As We See Fit

“You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit…But you will cross…and settle in the land the LORD your God is giving you…Then to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name – there you are to bring everything…your offerings and sacrifices…your special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the LORD.” De 12:8-11.

In considering this passage today, I took note of two things that were direct commands from God.  In preparation of the Israelites crossing over into their Promised Land, He warned them to refrain from operating individually.  Can you imagine the scene if hundreds of thousands of people did as they each saw fit?  Moses had to communicate the message that they were a group of God’s chosen who were one people set apart, instead of a group of individuals acting on their own preferences. Secondly, he instructed them that once they cross into the land of abundance they must remain true to the vows they gave God.  His message then was the same message we should take to heart now…we will never reach our full spiritual potential that God intended for us if we continue to do as we see fit.  Once we act as a people set apart…apart from our own desires…we will operate in our spiritual abundance God intended.

Every one of us knows what that certain thing is…that vice or behavior which we continuously choose which is a barrier in our faith.  God intends us to arrive to our promised lands but He will not move us there until our hearts are ready to offer…to sacrifice…to give…to serve.  Our choice possessions are things that are important to us…things that we see fit for our lives...our preferences and desires.  They are things that we have vowed to God to surrender to bridge better fellowship with Him. Through more pure fellowship we are given the special gifts from God to make a difference in His kingdom…the Promised Land. 

This morning I have been convicted of a vow I made, that I have not yet fulfilled.  I saw fit to do a million other things in my week.  I am thankful that we have a God who knows our hearts and will help us be faithful in our calling.  Acting as one people set apart can be challenging but through Christ we can triumph over ever temptation, leaving the wilderness and settling into our land of spiritual abundance. 

“But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It's like a fragrance that fills the air” 2 Co 2:14.

Do Not Weep!

“Who is worthy…But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could…I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy…Then one…said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion…the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able…!’” Rev 5:2-5.

Yesterday I was privileged to speak at a Christian Women’s lunch with wonderful ladies including my sweet mother. In explaining the horrendous issue of human trafficking in our country I could see the disbelief and discouragement in the eyes of most of the women. It is incomprehensible that our country would be experiencing such blatant offenses against little children. As I continued to speak I could feel the hopelessness and discouragement in the room rising, including in my own heart. All of a sudden the message from the Lord shot into me like a bullet from heaven, ‘Brenda, remind them that I am able!’ Of course, why didn’t I think to say that? How did I leave out the most powerful part of my speech? I remember that my arm shot up in the air and I began speaking the words God gave me instead of referring to my pages of statistics. God’s message for me to share reminded me of our scripture this morning. ‘Do not weep! Do not despair ladies! See, the Lion… our Christ has triumphed over this evil! HE IS ABLE and HE IS WORTHY!'

This morning my Bible Study confirmed His worthiness and His abilities. ‘Therefore, he is able to save completely…’ Hebrews 7:25. Our passage doesn’t tell us that He can save in some areas but we are left alone in other areas. Paul doesn’t write that Christ partially works in some circumstances, but other offenses are beyond His abilities. He encourages us with truth and confidence that Christ saves completely. It is so interesting how we trust Him for the past (Christ died on the cross for us so we might live), we trust Him for our future (we will join Him in eternity), so why on earth do we forget that we can trust Him in our present? We can trust Him with our finances…we can trust Him with our children…we can trust Him with our marriages. We can trust that He is able and worthy of our trust. On day He will make all wrongs right, and justify all injustices.

So do not weep in your circumstances for there will be a great day of reconciliation and restoration for all of our earthly suffering and wounds. We will be reunited in heaven with those who went before us and triumphed over earth because of the work of the One who is able!

Unauthorized Fire

“Aaron’s sons…took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command…So fire came out and consumed them, and they died…” Leviticus 10:1-2.

