and how they were brought out into the desert to die. We see in this verse that Moses said that they weren't grumbling not against them, but against God.
If you ask a believer, do they grumble against God? I would say that most would say no. We may grumble about people or grumble because of the circumstances, but while in actuality, we are grumbling against God. We are directing our complaining against a person or some circumstance, but indirectly we are saying to God, we are not pleased with you.We are not pleased with the lot you have given us in life.
As well we need to take extra precautions not to complain about the leadership that God has put over us. We see that God often judged the people hard for their grumbling and rebellion against their leadership. God does not take grumbling lightly.
The Bible exhorts us to rejoice always. (Philippians 4:4)
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Amnesia
Exodus 14:10-12 - "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
How easily we forget God's power, and what he has done for us. God showed his mighty power in Egypt and delivered them from slavery. He not only delivered them, but caused the Egyptians to give them goods and weapons. Yet, the minute they saw trouble, they turned on God.
How often do we do the same thing. We might not be as radical in our statements as the people of Israel, but none the less, we have amnesia about all that God has done for us. As result, we panic and scurry about in a frenzy, often trying to resolve the problem on our own. The seeming immediate doom blinds us to God's love, grace, mercy and power.
Lord help us in those times to calm our minds and hearts and rest in your faithfulness.
How easily we forget God's power, and what he has done for us. God showed his mighty power in Egypt and delivered them from slavery. He not only delivered them, but caused the Egyptians to give them goods and weapons. Yet, the minute they saw trouble, they turned on God.
How often do we do the same thing. We might not be as radical in our statements as the people of Israel, but none the less, we have amnesia about all that God has done for us. As result, we panic and scurry about in a frenzy, often trying to resolve the problem on our own. The seeming immediate doom blinds us to God's love, grace, mercy and power.
Lord help us in those times to calm our minds and hearts and rest in your faithfulness.
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Shortest Way is not always the Best Way.
Exodus 13:17-18 - "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle."
The shortest route to our destination or goal is not always the best.
The people of Israel were not ready for the fight, even though they were armed for battle. God knows what we can handle, and protects us from ourselves. He sometimes takes us the long way and seemingly more difficult way to prepare us for more difficult times and ready us for what he has in store for us. God has his perfect timing and plan for our lives. We need to seek the road he would have us travel to avoid the pitfalls of life.
Israel was clothed had the weapons of this world as they left Egypt, but God wanted to equip them with spiritual weapons such as obedience, righteousness and faith.
The shortest route to our destination or goal is not always the best.
The people of Israel were not ready for the fight, even though they were armed for battle. God knows what we can handle, and protects us from ourselves. He sometimes takes us the long way and seemingly more difficult way to prepare us for more difficult times and ready us for what he has in store for us. God has his perfect timing and plan for our lives. We need to seek the road he would have us travel to avoid the pitfalls of life.
Israel was clothed had the weapons of this world as they left Egypt, but God wanted to equip them with spiritual weapons such as obedience, righteousness and faith.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Love in Action
I John 3:11-20 talks about love in action. We are not to love in word only, but show our love by our actions. Love is much talked about, but little seen. The action God requires of us as believers is to lay down our lives for others. Ouch! Most of us are ready to lay down our lives for our family, but not those outside of the family.
The Bible clearly shows us that we have greater family which is the family of Christ. We are not to put any less value on them than we do our own flesh and blood family. Christ valued us so much that he died for us. Everyone is precious in God's sight. John goes even farther to say that those who don't love as Christ loved are not His children. We are still dead in our sin. Wow! Of course, don't forget, if you hate a member of Christ family, you are murderer. These are hard statements.
Examine your heart and actions today. How do you measure on a scale 1 to 10? How would others measure you on a scale 1 to 10?
Lord fill us with your love this day. We can not do it on our own.
The Bible clearly shows us that we have greater family which is the family of Christ. We are not to put any less value on them than we do our own flesh and blood family. Christ valued us so much that he died for us. Everyone is precious in God's sight. John goes even farther to say that those who don't love as Christ loved are not His children. We are still dead in our sin. Wow! Of course, don't forget, if you hate a member of Christ family, you are murderer. These are hard statements.
Examine your heart and actions today. How do you measure on a scale 1 to 10? How would others measure you on a scale 1 to 10?
Lord fill us with your love this day. We can not do it on our own.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Faithfulness
Proverbs 20:6 - "Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?"
