Sticks and Water to Change a Mindset

Sticks and Water to Change a Mindset

Exodus 15: ²² So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³ Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. ²⁴ And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵ So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

 

There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, ²⁶ and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

 

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

 

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After leaving Egypt, the children of Israel camped overnight at the Red Sea. The next morning, they crossed on dry land. GOD closed up the sea and they sang songs from Moses and Miriam. But now they were on their own. They went three days from the crossing, only to find salty, undrinkable water.

 

My Observations:

• The children of Israel were not accustomed to being on their own and expected everything to go as it was when they were slaves.
• The children of Israel complained at the first sign of trouble.
• GOD used a stick to heal the salty, bitter water.

 

Moses seemed to have a lot of encounters with water. His name means he was saved from the water or drawn from the water that his mother place him on in an ark. GOD turned the Egyptian water to blood as the first plague. Frogs came from the water in another plague. Then the children of Israel were led by the preincarnate JESUS to the Red Sea where GOD destroyed the Egyptian army.

 

But now this water was different. The expectation of the children of Israel was that they would leave Egypt and immediately enter the promised land without needing to change their mindset. They were pleased with seeing the Egyptians suffer and die, but immediately murmured when they ran into a problem. GOD had Moses take a piece of the tree and toss it into the water to make it sweet.

 

This miracle was done to preserve the children of Israel and to show them GOD’s power. GOD then told them that HE is the Healer. HE healed the water and HE would heal them if they obeyed HIS commands and heed HIS voice. HE then led them to twelve wells. One for each tribe. This was yet another miracle. GOD used sticks and water to change the mindset of HIS people.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the bitter water miracle?
• Have you ever expected GOD to do something in a certain time and became disappointed when it did not happen as you expected?
• What mindset do you need to give to GOD so HE can change it for the better?

 

GOD is still a jealous GOD

^{Joshua 23:14} “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. ¹⁵ But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 

¹⁶ If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”

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“What’s your sign?” was the confusing question of the unmentioned decade. Yes I’m old! Someone told me my “sign” and I didn’t think anything of it until the newspaper arrived. My horoscope said something in some futuristic kind of vague language that caught my attention. From then I looked at my horoscope wondering if “it” was going to tell me my future.

• I have made the mistake of placing superstition over GOD.
• I have made the mistake of putting my trust in winning the Lottery rather than trusting GOD.
• I have made the mistake of carrying around a lucky item rather than believing all blessings come from GOD.

Some of my superstitions even crept into church where I would treat the items with higher esteem than people. When I believed in a lucky or superstitious thing, it seemed like my wants and desires weren’t being met. How can I get my way?

• GOD says “Do not place any other god before ME” including lucky items or superstitions.
• GOD says “I will supply your needs” including food, shelter and sometimes money.
• GOD says “I will provide” including the right people, job, health and customers.

For me, I have to follow GOD.  It seems like I can’t even dabble in believing in a piece of wood or a cloth or even a printed book. I must believe in the word GOD has given to guide me along the way. The more I can follow HIS commandment of loving one another the better off I am.

• Are you following something that is not of GOD?
• Do you believe in something that GOD is not blessing you with?
• Can you drop your superstition or belief in luck and turn to GOD?
• Will you start trusting in GOD a little more today?

Which commandment am I ignoring?

Deuteronomy 5: ³² So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you. Don’t turn away from his commands to the right or the left. ³³ Live exactly as the Lord your God has commanded you to live. Then you will enjoy life in the land you will soon own. Things will go well with you there. You will live there for a long time.

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“Where have you been” my parents inquired as I returned late from sneaking off. I thought of a lie, but it didn’t come out quite right. “I thought I told you.” They could see right through it. Another time I noticed what seemed to be more beggars than usual this day.  I planned my route carefully so I could avoid all of them. I mean they got on my nerves and besides I didn’t have enough money for them all.