‘Next to Moses and Aaron, none were more likely to be honorable in Israel than Nadab and Abihu. There is reason to think that they were puffed up with pride, and that they were heated with wine. While the people were prostrate before the Lord, adoring his presence and glory, they rushed into the tabernacle to burn incense, though not at the appointed time; both together, instead of one alone, and with fire not taken from the altar’ Bible Gateway.  In considering this commentary I was struck with the phrase ‘unauthorized fire.’  These men no doubt would have known the proper protocol when approaching God.  They were chosen by God to succeed their father, Aaron had they lived.  (Ex 24:1) 

So what happened?  Were they drunk and lost both self-control and reverence to God as one of my commentary states?  Were they dissatisfied with their temporary position feeling like they deserved a higher standing in their work?  Did they lose sight that all positions come from God and He determines worth and value?  How different are we when considering our own lives?  We cannot rush into God’s dwelling place and compromise our fellowship by entitlement and pride…unauthorized fire.  We must approach Him in deep reverence and humility accepting that He alone determines our position in life, not us.  We must build our lives around Him instead of expecting Him to build His life around ours.  We cannot come to Him with a sense of entitlement, but with the acknowledgement that everything from Him is a good and perfect gift (James 1:17).  When we see ourselves against the backdrop of the cross we will have a more humble view of who we are in Christ.  If only Aaron’s sons would have taken their authorized steps instead of following their thoughts on what position they esteemed for themselves.  If only they would have been part of the people who were worshiping the Lord’s presence and glory instead of moving apart from the people to bolster themselves.  May we worship God in the purest of ways…our spirit to His. 

‘Spiritual worship comes from our very core and is fueled by an awesome reverence and desire for God.  Spiritual worship is focusing all we are on all He is…It is the incomparable expression of both awe and affection for God.  And it is one of the highest privileges we can experience on this earth.’ A Woman’s Heart – God’s Dwelling Place; Beth Moore p. 121

Make a Table

“Make a table…Also make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.  Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners…The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table…Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times” Exodus 25:23-30.

 

God was very specific about everything involved with the temple.  One of the most important designs was the table constructed to display the bread of the Presence.  “In this phrase, ‘Presence’ refers to the presence of God himself” NIV Study Bible, p. 125.  In reading this today, I couldn’t help but to consider that possibly the bread foreshadowed the life, death and resurrection of Christ.  If Presence represented God then the bread of the presence seems to point to the body of Christ to be broken for us all.  ‘The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread…he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Co 11:23-24

 

With so much of the Old Testament foreshadowing the New Testament, we can also apply the symbolism to our lives.  We are to make a table by accepting that we need fellowship with God.  We are to make around it a rim with a molding by carving out space in our day, and protecting the time we set aside to ensure the Bread will not fall away from our table.  We are to use our gifts as the poles to carry Christ into a dark world displaying the Bread of Life to all so they can also partake.  We are to strive to put Christ ahead of everything so that God will be glorified. 

 

As I apply this to my own life I know that I am to always make sure the Bread is being displayed on my table, to protect my time with the Bread, and to always carry the Bread out into the world for others to partake.

 

“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again’” John 6:35.

Tending Our Lamps

“…tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning, continually.” Leviticus 24:3.

As God was giving instructions in the wilderness one of the most important commands was to keep the lampstand burning in the wilderness tabernacle from evening until morning.  I have always loved the lampstand as it is rich in symbolism and powerful in application.  The golden lamp had a center post with three extended arms on each side making a total of 7 lights, the number of completion and perfection.  On each arm right under the light were golden almond buds which represented the seven perfections of the Spirit of God.  The middle shaft represented the Lord while the other six represented fear (reverence), knowledge, might, counsel, understanding, and wisdom.  The fueling of the lampstand came from the oil of pressed olives which foreshadowed the work of Christ.  He was the one who was crushed and pressed on the cross. ‘But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.’ Isaiah 53:5.  Once Christ died and was resurrected, the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell in all believers, becoming the fueling power in our faith.  What is our part in being ‘a light in the world’ as Christ describes his followers in Matthew 5:14?

