It's time to carry our cross

 

Matthew 16:24-25

King James Version

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

1 Chronicles13 

And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:

3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.

4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.

6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

David had just become king over the whole land of Israel. His enemies were defeated and dispersed. The people had spoken. It was time for a celebration, right?

But as good as things seemed to have been, something was missing. He thought about it. He must've prayed about it (after all, he was a "man after God's own heart). What was wrong? 

It hit him. 

The Ark of the Covenant wasn't in the capital. It wasn't even in a holy place. It was in the home of Abinadab. (Are our homes holy enough for the Ark of God to dwell there without us being cursed?) Throughout Israel's history, the Ark had been a powerful presence. It was the center of the power of God. It was the seat of God's authority. It led Israel's armies into battle. It was the focus of their religion, which was the core of their national identity. 

Now that David was king, the ark needed to be put back into its proper place in society. 

So, he gathers the leaders and the people together and says, "Let's go get the ark! We'll sing and dance and party our way all the back to Jerusalem!" (My paraphrase)

Problem number one: Apparently, "all Israel" didn't include the priests and Levites who were tasked by God to lead the worship of God. 

So all the singing and playing that was going on was not being led by the godly leadership (or leadership order) that God had established. This was strike one. 

Problem number two: Rather than the priests and Levites carrying the ark as was prescribed by God, they placed it on a new cart for the journey. Sounds reasonable right? No heavy weight to bear. No straining. No stopping to rest. Let the cart and the ox team do the work. 

And why not? 

After all, the Philistines, in sending the ark back, had used a new cart and God hadn't struck them dead for it. In fact, God had stopped a cancer plague in Philistia because they had sent it back. Apparently, God had no problem with the method they used, right?

God didn't see it quite that way. 

Don't get confused by God's healing folks in churches that don't preach the whole truth. Don't be sidetracked by God drawing folks into repentance- even though they don't have the Holy Ghost yet, and know nothing of holiness. Folks who wear ungodly clothes and teach false doctrines. 

First of all, God moves on whosoever will. He tries very hard to bring people to repentance. He will heal folks who are not right with him (contrary to the opinions of some folks) in order to try and get them right with him. 

My first experience of repentance with God happened when I was FIVE YEARS OLD. Did that mean I was born again? NO! But, I had taken a necessary step in my journey toward God. I was not born again, but I had entered the womb. 

But not everyone who repents gets born again. In fact, if we study the parable of the sewer, at the absolute most (and Jesus doesn't give percentages here. He just tells us of four groups of people. Some of the groups could have been larger than others.) if we assume equal numbers in the groups, only 25% of all mankind will make heaven. Many will make the start of repentance and never complete the course. Many will never even repent. Many will get born again, but the roots won't go deep and they won't make it. Only a few (and Jesus says "few there be that FIND IT- you have to be looking for it to find it. If you have to be hungry to be fed. You must bull-headedly continue on the path to complete the journey. And the path can get hard, rocky, very narrow, unpaved, uncomfortable, and require a lot of effort to stay on!

Not everyone who gets a healing or a blessing will end up even being born again. How many folks did Jesus bless and heal in his earthly ministry? MULTITUDES! And how many people were there praying for the spirit to fall in the upper room? 120!

The Philistines weren't God's people. They were wrong to have the ark in the first place. God had cursed them because they had the ark. And the cart was an experiment for them. They basically said, "If, as we think. this plague is from Israel's God, the oxen will carry the ark on the cart back to Israel of their own volition. Israel's God will guide them home without our help. If however, they carry it somewhere else, then our plague is not from Jehovah, but just merely a chance occurrence." So they followed it back to Israel, understood it was God, and left for home in a hurry. 

However, just because God allows an unbeliever to get away with something, doesn't mean he won't punish his kids for not following his clearly stated instructions. Listen. It doesn't matter how we "feel" about something. It doesn't matter if we haven't felt "convicted" of something. If the word of God says it's wrong, it's wrong. If the word of God says it's right, it's right. 