Faithfulness is truly a rarity these days. God is seeking those who are faithful. I believe that faithfulness is one of the highest qualities of Christian character. Yet, it is not talked about much.
It is interesting to see that this verse talks about unfailing love before it goes into faithfulness. This is because faithfulness come out of love for God and others. Our steadfast commitment to God comes out of our love, therefore, our lack of faithfulness towards him and others show our lack of love for Him. In the same way our lack of faithfulness in relation to others shows our lack of love for that person or persons.
Now there is a faithfulness that does not come from love. This faithfulness comes from a sense of duty or obligation. This kind of faithfulness can be strong, but never as strong as the faithfulness that comes out of love.
God call us to love him and others;therefore, he calls us to faithfulness in all that we do. Are we faithful to our family? Are we faithful to the church? Are we faithful in the work place?
We need to say the prayer of David in Psalms 86:11 - "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Faithfulness is truly a rarity these days. God is seeking those who are faithful. I believe that faithfulness is one of the highest qualities of Christian character. Yet, it is not talked about much.
It is interesting to see that this verse talks about unfailing love before it goes into faithfulness. This is because faithfulness come out of love for God and others. Our steadfast commitment to God comes out of our love, therefore, our lack of faithfulness towards him and others show our lack of love for Him. In the same way our lack of faithfulness in relation to others shows our lack of love for that person or persons.
Now there is a faithfulness that does not come from love. This faithfulness comes from a sense of duty or obligation. This kind of faithfulness can be strong, but never as strong as the faithfulness that comes out of love.
God call us to love him and others;therefore, he calls us to faithfulness in all that we do. Are we faithful to our family? Are we faithful to the church? Are we faithful in the work place?
We need to say the prayer of David in Psalms 86:11 - "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Friday, February 3, 2012
God Chaser
What are you seeking from the Lord today? The Bible says God loves to give us the desires of our heart, but sometimes God is waiting to see how much we desire it and if we trust Him to meet our desires. Do you really and truly believe God can meet your need, then show it by your actions. Sometimes it is only through perseverance and persistence we obtain our goal.
Let us look at some examples in God's word.
The first would be the woman who was subject to bleeding for twelve years in Mark 5:24-34. Jesus was passing by with a crowd of people around him, pressed up against him. The woman thought if only I could touch his cloak I will be healed. She pressed through the crowd until she was able to reach out and touch his cloak. She was them immediately healed. When Jesus discovered who had done this, he said your faith has healed you. What if the woman had not been determined to touch Jesus? She would have never been healed.
Another example is the paralytic man in Mark 2:1-12. Here Jesus is doing a teaching session in someones home and the room where he was teaching was full and running out of the door. Full to the extent that a person couldn't even squeeze by someone to get to Jesus. Note this was not a healing service. Of course this didn't bother the paralytic man and his four helpers. They were determined to see Jesus and be healed by him. No one or nothing was going to stand in their way. Jesus was in their home town and they weren't going to pass up this opportunity.Therefore, they went onto the roof of the room, dug a hole through the roof and let down the paralytic man on his stretcher to be healed. As we know he was healed. Not only healed, but his sins were forgiven. The man was healed physically and spiritually.
Whatever your need may be today don't let doubt, the crowd or lack of persistence hinder you from receiving what God desires to give you.
Let us look at some examples in God's word.
The first would be the woman who was subject to bleeding for twelve years in Mark 5:24-34. Jesus was passing by with a crowd of people around him, pressed up against him. The woman thought if only I could touch his cloak I will be healed. She pressed through the crowd until she was able to reach out and touch his cloak. She was them immediately healed. When Jesus discovered who had done this, he said your faith has healed you. What if the woman had not been determined to touch Jesus? She would have never been healed.
Another example is the paralytic man in Mark 2:1-12. Here Jesus is doing a teaching session in someones home and the room where he was teaching was full and running out of the door. Full to the extent that a person couldn't even squeeze by someone to get to Jesus. Note this was not a healing service. Of course this didn't bother the paralytic man and his four helpers. They were determined to see Jesus and be healed by him. No one or nothing was going to stand in their way. Jesus was in their home town and they weren't going to pass up this opportunity.Therefore, they went onto the roof of the room, dug a hole through the roof and let down the paralytic man on his stretcher to be healed. As we know he was healed. Not only healed, but his sins were forgiven. The man was healed physically and spiritually.
Whatever your need may be today don't let doubt, the crowd or lack of persistence hinder you from receiving what God desires to give you.
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