We are to continuously tend to our lamps.  We are to bring our hearts and minds before the Lord allowing Him to do the work required in our lives.  Notice that we need Him to be a part of tending to our lives.  We do not need to tend...strive…toil all alone when it comes to our faith.  We are to bring it to Him and participate with Him in the process.  The phrase ‘tend the lamps’ translates to ‘keep in order the lamps before the Lord.’  When we come into God’s presence it must be in the order that honors Him…in humility…in surrender…in reverence…in deep gratitude.  When we approach Him, allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to fuel our faith we reflect the light of Christ in a dark world.  I was blessed this morning to read a beautiful description of how we are God’s lampstands against a dark backdrop.  ‘When we receive Christ…the fuel of the Holy Spirit sparks the life of Christ in our hearts.  Although the light can never be extinguished, the brightness of our flame entirely depends on how much oil (the Holy Spirit) we allow Christ to pour on us…The Father offered the Light (John 1) and created every human wick to receive it (2 Pet 3:9).  The Son came bearing the light to any who will receive it.  The Holy Spirit came to fuel it perpetually. If we do not burn with a passionate flame, it is because we have limited God, who prepared us for victory.' A Woman's Heart, Beth Moore, p. 103.

'Do not quench the Spirit' 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  When the word “quench” is used in Scripture, it is speaking of suppressing fire. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is a fire dwelling in each believer. He wants to express Himself in our actions and attitudes. When believers do not allow the Spirit to be seen in our actions, when we do what we know is wrong, we suppress or quench the Spirit.  We do not allow the Spirit to reveal Himself the way that He wants to.' www.gotquestions.org.

May we all tend our lamps so we will not suppress the Fire.

The Gardener

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:1-4

I can look at different seasons over the past seven years that produced challenges in my life.  Once I moved out of those seasons I could better determine the areas in which God had worked.  Many times it was areas in my character that dealt with setting boundaries or seeking credit for accomplishments.  The one thing they all have in common is the loving manner in which He handled them.  He revealed the fruit that was bitter and cleaned the fruit that was healthy.  The translation for ‘prune’ in our passage this morning is ‘to clean.’ The object of cleaning fruit is to polish what is already there making it more pleasing.  God polished the good fruit in my life and cut away the bad by applying the fruit of His spirit …love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

It is our human nature to wince at change and dread the troubles that life will produce.  We can be assured that it is through the friction and tension of adversity that the good fruit will be polished and cleaned.  We can be confident that whatever God has taken away will be replaced with the sweetness of new fruit…healthy and fruit to be shared with others.  Change can be both scary and challenging, but the beautiful thing about change is it never stays put.  Seasons come and seasons go and we must allow the Gardener to do the work in the change.  When we allow Him access and be part of it instead of resisting the change our lives will be transformed and others will recognize the work of the Lord in our lives.

‘This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.’ John 15:9-10.

On The Move

“When the camp is to move…the bread that is continually there is to remain on it…They must not touch the holy things…” Numbers 4:5, 7b, 15

Bruce and I are pushing up against the one year mark of uncertainty in one area of our lives.  It has been primarily Bruce’s tough journey with me just walking hand in hand beside him.  God definitely began moving the camp last November.  We knew immediately that we would only get through this wilderness through God’s provisions and grace…‘the Bread that would continually be there for us and would remain faithful.’ There were times we wanted to take matters into our own hands, but like God’s instructions for the Korahites in the wilderness we had to respect God’s plan for us.  We had to keep our hands off of the holy things…the things God has purposed for us in this season…this journey… this pilgrimage. 

There will always be uncertain times for every pilgrim as we make our way across the desert and into the gates of Heaven.  When our camps are on the move…moving through medical challenges…moving through job change…moving through a tough marital season…moving through financial leanness… the Bread will continually be there.  We must allow God’s provisions and will to remain at the center of our move.  In the Bible when the ark threatened to topple over, Uzzah reached out to steady it, going against God's command to never touch the ark being transported.  (2 Samuel 6:6)  We cannot try to ‘steady the ark’ by reaching out and altering God’s plan with our human reasoning.  ‘The man full of light and intelligence discerns that God steadies his own ark, dictates his own affairs, guides his people, controls his kingdom, governs nations, and holds the hearts of all living in his hands, and turns them hither and thither at his pleasure... There is not the least danger of disagreeing with persons enjoying the Holy Spirit.’ (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.231)

So I ask all of us this morning in our individual circumstances, are we steadying the ark or are we enjoying the Holy Spirit?  Take encouragement in the truth that the Bread will always be there in all seasons and will remain faithful in our journeys.

Gathering Firewood

“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not burn out.  Every morning the priest is to add firewood…and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it” Leviticus 6:12.  “The flesh and the hide he burned up outside the camp” Leviticus 9:11.