So, just when the Oxen slipped and the Ark shook, in a seemingly kind gesture, a man named Uzza put his hand on it to steady it. Innocent gesture. Even, in most people's minds- including David's, it was a respectful gesture. He was attempting to keep the ark from falling after all. But, only a priest or Levite was supposed to touch the Ark in transport. And God killed him for it. 

Party's over now! 

They were looking for a move of God, but this wasn't what they had been looking for. 

Question: How many times has God moved in negative- even deadly- ways and the action brings revival? But, that was the Old Testament, brother. God doesn't work that way anymore.

Really? 

Remember the couple that lied to the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts and were struck dead? Remember the Israeli King that accepted the praise of men as if he were a god and God struck him with a disease and he died? 

Both of those were New Testament events and BOTH of them brought the fear of God on the people which led to revival! 

So David is shocked and angry and scared. So, he leaves the ark, everyone flees the area in case God's not done killing yet, and the Ark winds up in the home of a Levite named Obededom. 

But something begins happening after all. God is blessing... Obededom. 

Why was Obededom blessed and Abinadab wasn't? After all, Abinadab means "Father of generosity" and Obededom means "worker of Edom." Edom was a branch of Abraham through Jacob's twin brother Esau. How did Obededom get blessed? Abinadab was right with God or his house would've been just as cursed as the Philistines for having the Ark. But, he wasn't blessed. 

Two answers: 1) One of the root words for Obededom is Adam and it means "to show blood, flush, or turn rosy." In other words, Obededom found his foundation in the blood! He wasn't just religious, he sought God! He knew his fleshly weaknesses and sins and knew he needed God! And when David brought the ark to Jerusalem finally, Obededom didn't just wave goodbye. HE MOVED WITH IT! 

We don't need to just have God's law in our hearts and homes. We need to follow the leading of the God of the Ark. When he moves, we move. When he stops, we stop. If we want the blessings of God in our lives, we need to follow where he leads. 

2 Samuel 6:11-12

King James Version

11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

So when David heard of God blessing Obededom, he decided that they really needed to bring the ark back to Jerusalem. But, this time he did some praying and studying and found out that the Ark should have been carried by the priests and Levites. The singing should be led by the Levites, and there should be sacrifices to God involved.

1 Chronicles 15:

2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:

12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13 For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.

26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

One of my mentors, Prophet Gordon Winslow Sr, said on several occasions that it was written in the literature of Israel that when the priests and Levites lifted up the ark, usually four carried it (it weighed over five hundred pounds) and they could sometimes carry it for miles- that God would pick it up with them and enable them to do it. 

It sounded right, but he didn't give "thus sayeth the Lord" to back it up. When I saw the phrase here in verse 26, "when God helped the Levites that bare the Ark of the covenant of the Lord," it was as if the Lord says, "There's your proof text." 

God helped them carry the load. And God will help us to carry our load!

There are two crosses involved in Christianity. There are two crosses involved with our salvation. 

We love to talk about the cross of Jesus. The cross of Jesus means blood shed for our sins. The cross of Jesus means God making a way for us when there is no way! It means victory, healing, right relationship with God! 

But, we don't like to talk about the second cross. Yes, there is a burden for us to bear. There is flesh we need to crucify. There are sins we need to kill. There are sacrifices we have to make for others. There is denying ourselves what we want to give God and others what they need. There is bearing each other's burdens (both in prayer and in physical needs). And so on.

Jesus tells us to take up our cross! It's difficult. It's painful. And in our flesh, it's impossible.

Yet, Jesus also says that we are to take HIS YOKE upon us and he will give us rest. 

A yoke bound 2 oxen or mules together so that they shared the load together of whatever they were pulling. Whether that was a cart full of heavy things, or it was pulling the plows through the rocky ground to prepare it for planting. They shared the load together.

When Jesus invites (truly commands) us to take his yoke, he's not saying we have to bear our cross alone, When we try that, we fail. But, when we take his yoke, he's saying, "I know you can't do it by yourself. I know the load is too great for you to bear. But, you're not alone! I will team up with you and I will supply your lack. You give it all you've got and I'll give it all I have. And together, we'll get the job done."