• Sometimes I think I’m doing well with GOD by keeping “most” of HIS commandments.
• Sometimes I compare myself to “those” people who are sinning and say “at least I’m not like them.”
• Sometimes I downplay my “little” sins because I’m not doing “big” sins.

JESUS said sin is like yeast, it only takes a little to ruin the entire loaf. HE also said “Love one another” which is sometimes very difficult to do. There are many other things HE said that I choose to ignore.

• JESUS said “go” and make disciples, teaching them about MY love.
• JESUS said “have faith and do not be afraid.”
• JESUS said “listen to MY voice.”

I ignore HIS voice when I fear, worry and doubt HIM.  I forget to love others when I am wrapped up in me. I stay where I am when I am mad at GOD for not doing my bidding. GOD wants me to prepare others for HIS kingdom. HE wants me to listen to HIM and truly follow HIS ways.

• Are you ignoring GOD?
• Do you have worry, doubt, or blame in your heart?
• Can you let go of some of these feelings and follow GOD’s commands to “love one another?”
• Won’t you stop looking at a few scripture and ask GOD for help in following HIS ways?

GOD’s promise to me

Leviticus 26: ¹¹ “‘I will live among you. I will not turn away from you. ¹² I will walk among you. I will be your God. And you will be my people. ¹³ I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I did not want you to be slaves in Egypt anymore. I threw off your heavy load. I helped you walk with your heads held high.

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Looking back at the mountain of sins I have committed I sometimes wonder “am I forgiven.”  I mean can GOD really forgive me for the candy I took when I was four? Or how about the time I lied about where I was going at sixteen? Or how about my present sins, can GOD really forgive these?

GOD says “Follow MY rules” but I break them all the time.

GOD says “Obey MY commands” but I ignore them at the drop of a hat.

GOD says “Trust in ME” yet I complain, doubt and worry.

These promises seem conditional and I have not met the conditions. What am I to do? I can’t go back and fix the sins I have already committed and I certainly am not crazy enough to think I will ever be sinless. Is there any hope?

GOD says “This is MY SON whom I am well pleased” which means I should focus on HIM.

GOD says “I am the way the truth and the life” which means my thought of saving myself is ludicrous.

GOD says “I helped you walk with your heads held high” which means I am saved from my lack of being able to follow HIS commands by believing in JESUS.

Many writers have said, “I am sinful” without saying “they are sinful.” GOD’s promises seem so distant until I realize HE loves me and pursues me in spite of me.

Are you feeling distant from GOD?
Do you think HE no longer loves you?

Can you stop feeding that lie and start believing HE really, really cares for you in spite of your actions?

Won’t you stop thinking your actions can control GOD and start believing HIS love for you is unconditional and everlasting?

Want to embrace “greatness?”

Mark 12:  ²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

   ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

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Many times I have wanted that promotion or that highly visible project so I could bask in the spotlight when I achieved the goal. I loved receiving awards and I achieved a lot of them.  There is something about the spotlight that made me feel “great.”

• GOD is not impressed with the awards I achieve rather the people I serve.
• GOD is not concerned if I get earthly pats on the back rather HE looks at how I pat others on the back.
• GOD is not moved when I achieve another award given by humans rather HE dotes on how I worship HIM with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

For some reason I began looking for that great feeling each year. I wanted to receive another award and be recognized as being the greatest. BUT GOD has another definition of what great is. HE simply wants me to love.

• Loving GOD with all my heart means getting rid of the foul thoughts my heart dreams up.
• Loving GOD with all my soul means depending on HIM for eternal salvation.
• Loving GOD with all my mind means guiding my intellect to follow HIM and HIS decisions.
• Loving GOD with all my strength means giving up the fight with HIM and leveraging HIS strength to fight my battles.

To love GOD is to love other people. Any act of kindness I can show others, no matter how small, is “great” in GOD’s eyes.

• Are you trying to achieve greatness in human terms?
• Do you want to be recognized for your efforts?
• Will you try filling that void in your heart by serving others today?