The Lord was very specific when He gave instructions for the offerings from His people that would be pleasing to Him.  First and foremost, the fire had to be attended to first thing each morning to assure it would not burn out.  Without fire there would be not flame, and without flame there would be no offering.  When an animal was prepared for the offering the two sacred elements were the blood and the fat.  These were the offerings that were pleasing and acceptable to God…the blood that was shed enabling the fat to be rendered.  These were the fellowship offerings surrendered to God which resulted in shared blessings and God’s presence.  Notice that there was no place before God for the flesh and the hide of the offering…it wasn’t allowed to be in the holy presence of God.

In considering this Old Testament ritual as a New Testament believer I can’t help but to draw parallels between the two.  We too must rise early in the morning and bring the fuel of our hearts to God’s feet.    We must tend to our spiritual fires, for that is where we will fellowship with God.   He will render the purest and most delightful part of our offerings…our love…our reverence…our commitment to Him.  We must be cautious to leave ‘the flesh and the hide outside.’  The flesh is that world offering that tries to crowd in on our faith…the hide is what we do to cover the flesh once it appears.  Like Adam and Eve where sin crowds in, so does shame.  God wants us to enter with open hands and open hearts to receive the fellowship with Him that the shedding of the blood of Christ affords us.

God is primarily concerned with our fellowship through the death and resurrection of His Son.  It was the once and for all sacrificial death which atoned for our sins, making us acceptable before God.  'Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace'  Hebrews 4:16.

Let us not waste a moment but gather the wood, fuel the fire and fellowship with God.

Doing Good

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people” Galatians 6:9-10.

I truly believe one of the most amazing aspects of the Bible is that what was written with a focus on eternity can be successfully lived out in our temporal home on earth.  God has said that we can have the kingdom of heaven on earth as a deposit of a guaranteed eternal life.  Our passage this morning is an exhortation from Paul to the Galatians.  He was telling them that much work is required in the business of God, and realized how easy it was to get discouraged.  The very people they were working so hard to win over…those who would benefit greatly…were unappreciative and self-centered.  He encouraged them to stay the course doing good…gently restoring those believers when they went astray…carrying their burdens when they were burdened themselves…taking personal responsibility with their own weaknesses.  These were a few of the ‘doing good’ attitudes which we necessary for their future rewards. 

We are faced with a multitude of discouraging circumstances and seasons in our lives.  Let’s be honest with our hearts…who doesn’t get weary from the back and forth emotions of being fed by the Word and forgetting it so quickly?  We go to God to receive His comfort and claim His promises, and by mid-morning we are tired, angry or downright despaired.  All we want to do is give in to our misery and be justified in our emotions.  But, once we choose to see our circumstances with the backdrop of the cross, we never are satisfied with remaining in our misery.  Oh, it might feel good for the day but God calls us to something beyond ourselves.  He gives us opportunities daily to do good for others…to make our own lives count for spiritual significance.  It seems to me that that anecdote for being built up and encouraged is to take the God-given opportunities of building up the lives of others through His grace and wisdom.  That is when we will reap the harvest of our rewards, some to be enjoyed and experienced on earth while others are being stored up in heaven.

“The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands” De 28:12.

Invisible Fabrics

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on your new self…” Ephesians 4:22-24.

I have always been entertained by the plot of The Emperor’s Clothes written by Hans Christian Andersen.  ‘It is based upon a vain Emperor who hires two swindlers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or "hopelessly stupid". The Emperor's ministers cannot see the clothing themselves, but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions and the Emperor does the same. Finally the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk play along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Then a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all (Wikipedia.org).’   The emperor was suddenly mindful of the fact that the swindlers had tricked him, thus completely exposing him.

The emperor was deceived and we are no different.  We have a swindler who surrounds us with promises of greatness…mental attitudes of entitlement…encouragements of superiority.  Satan has both witnessed and encouraged us to clothe ourselves in his finest suit…ego…judgment…selfish desires…flesh agendas.  We march around in our garments which are invisible to others, not realizing that we are only ones who can see our greatness.  Eventually, that little childlike voice from within, the Holy Spirit, tugs on our self-made robes and says ‘you are not wearing the garment I gave you…you are naked.’ Suddenly, our mind sees crystal clear and we see that we have put off the clothes that Christ laid out for us.  As we walk out our days as Christians, our wardrobe is to be according to the Bible’s description.