If you're not biblically born again, listen to the scriptural way to do so: 

Acts 2:37-38

King James Version

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Some preach just repentance. This is only part of the new birth.

Some preach repentance and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. This is only part of the new birth. 

To be biblically born again, we must repent of our sins, be baptized in Jesus' name for the forgiveness of those sins, and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost to empower us to both live for him and be a witness for him. 

If you are born again, don't rely on rules and regulations. Don't think that if we look the part and act the part, we are the part. 

Being born again is not the end all be all. It is the beginning. Jesus says when we are born again, he gives us the "power to become the sons of God." And Paul says that those who are "led by the spirit are the sons of God." 

So work on, as Peter said, "grow(ing) in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Pray, study, and follow him. Let him use you as he sees fit. It may seem like an unbearable load to you, but he will help you carry the load. 

 

When God breaks our bones

Psalm 51:7-8

King James Version

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 

While studying for today's service, I saw this passage in an entirely new light. 

I know the history of this, according to my Bible margin notes, this was a Psalm written in response to the David and Bathsheeba adultery incident. God sent the prophet Nathan to point his long, bony finger at King David's nose and declare, "THOU ART THE MAN." 

At this point, David has a choice. Does he react as most kings did and have Nathan killed for DARING to embarrass the king in front of his royal entourage? Does he react like his predecessor, King Saul, and begin to give a litany of excuses meant to exonerate himself of guilt without the required repentance?  Or does he respond in genuine repentance of heart and humbly bow to the holy God of the universe?

According to this Psalm, David made the right choice. He responded in genuine repentance. He threw himself on the great mercy of his loving God- trusting him to bring the heavenly ruling that only the creator can bring. 

But, the key to his whole response, I believe, is found in verse 8: "that the bones WHICH THOU HAST BROKEN may rejoice."

David had been a shepherd. He understood that sheep wonder sometimes. Sheep go astray sometimes. Hence, the biblical passage, "All we like sheep have gone astray."(Isaiah 53:6)

Sometimes, when a sheep (usually a lamb) habitually strays away from the shepherd's chosen pasture, the shepherd has to take drastic action. The shepherd had 2 different staffs: One with a hook and one with a hard, round end. The one with the hook is used to hook the sheep around the neck and pull the wayward sheep back in the direction the shepherd wishes it to go. The one with the ball is used when the hook has been tried several times and the sheep refuses to be redirected. The shepherd will crack the ball on the hard-headed sheep's head to try and get its attention and redirect it. It's a form of punishment. 

If, however, it continues to try and stray into dangerous territory, then the shepherd will break one of its legs and reset it. Yes, this causes the sheep pain. But, no it's not done because the shepherd is mean or hateful. It's done out of love. Because the shepherd knows that if the sheep is allowed to continue to stray, it will eventually be harmed much worse than a broken leg. There are poisonous snakes that can bite and kill them. There are bears, wolves, and lions that will kill and eat them. There are treacherous cliffs that the sheep can fall off. 

So, to teach the sheep to stay close to him, the shepherd breaks its leg. This does create more work and hardship for the shepherd. For the next few weeks, while the leg is healing from the break, the shepherd must carry the sheep around with him as he moves the herd from pasture to pasture. He must still tend to the rest of the flock, but this one he must carry. He carries it to the new pasture and makes it lay in the green grass to eat, so it can eat. He carries it to the still waters so it can drink. 

But, an amazing thing happens. Over time, the sheep becomes accustomed to three things: a) being close to the shepherd, b) hearing the heartbeat of the shepherd, and c) hearing the voice of the shepherd. While it's healing, the sheep falls in love with the shepherd in a new and deeper way. Long forgotten is the temptation to wonder. Long forgotten is the fact that it was the shepherd who broke its leg. All the sheep knows now is that it wants to be close to its master and hear his voice and heartbeat.

