Addressing Internal Struggles – Manna from Heaven

Addressing Internal Struggles – Manna from Heaven

Exodus 16: And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. ² Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

 

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. ⁵ And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”

 

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A couple of weeks into the journey, the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron about the lack of food. GOD heard their complaint and told Moses that HE would supply bread from heaven that was supposed to be collected within specified intervals.

 

My Observations:

• The children of Israel cried out to GOD when they were being mistreated by the Egyptians.
• The children of Israel cried out to GOD when they were freed, but pursued by the Egyptian army.
• The children of Israel complained shortly after seeing the Egyptian army destroyed and after having water provided for them.

 

Unfortunately for the children of Israel, GOD was using the same tactic that HE used on the Egyptians, only worse. The spirit of complaining would lead the children of Israel to think they could do this and get their way. When GOD said HE would give them bread from heaven, HE said it in a way that HE knew the complaint was a problem.

 

GOD was gracious to those who complained, but one day HE would stop listening to their complaints. Like the Egyptians, GOD allowed the mindset to prevail. The Egyptians thought they were gods, and GOD allowed it. The children of Israel thought they could complain and GOD allowed it. GOD fed the children of Israel with special bread from heaven, but noted their complaint.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the complaint of the children of Israel?
• Have you ever complained to GOD about the way HE was doing things?
• Is it time to ask GOD if your mindset needs to be aligned to HIS, so HE can guide you away from complaints?

 

Okay, do your thing

 

Okay, do your thing

Romans 1: ²⁶ Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts. ²⁷ In the same way the men give up natural sexual relations with women and burn with passion for each other. Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result they bring upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing.

 

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Thinking of another response I argued my point. The person, who was simply trying to give me advice said, “Okay, do your thing.” I kept on my path and ran into the problems he was trying to warn me about.

 

• There were times when I did not listen.
• There were times when I did what I wanted to do.
• There were times when I followed my heart, but inside was something bad.

 

Paul explains there would be some people who explain away GOD so they can do what they want to do. By doing this, some people would accept a path that was not defined by GOD. Some women would choose unnatural sex acts and men would choose men for sex.

 

• GOD wants me to ask “What do YOU want?”
• GOD wants me to follow HIS way, especially when I don’t want to.
• GOD wants me to understand that HE is the creator and knows the best way.

 

“Okay, do your thing” is a difficult sentence from GOD. I mean, HE has so much grace that HE allows me to sin as much as I want. The problem is, I can become so accustomed to the sin that I question HIS laws and HIS existence, simply because I do not like the rule. BUT GOD still has compassion.

 

HE allows anyone who believes in JESUS to be saved, no matter how deep in sin the person is. HE looks at any sin as the same. Lies, racism and sex outside of HIS definition are equally abysmal to HIM. That’s why HE chose to die for me instead of punishing me. Anyone who believes in JESUS surrenders sin little by little. I am glad HE gives me chance after chance.

 

• Are you arguing the existence of GOD because you do not like HIS rule?
• Do you push HIS love away to do sex your way?
• Will you believe in the truth, which is JESUS, and allow HIM to guide you to a life filled with purpose and abundance today?

Part of something bigger

Part of something bigger

John 11: Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³ Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

⁴ When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

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“Five A.M.?” I questioned. I failed to see the purpose of getting up that early to run, so I did not join the college track team. “Weekly meetings?” I questioned. I wanted a bit more relaxation in my life so I did not join a group to accelerate promotions in the company. I mean, I was already driving over an hour just to get to entry level position.

• Many times I question something that seems painful to me.
• Many times I weigh the pain against the benefits to determine if “this” is useful.
• Many times I use my limited experiences to question what is going on around me.

Lazarus was extremely sick. Mary and Martha sent for JESUS, knowing HE could heal him. Lazarus was a close friend of JESUS so why did he have to become sick in the first place? The entire family “believed” HE was and is GOD, so why the calamity?

• JESUS says to me “You are part of something bigger when you believe in ME.”
• JESUS says to me “These things have to happen so I may be glorified through it.”
• JESUS says to me “Do not grow weary, for your suffering leads to perseverance.”

Questioning GOD’s motive and reason for pain is quite natural. Unfortunately, sometimes I think GOD is a sadistic scientist, using humans as lab rats to see the outcome. BUT GOD forgives my loathsome thinking. HE opens my eyes to HIS love, generosity and mercy towards me.

HE knows HIS fight is not against me, but against the deceiver. HE threw Satan to this earth and cursed the planet, and everything on it, and around it. This was a policy that could not be taken back. HE then died for my sins, just to redeem me. I am now part of the redemption story.

• How do you view GOD?
• Do you feel you cannot trust HIM because you do not see how HE can handle your situation?
• Will you stop looking through human lenses and let GOD handle your situation so HE may be glorified?

It is Allowed

Lamentations 2: ¹⁷ The Lord has done what he planned;
    he has fulfilled his word,
    which he decreed long ago.
He has overthrown you without pity,
    he has let the enemy gloat over you,
    he has exalted the horn of your foes.

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“What next?” was my question as it seemed like one thing went wrong after another. It was one of those periods in my life when everything I tried to do “seemed” destined for failure. Pulling it together, I got up and went to work. With headphones on I said to myself, “This isn’t so bad” then I opened one of the stalls and someone had smeared poop everywhere. It took most of my shift to clean it up. I guess “this” was next.

• There are times when it seems like everything that can go wrong will.
• There are times when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
• There are times when it seems like burdens are piled higher than the blessings.

GOD’s people had stopped following HIM which aroused HIS anger. There was no trust, faith or hope in the living GOD, only lust, greed and selfishness. HE sent them into exile which seemed harsh but really was not. HE let them experience what it felt like to “be on their own” and the entire nation fell, same with me sometimes. GOD allows me to go through trials, some ordained to bring me back to my senses.

• GOD will allow me to be cursed or blessed; it is up to me to choose daily.
• GOD allows me to choose sin or HIS way; it is up to me to choose daily.
• GOD will allow me to fall into the hands of my captors or rescue me on wings of angels; it is up to HIM to decide.

Supremacy is what the Devil fought against. “Why can’t I do what I want to do?” the Devil said as he thought he could be GOD. BUT GOD wasn’t having it. HE threw the Devil out of heaven to return no more. When I compare HIS sentence to the Devil and the teeny, tiny problems I have gone through, there is no comparison. I can see GOD’s rod on my rear sometimes but HIS discipline is short lived.

HE comforts me and leads me beside still waters. HE restores my soul. It is amazing how many people do not want to hear about the GOD filled with wrath. I see HIS wrath and recognize just how good I have it. HE could crush me but instead HE preserves me for another day. GOD blesses me in spite of me.

• Are you going through a period where everything you do seems to fail?
• Do you think GOD has it out for you?
• Can you turn your eyes to GOD and acknowledge HIS supremacy?
• Will you praise HIM no matter what you are going through?