‘Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ Colossians 3:12. ‘All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”’ 1 Peter 5:5.

A Fragrant Blend

“Take fragrant spices…and make a fragrant blend of incense” Exodus 30:34.

God gave Moses specific instructions regarding the building of His temporary sanctuary. One of the commands was to blend different spices which created an aroma of incense.  This fragrance would be both unique and pleasurable to God.  My commentary states, ‘The tabernacle incense was unique and not to be duplicated or used for any other purpose’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 266.

We have each been called to build a temporary sanctuary for God to come and dwell…our hearts.  We too must blend different spices so that our lives will be a pleasing fragrance to the Lord.  Our unique fragrance will be how we live our lives through our attitudes and actions.  We will exude a spiritual scent that will reflect the manner in how we treat others and the grace that we give others.  When we are walking in step with the Holy Spirit we will create our own special blend of spices.  ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;’ Gal 5:22.

Anything contradictory to these ‘spices’ weaken the beautiful aroma that our lives should give off to others.  We are the fragrance of Christ meant to leave a lasting scent on both believers and non-believers. ‘Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing’ 2 Co 2:15.

It is written that the wise men ‘…bowed down and worshipped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with…incense’ Matthew 2:11.  So I ask myself this morning several questions and I invite you to join me.  Am I giving God my most valuable treasure, that ‘thing’ that is most important to me?  Is my fragrance pleasing to God, resembling His Son?  What spices do I need to refine to make my aroma pleasing to others?

When we identify characteristics in ourselves that might offend others we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us transform our hearts and renew our minds.  Through our spiritual work we will develop our own unique blend creating a beautiful life that will be a pleasing scent to our Father.

Six Lonely Days

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets…with the commands I have written…” Exodus 24:12.

I remember three or so years ago Bruce and I were trying to make a big decision in our lives that required lots of prayer.  We had prayed together and individually, desiring nothing more than to hear from God on this decision.  We went away for the weekend and took many walks during that stay at the beach.  One afternoon we decided to walk hand in hand to the end of the pier over the ocean.  We were standing near the end when my phone rang, at which point I answered since I knew it was someone with whom I needed to arrange an appointment.  Upon hanging up, I turned around to find Bruce at the very end of the pier alone on his knees.  I just stood there and knew that I was not invited to that gathering.  That gathering was between Father and son… the seeker and the sought after…the guided and the Guide. 

Joshua experienced the same thing as Moses was called to go on up ahead...ascend to the top alone...and meet with God.  ‘Joshua went with Moses partway but then stopped and waited, for the Lord intended to speak only to Moses during that time.  Moses had to wait six days as the glory of the LORD settled’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 254.  I never noticed that God waited six days to begin unfolding the blueprint of His plan for Moses.  We are told that Moses had to wait to receive the instruction of the Lord.  That meant that there was a block of time when Moses sat in the cloud with no visibility...no plan…no direction.  He knew that there were people down below who depended on him for direction, wisdom and answers.  I find it interesting that God stayed silent for the same amount of time it took for Him to create the world. 

It is no different as our Father calls us to come and meet with Him in our times of least visibility.  He beckons us to those lonely places to meet with us intimately.  As we are being still, He is being active … actively creating as we are surrendering…actively arranging as we are waiting.  It is a sacred place where no one else is invited for it is the place of individual revelation. 

If you are on top of that lonely mountain where you cannot see the horizon, take comfort that God has called you to commune with Him.  He has personally chosen you for a time ‘such as this’ and has important instructions for you.  Just because He is silent during this time, don’t think for a moment you have been forgotten.  While you are in limbo, He is creating and arranging His perfect plan for your life.  Hold on…your seventh day is coming!

And In God's Hands...

“I remember my affliction and my wandering…I well remember them…and my soul is downcast within me. Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness…The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him” Lamentations 3:19-24.