Finally, when the sheep is healed, the shepherd allows it to walk with the herd. But, the sheep no longer wishes to wander or stray.  (I learned much of this shepherd information from a sermon by Lee Stoneking over 30 years ago)

David had had to do this to his own sheep. So, when God came and broke his spiritual leg, David didn't respond with excuses. David didn't respond with rebellion. David accepted the loving chastening of his shepherd and responded in repentance. 

Was it pleasant to be corrected? No. Did he enjoy being publicly humiliated- especially in front of his own court? No. But scripture tells us, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (Hebrews 12:11)

But God had called David "a man after (God's) own heart." Why? Because David had spent most of his life in hot pursuit of a loving, intimate relationship with his creator. 

So, when David's shepherd broke David's spiritual leg, David was able to immediately respond in true repentance. 

His response resulted in several good things. 

1) Unlike Saul, whose anointing and throne were ripped away from he and his family, David's throne and bloodline were left secure.

2) The penalty for adultery under the law for both parties was stoning- even for a king and a new queen. But, this penalty was never exacted by his loving God because of David's repentance. 

3) David's right standing and relationship with God were restored. 

When we go astray, and God must chastise us (spank us or break our leg), it's not because he's mean. It's not because he is trying to show how in charge or how big and bad he is. It is, quite simply, because God loves us and desires that we are right with him and have the opportunity to make heaven. 

But, in order to do that, we must submit our wills to him and follow his leading. We cannot insist on having our own way and still expect to make heaven. It has never and will never work that way. 

If we do not enjoy being chastised by God, then we need to make up our minds to obey and follow his word and voice. Because if we stray, he will whoop us. He will break our leg if need be, in order to try and lead us from pasture to pasture and eventually to heaven. 

Why don't you pray with me:

"Lord, I love you. I don't enjoy being chastised. So please help me to hear your voice. Illuminate your word to me. Guide me and direct me so I can grow closer and closer to you and avoid causing you to have to whoop me. But, if I do stray, I accept your loving correction- no matter how harsh it may seem to be. I know you have only my best in mind. In Jesus' name!"

A few insights on prayer

 Matthew 7:7-8

King James Version

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

How many of us have heard these verses quoted? How many times have we heard them followed with something like, "Take your requests to the Lord? Take your needs to the savior. Take your desires to the God of the universe. Ask him, Seek him, and if you're not getting a response, beat on the door!"

They may even throw in other verses:

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

                                                         Or:                                                                                 James 5:16

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.     

(This last one's quote is usually the last part that's quoted, not the first.)

 And there are many who teach "the prosperity doctrine" that key on these verses and others to prop up their "name it, claim it" prayer theology. I confess that there have been times that I myself bought somewhat into this false doctrine. 

But, the Lord's been working on me and showing me a few things. 

First, in Psalms 37 here, we gain our desires only when we "delight (ourselves) in the Lord." If we are indeed in a spiritual state of delighting in the Lord, our desires have been changed to match his desires. So, the desires of our hearts here just ain't talking about winning the lottery. I'm sorry to tell you.

Second, in the James passage, the prayers that God's answering here are a)repentance (confess your faults) and b) for other people's needs (pray one for ANOTHER). Again. It's not about that new job promotion, pay raise, home, or car. And on another note: how many of us have missed out on healing because we were self-focused, rather than praying for the needs of our fellow believers? After all, the biblical principle is that what we help make happen for others, God will make happen for us. (Matthew 7:12)

But, the passage here in Matthew 7:7-8 bears a little more scrutiny. 

We tend to swoop in, quote these 2 verses, and swoop back out. Yet, the simplest way to understand a verse's meaning is still, first and foremost, to understand it within its broader context. If, in fact, God is telling us that this applies to whatever we are praying about, then the verses around it should agree with/back up that concept. If, however, the verses around it teach otherwise, then our understanding has been wrong. 

Let's go back a bit to chapter 6:

Matthew 6:24-34

King James Version

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Jesus starts by pointing out that either we will serve God or Mammon. Mammon, some say, was a Chaldean deity that dealt with money. I don't know if that's true, but the word does mean "treasure, or riches." 

What's funny is how applicable to our western, capitalistic worldview this verse is. 

We spend the majority of our time and effort working, struggling, striving, sweating, stepping on, and shoving people out of our way all in hot pursuit of money.  We spend far more time and effort trying to "make a dollar" than we ever do worshipping God. We may spend a few hours a week trying to worship God. But, we spend far more hours trying to maximize our income and improve our finances. 

Our excuse is that we're trying to provide housing, clothing, and food for our families. And yes, we're supposed to do that. But, when most of our thoughts and efforts are centered around that, the question needs to be asked, who are we really serving?

Continue in Chapter 6 and we discover that Jesus explicitly tells us not to worry about those things that we are trying to gain (food, clothing, shelter, etc). We are supposed to understand that, if we are truly living for God, then God is aware of our needs and will provide them for us as we need them. 

Instead, our focus is to be on seeking his kingdom FIRST and his righteousness! And if we will do that, then he will provide for our needs. That means that we are to pray and work to expand HIS kingdom at every possible opportunity (winning souls, planting seeds, watering seeds, praying for others, etc) by/through allowing him to work in and through us (making us righteous in his eyes) to reach and help others. 

Yes, we still have to work, but if our complete focus is on our work, then we're not serving God- even when we are trying to care for our family. 

But, what about me, you ask? 

7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Chapter 7 begins to explain that rather than us focusing on the faults of others, no matter how good our intentions may be in trying to help other people, we are to begin by allowing God to show us ourselves (in prayer and Bible study). When we see ourselves for who we are, we can repent and get what we see right with God. 

In other words, we allow God to move deeper into us, shining his light on our own sins. Then, we repent and allow him to clean them out. This allows him to move further into our spirits- making us more and more righteous because he is showing up in our actions and attitudes in greater ways. 

Then, once our own beam is removed from our lives, then we can, in the love of God, try and pray and help others remove the speck from their lives. How? Because we have God's compassion working through us. We've been there. We know what it's like to be under the yoke of bondage to sin. So, we are more apt to pray and give our testimony of deliverance to help someone else escape their bondage. 

With all of this in mind, what are we supposed to ask God about? What are we supposed to seek him for? What are we supposed to "bang on the door" for? 

In a word: OTHERS!

We are to ask him to draw others in and set them free. We are to seek him to look for other ways to help them. We are to knock on their prison doors in prayer through the spirit of God- knowing that the prison gates of hell will not prevail against the Biblically
praying saints of God. 

So, don't worry about what you're going to wear or eat, or where you're going to sleep. If we will work hard to work with his spirit to see others made free, then he will take care of all our needs. 

We may not get a mansion here for it, but he's building us one over there- if we will just follow and dwell in his spirit. 

A revived dream

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 Exodus 2:11-15

King James Version

11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

3 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

Have you ever felt God had a specific purpose for your life? Then, when you tried to make that purpose come to pass in the best way you knew how, you really messed things up? 

You're not alone. 

I'm still recovering from that in my life. My family is still recovering from that in my life. 

Moses did it, too. 

A Hebrew child. Born under a death sentence from the mightiest leader in the world at the time. Miraculously saved and raised by the pharaoh's own daughter. Raised in riches and a possible heir to the throne. Yet, his nursemaid had been his real Hebrew mother. Surely she whispered the history of their people to the little boy. How many times did she pray earnestly for the God of Israel to somehow use this unique situation to set their people free?

It had an effect. 

Moses must've picked up on what she was teaching and kept it near to his heart. He recognized the Hebrew slaves as his very own brethren. He recognized his Egyptian benefactors as the evil slave drivers that they were. It boiled up in him one day.

The right circumstance. A lone Egyptian beating a lone Hebrew. A thought. A rage. He steps in and kills the Egyptian, saves the Hebrew man, and buries the evidence. 

The next day, he's back out there again. Watching. Waiting. What did he think he was going to do? Act like the legendary Zorro and try to take the whole Egyptian system down- one man at a time? Creeping in the shadows? Looking for another opportunity to "strike a blow for freedom?" 

Did he really seek the God of Israel before he impetuously came up with this crazy plan? 