There is nothing worse than being totally consumed with something. Try as we may our mind continues to find that resting spot where despair lingers. We try to redirect our thinking to something else and quickly we realize we are chewing on the same thoughts...thoughts that seem to consume us. It is believed that Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah following the destruction of Jerusalem. How he must have despaired over what was lost. Never could he have imagined that circumstances would lead to such a desolate landscape. He lamented that to remember was to acknowledge how afflicted he felt. He wrote that to remember was to consider that he was a man wandering around in a temporary land. He didn’t want to be there…he longed for the beauty of his lost land. Yet, he chose to call to mind a weapon to fight his own thoughts…the weapon is called hope based on God’s great love and compassionate character. He reminded himself that he could go to God every morning for His comfort and faithfulness. He knew that while he had no control over the wait, he did have control over the hope. And so, in his temporary life situation he set his mind on hope.

Do you long for the beauty of your lost land? Do you lament over the things of the past and long for the things of the future? We all have experienced loss and affliction where we must continuously walk through that land to get to the other side. The one thing that most afflictions have in common is that waiting is involved…waiting to see if the treatment will work…waiting to see if your child comes home …waiting to see if you get that job. Jeremiah states that though his thoughts seem to consume him, he turns his mind to God, and as a result experiences hope. ‘This ‘hope’ is not a denial of his suffering; the suffering remains completely real. But by turning his mind to God, the author, in effect, places his suffering and himself in God’s hands. And in God’s hands, there is always hope. Strengthened by hope, the author is prepared to wait expectantly for God to act…whatever God does will be the author’s portion and he can be content with that’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 1145.

“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” Isaiah 40:31.

The Provisions or the Provider

“I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.  Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” John 6:26.

A group of 5,000 people had been miraculously fed the day before.  They had been listening to Jesus all day and the large group had become very hungry.  Jesus multiplies a sparse basket of food among the throngs and they were all satisfied.  They were fed without lifting a finger…they were fed without having to figure it out…they were fed not because of anything they had done but because Who they were with…they were fed because of Jesus.  They awoke the following morning to find Jesus and the boat gone, so they went in search of Him.  Upon finding Him, Jesus told them that their search for Him was because they wanted more food, not because they wanted more of Him.  “The crowd, being satisfied once by what Jesus had done for them, wanted to see what else Jesus could do for them (maybe he’d provide more free meals?).  But they did not realize what the miracle actually revealed to them.  Jesus refused to encourage them in their desire for the material satisfaction he could provide.  His beginning response in effect was, ‘You were so intent on being fed that you haven’t seen who provided the food’” Life Application New Testament Commentary, p.399.

How unfortunate that the multitudes had just witnessed a glimpse of Christ's majesty and their minds could not comprehend his powers beyond what he could do to provide for their earthly needs.  We can sometimes be just like those people…looking for Jesus only when we need something.  We should note that they let Him out of their sight and had to go on search for Him.  When we are feeding on the Provider instead of the provisions we will know our Savior.  When we are walking daily with Christ by our side, we will not miss where He is leading us.  I’ve read several times that the best diet is one where little portions are digested throughout the day instead of gorging on one or two large meals.  The same is with our Jesus portions.  When we sample Him throughout the day we will feed on Him instead of our earthly appetites.  He will show us what to eat, where to eat and when to eat when we are following Him for the right reasons.  We must be intent on watching for His breadcrumbs which will lead us into His provisions for our lives. 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” John 10:27.

 

What Is It?

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you.  The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day'” Exodus 16:4.

We continue to follow the children of God in the wilderness with Moses as their leader.  In reading the passage of the complaining Israelites, I cannot help but to remember family vacations with our 3 children.  We were only going to beach for goodness sakes but you would have thought we were going to Egypt ourselves…the questions…the complaints…the fighting.  But like most journeys it was worth it once we got to the destination.  One of ways that God showed His loving provisions to His children was through the bread that He sent daily from heaven.  It was similar to early morning dew on the ground.  Actually, the Israelites were the ones who named it manna which translates ‘What is it?’  They had never tasted anything like it before but it was all they had so gather they did.

I can relate to waking up each morning and trying to recognize a new normal.  The season when I would rise and remember that my daughter was missing…what is it?  The season when I would awaken to the newness of losing a parent and a sibling…what is it?  The season when I cared for my father-in-law at our home in his final walk with Alzheimer’s…what is it?