But, as he was looking, he came across two Hebrews fighting. When he steps in as the hero to stop them from attacking each other, he's quickly rebuked and asked if he would kill them as he had the Egyptian the day before?

Horror! Surprise! He's discovered! 

He soon realizes that if these random Jews knew what he'd done, some Egyptians also knew. And if they knew, Pharoah would soon know. Then his life would be forfeit! He knew he had to flee for his very life! 

So much for freeing his people. He barely escaped with his own life.

He winds up in Midian and stumbles across some sheep being tended by some women. 

They drew water to water their father's flock, only to be driven away by stronger male shepherds. But Moses, who'd evidently been schooled by some fine warriors while living in Pharaoh's court, stood up and fought back the men- forcing them to let the women water their own flocks as they had intended. 

Moses found a home that day. He found a place to belong, a father-in-law he respected, a wife who loved him, and an occupation he could work hard in and help to grow. Yes, it was a far cry from Pharoah's glorious court and the throne. It was further still from delivering Israel from the yoke of bondage. 

But, it was a good life. A happy and contented life. One he could be proud of. 

But always, in the back of his mind, he wondered, "what if..."

What if his plan had worked and he'd led an uprising?

What if he'd just hung on to become Pharoah and set his people free by official decree? 

Oh well, (sigh). That was 40 years ago. Too much time had passed. He'd made a mess of things then, but at least he had his family and his sheep to be proud of.

" I wonder who God will use to finally set Israel free?"

Not me. I'm too old and made too many mistakes. 

But suddenly, there was a bush that was on fire but refused to burn. And he had to go see this strange sight. And the rest is glorious history! 

God would break into Moses' little kingdom he'd built and revive a dead 40-year-old dream. 

God would indeed use Moses to free Israel from Egypt, but it wouldn't be by Moses' schemes. He'd set Israel loose for the first time in four hundred years, but it wouldn't be by Moses' position and power- nor by his knowledge of the inner workings of Egypt. 

No, God almighty had the plan to free his people and a purpose to use Moses to do so. All Moses had to do was be obedient to what God told him to do. 

The funny thing is, as Bishop Jeff Arnold once stated, you can't find one scripture where Moses ever prayed and sought God the whole 40 years he tended the sheep and cared for his family. He didn't even know where God was!

But God knew where he was. 

And when the time was right, God didn't reach for someone within Pharoah's court. God didn't reach for a large faction of slaves to rise up and throw off the bonds of slavery. God didn't even bring in an invading Army to end the tyranny of slavery.

No.

He reached to a wilderness mountain. He reached for a somewhat torn old shepherd. A shepherd who had scars from fighting off men and beasts to protect his sheep. A shepherd who'd faced down many a snake. A shepherd who'd learned humility and to love the ones who followed him. 

God said, now there's a man I can use. 

So, he tapped Moses on the shoulder and said, "Hey son. Do you remember that dream I gave you forty years ago? You tried it your way then. You jumped the gun a bit. But, if you'll do what I tell ya, I'll accomplish more than you could ever dream of through you! I won't just bring Israel out, I'll cripple Egypt at the same time."

"Wanna give it a shot, son?"

The point is this. 

God not only gives to each of us a seed of faith. He also gives each of us a dream of doing something for him that will benefit the world. 

And many of us have tried in our youthful exuberance to kick down the door and make it happen. 

And in so doing, we've left pain and chaos behind. So, we bury ourselves in a decent little career and content ourselves with taking the best care of our family and career that we possibly can. 

But, God's plans never die.

Maybe one day soon, when we least expect it, God's going to show up miraculously in our lives, look at us with a somewhat mischievous grin, and say, "Hey. You ready to try it my way?"

Who knows. Maybe we'll even say yes. Just like Moses did. And if we do....? 

Watch out world. God's fixing to change some things and free some people! 

Glory to God in the highest!

 

Two keys to the secret place

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 Psalms 91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

This is one of the earliest verses the Lord ever told me to claim as my own. 

I was on the sandy shore of the Persian Gulf. I and two fellow soldiers stood on the beach and prayed- concerned for our lives (we were there for the Gulf War). I remember now how I prayed as we all walked away from each other- each seeking a solitary place to talk to God. 