What is it in your life that is first on your mind in the morning and last on your mind at night?  What new land are you experiencing where the horizon seems unclear and covered in fog?  We may not yet recognize what is in our future, but we can remember Who is leading us to it. We can trust that we are being fed off the land where He has planted us.  We can have faith that He will be faithful in our circumstances.  We can open our mouths and receive the provisions from the hand of God in our new normal, and live with a spirit of deep gratitude.  We must go out and gather though or we might miss the feeding of the Lord.  When we focus on what we have in Him, we lose sight of what we lack.  So we awake each morning, we gather by spending time with God, and one day we realize we have reached the destination.  

"But thank God!  He has made up his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession.  Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume" 2 Co 2:14.

A Horse of a Different Color

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” Psalm 147:3, 10-11.

I cannot believe how differently I see things since God has reworked my heart and rewired my mind.  I have always been a person who sought approval and acceptance through service to others and accomplishments.  I felt that the more I did for others, the more loved I would be.  This equation is only as good as the last thing we do for others.  Human nature has a short memory and an even shorter span with their loyalty.   

So why do we strive so hard to work at things that only temporarily satisfy the flesh?  Why do we see ourselves as the accomplished instead of the chosen?  God makes it clear throughout the Bible that the work of our hands apart from His will is busy work.  We have been chosen for a special purpose, and gifted to complete that purpose.  When we build our lives riding our own self-made horses we steer them in our own direction.  When we walk out our lives detouring on our own paths we miss the road that leads to the destination to which God wanted to bless us.  We are told in Psalm 147:10-11 that we are God’s pleasure and delight when we approach Him with reverence and hope in His love instead of our accomplishments.

What does our reverence to God look like in our lives?  We show reverence to God when we surrender our own plans to Him.  We show reverence to our Father when we esteem Him as all sovereign, all knowing and all powerful.  We show reverence when we remember that we love Him because He first loved us.  He delights in us as we delight in Him, and we are His pleasure when He becomes ours.  ‘God does not take pleasure in man’s reliance on himself, on his own strength…What God does take pleasure in is man’s reliance on God, on man’s fear of Him and trust in Him.  God takes pleasure in our attitudes more than our accomplishments’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 925.  This fellowship begins when we leave our own horses and climb up on His. 

‘I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, who rider is Faithful and True… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS’ Rev 19:11, 16.

Our Egyptians

“Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The LORD will fight for you; you only need to be still” Exodus 14:14.

In one of the most tension building scenes in the Bible we witness Moses and the Israelites running for their lives being pursued by their previous captors.  The exodus wasn’t on their radar as they worked in brutal conditions.  As far as they were concerned, their future was laid out for them.  How relieved they must have felt when circumstances came into their lives that brought them out of their enslavement.  But then, their relief turned to fear and anxiety as they realized what deliverance looked like.  It looked scary…it looked hopeless…it looked like a trade-off!  Throughout the exodus their nerves had to be calmed and their spirits had to be lifted.  They must have teetered between the relief of the rescue and the fear of the future.  After all, their captors were still chasing them.  Their minds were not free in the deliverance because they were still being pursued.  Moses continually reassured them that God was in charge of the rescue.  He encouraged them to be brave, steeped in faith, and expectant in belief.  Not only did God separate them from their enslavement but He was going to completely remove it.  God loved them so much that His goal was not just to give them a break from what enslaved them…it was to give them freedom from it once and for all.

We are have either been enslaved to something or are presently enslaved.  Sometimes it’s harder to stay free than to get free.  Staying free means to stand firm when things get touch in the wilderness.  Standing firm means to recognize where you are is God’s will…standing firm means to be confident in God’s timing…standing firm means to reconcile that God is in complete control and will fight for your freedom.  If we will only move when He gives us peace to move we will continue to walk hand in hand with Him right through the desert.  ‘Though they were armed for battle, they did not need to do the fighting:  the Lord would fight for them.  This is a powerful message for any believer engaged in any type of struggle or conflict.  Most of us react in one of two ways:  either we complain and give up like the Israelites did, or we take things into our own hands and fight in our own strength… We need to simply stand firm and have faith in God.  Yes, action will sometimes be required on our part, but we must take action under God’s direction’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 229.

Whatever our Egyptians look like they will probably continue to chase us…after all, their leader is darkness and their bounty is our freedom.  If we will allow God complete access to our circumstances He will fight for us, and ‘today we will never see again’ that which enslaved us.