I remember the Lord breaking in on my prayers and telling me to open my Bible. And there, in the quickly fading daylight (or was it by flashlight? I don't truly remember now), he illuminated a promise to me that I would make it through the Gulf War. 

I'm a little bit slow witted sometimes. It would be years and years later before I would finally begin to sense the deeper invitation that was hidden in plain view within those precious words, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high..."

I was freshly biblically born again, but the Holy God of the universe was inviting me to LIVE (dwell) in a secret place (a special close relationship) with him (the MOST HIGH). 

Through the years he would have me preach sermons with themes like, "Come up hither" and "living where I AM." But, I was too dense to see that he was still inviting me personally to that same "secret place." It's been over 32 years since that precious dusty beach, but God is finally clearing away some of the layers from my eyes. 

My questioning has become "Lord, how do I dwell (live in) that secret place with you?"

The first answers are obvious. 

Prayer and Bible study. Without prayer and study, we will never learn of God nor grow any deeper in God. So we must absolutely take the time- not find the time- but MAKE the time to pray and read his word. It HAS to be of the highest priority in our lives.

But, beyond that he's beginning to show me some things. 

There are at least 2 (probably more) keys that can open up the secret place in God within our lives. 

1) Staying focused on God

Isaiah 26:3

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." 

This ties in with Jesus being our priority. It's a promise. No matter what we are facing. No matter what we are going through. If we will keep our minds (our thoughts) focused on God, then he will keep us in perfect peace! This is exactly what Psalms 91 is saying. If we will stay focused on him, then we have the comfort (the peace) to know that we are under HIS shadow- he's watching over us. We know- no matter what- he's in charge. 

The three Hebrew men (Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednigo) in Daniel didn't have a direct word from God for their situation. But, they lived in prayer and in his presence every day. They knew that no matter what happened, they were not going to bow to the idol. They told the king that whether God chose to save them or not, they were not worshipping the idol. 

God showed up and shook the kingdom! They could stand on this because they dwelt in the secret place with God.

2) resting in the promises of God

Luke 8:22-25

King James Version

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Jesus is 100% God, but also 100% man. 

But, in his earthly ministry, he walked in a way in order to show us how we are intended to walk in his spirit. 

This snippet is one example of how he did that. 

He told them to get in the boat. They were going to the other side of the lake. 

As they "got busy," he went into the deeper recesses of the boat and went to sleep. 

Two mistakes I've made when I've gotten a word from God.

1) File the word away and concentrate on what God has done in the past. They had just left some awesome ministry. Spirit's were high. Excitement was in the air. "Wow! Remember this...and that...?"

It's easy to focus on yesterdays blessings and not notice today's storms until they're in our face. 

2) Focus on the new word. Try to understand it, disect it, analyze it. What exactly does he really mean by what he said for the future?

It's easy to be excited about the future and not see today's storms bearing down on us. 

Jesus knew what had happened before. Jesus knew where they were going. Did he jabber about either? Did he stand around in awe of the past? Did he wonder about the possible glories of the future?

No. He rested in the promises. He slept in the presence of the spirit of God so that when the future arrived, he was ready to do whatever the spirit told him to do. When the storm arrived, he was much more bothered by their lack of faith than by the storm.

Peter was in jail. He was being gaurded by 16 Roman soldiers. He was under a death sentence. The only reason he wasn't dead already was because it was a Jewish holiday and illegal to execute anyone on that day. Was he worried? Was he bawling and squalling? Was he frantically seeking a way out?

No. 

He remembered how Jesus had said he was going to die, compared the circumstances to that, and said, "It's not my time yet." Rather than chewing his nails off, he followed the example of his master, and went to sleep. The angel that was sent to free him had to wake him up to get him out. 

He was able to do this because he was resting in the promises and presence of God. He had learned the lesson of the lake in Luke 8. 

Jesus rebuked their lack of faith. Why? Because Jesus had told them they were going to the other side before they entered the boat. But their faith was on the storm, the circumstances, rather than on his promise. It became a teaching moment for them. 

So when Peter found himself in prison under a death sentence, he remembered Jesus promise to him and just rested in that promise. 

If we will a) stay focused on Jesus throughout our day and b) rest in his promises and presence, then we will be able to dwell in (live in) that precious secret place and know that no matter what- we are abiding under HIS shadow of protection- in his perfect peace. 

Keep providing the bread

 

John 21:15-18

King James Version

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

As a new home church pastor, I must admit to some frustration. 

You pray. You study. You fast. You seek the mind and will of God for each service and each message. Finding this often brings tears and repentance in your own life. Yes, this is a good thing. Truthfully, whatever the congregation needs, the pastor needs it double! 

When the Lord finishes working on you and gives you the message he wants for the congregation (again, it's doubly applicable for you), you're profoundly moved by God and are very hopeful for what God is going to do for the congregation. 

The service starts and you move with the spirit of God and feel him strongly in the songs and the message. Not that any of the message is aimed at any particular person, but sometimes, you can see something make an impact on some of the congregation. 

When the message is over and you're expecting to see people responding to God, however, many times all you seem to get is.... nothing. No response. No tears, No repentance. An occasional nod of appreciation (maybe) is about all you can get. 

Oh, your wife seems to have enjoyed it. And she tries to encourage you. 

But, as soon as the service is over, the enemy starts in:

"Wow. What a disaster!"

"You thought you were doing God's will. Where's the move of God?"

"Just give up. Nobody's listening and you're not the right man for the job."

So, yes. Frustration settles in and tries to grind you to powder.

In moments like this, the Lord will sometimes reach down into our frustration and give you some encouragement and help. He did that for Elijah when he fled in fear from Jezebel's letter. He met him there and fed him under the juniper tree.

Though it's nowhere near on the same level as Elijah, the Lord gave me one of those moments. 

I'm not a paid pastor. The church doesn't pay me a salary (or anything for that matter). I make my living by working 60+ hours a week delivering bread to grocery stores and restaurants. Behind one of these stores, there's a small pond. In and around this pond has been a solitary goose for many months now. 

Several of us bread vendors (the general name that stores call us folks who deliver products to them) have been feeding the poor goose with the stale bread we pull out of the store. It has a broken wing and can't fly off like the others of its kind to find a better home to survive in.

But, yesterday there was a change. The goose had a new friend living with it. I was excited to see that it wasn't alone anymore. So, before I even went into the store, I took some of the stales from a previous stop and began to break them into pieces.

As I threw the pieces out to the birds, they slowly turned and began to make their way toward the bread- looking at me with a wary eye. One started eating while the other kept a watchful eye. Then, the other started to eat, and the other stopped. It was as if they had a defense system set up.

It was then that the Lord spoke a word of encouragement to me. He said, "Just keep throwing my bread. They will come. It may be slow, but they will come." 

So, with a thankful heart, I went into the store to deliver my product. Then, when I came back out of the store, I saw both geese eating- with plenty of pieces still on the ground for others to eat.

That's when the Lord spoke to me again, "And if you keep spreading my bread, they will still be feasting on it- even when you're not around. And there will be plenty left for others to eat." 

So, to all you fellow preachers, teachers, writers, evangelists, singers, etc who struggle in your calling sometimes: 

You're trying to do the best you can. But, it seems as if you're not seeing any results at all. Or if you are, it's just a tiny crack in the vast wall that needs to come down.

Don't stop praying. Don't stop reaching. Don't stop preaching. Don't stop teaching. Don't stop writing. Don't stop singing. Don't stop. Don't stop. Don't stop!

Because some are eating the bread of life you're sharing. Some are sharing the bread of life you're spreading with others. Some are being sustained by what God is giving you to give out. 

Keep giving it out. One day, the seeds you're sowing will sprout above the ground. One day, a mighty mustard tree will grow out of the seeds you're watering. 

Keep tilling the ground. Keep planting. Keep watering. 

One day, the fruit will be both beautiful to behold and wonderful to see it feeding others.