Provision to Know, Believe and Remember

 

Provision to Know, Believe and Remember

Exodus 16: ¹¹ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

 

¹³ So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. ¹⁴ And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵ So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

 

And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”

 

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A couple of weeks into the journey from Egypt, the children of Israel began complaining. GOD heard the complaints and told Moses what HE would do. HE wanted the people to know HE is GOD.

 

My Observations:

• Knowing that GOD is powerful and is loving and caring, seems to be important to HIM.
• Believing that GOD wants humans to succeed seems important to HIM.
• Remembering what GOD did for mankind seems important to HIM.

 

The children of Israel had a mindset that cruel slavery was better than freedom with GOD. “At least we had meat” was their sentiment. Their complaint was probably taken by GOD as an insult to HIS methods and intelligence. As if to say, “YOU obviously don’t know what YOU are doing.”

 

GHOD heard the complaint and did not say if HE liked it or not. HE simply provided and said that HE wanted to be known. Knowing GOD in this instance includes believing in HIS power and trusting that HE knws what HE is doing at all times. Their complaint placed them over GOD. They felt they knew what was best for them and could tell GOD to fix the deficit.

 

GOD made the deficit and needed the children of Israel to change their mindset the Egyptians forced on them. GOD takes free will seriously. HE allows us to complain, sin and walk away from HIS loving protection. To us, it’s strange, to GOD it’s love.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about what HE said about the children of Israel?
• Have you complained and GOD provided for you anyway?
• How will you know, believe and remember that GOD is GOD over your situation?

Accepted

Accepted

Acts 9: ²⁶ And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. ²⁹ And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰ When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

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When the reorganization was announced, I was shattered. I mean I spoke negatively about the department I left and was now told I had to go back, otherwise lose the job. I tried showing people how hard I worked, but was met with disbelief that I could ever be sincere. I needed an advocate.

• There were times when I could not push my way into a group.
• There were times when my past caused problems for the present.
• There were times when I was not accepted because of the things I said and did.

Saul persecuted anyone who spoke in the name of JESUS, or at least he was in charge of those who did the killing. When he was confronted by JESUS HIMSELF, he changed wholeheartedly and became a strong force for GOD. But the persecuted did not believe in Saul.

GOD did not zap their minds so they could see the sincerity in Saul. He needed an advocate to speak on his behalf. Fortunately Barnabas must have gotten word from Ananias, the one sent by the LORD. Barnabas became an advocate for Saul and the disciples believed.

• JESUS is my advocate and sent the HOLY SPIRIT to live in me.
• The HOLY SPIRIT speaks on my behalf, begging for my forgiveness to the FATHER.
• The FATHER is my forgiver and pours out HIS grace because I believe JESUS is my advocate.

Being accepted into GOD’s family felt great. I mean even though I messed up time after time, GOD saw me and said “Come to ME and I will give you rest.” I could finally rest from what I was searching for. I may not be accepted by humans, BUT GOD always accepts me. I believe in the love of JESUS.

• Are you searching for a group to accept you?
• Do you seek love and are willing to accept something that may be a lie or even harmful to you?
• Will you turn your life to true love, which is JESUS, who is your advocate?

Controlling

Controlling

John 7: ³² The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. ³³ Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. ³⁴ You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”

³⁵ Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

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Planning my route was difficult this day. For some reason, several tempers had flared and multiple fights were planned in different parts of the playground leaving the school. In fear, I went an extreme route, that was several blocks out of the way, just to get home. “Why can’t this just be easy?” I exclaimed.

• Sometimes life seems out of control.
• Sometimes life seems like a huge problem.
• Sometimes life seems to bring raging out of control situations that affect me.

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring about JESUS. They felt their controlling power slipping away. They wanted to get control of this situation so they sent officers to take HIM. JESUS knew what they were doing and addressed them directly. “You will seek ME and not find ME and where I AM you cannot come” was HIS disturbing news.

• JESUS wants me to let go of my control of HIM.
• JESUS wants me to allow HIM to do things HIS way and in HIS time.
• JESUS wants me to put HIM in control of my decisions, expectations and outcomes.

Trying to control GOD is like trying to control a raging storm. It cannot be done. GOD’s power is uncontrollable, by me. BUT GOD controls HIMSELF to love me instead of hating me for my sins. HE says to me “You are mine” so I can never put GOD under my feet and control what HE does.

I can control one thing, namely believing that HE knows what is best for me. GOD keeps HIS promises, always! HE wants me to be with HIM eternally and sends me out to seek those who seek HIM. I am grateful HE wants me.

• Are you trying to force GOD to act the way “you” want HIM to?
• Do you think that because you stopped doing a few sins, you are better than “that” person?
• Will you stop trying to control GOD with your smelly righteousness and allow HIM to control your path to guide people back to HIM today?

Hearing a Story

Matthew 13: ¹⁰ The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

¹⁴ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵ For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

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“But what will I do about my family” were the words the employee said to me as I prepared to let them go. Someone told me I had to be tough to handle this type of work.

• I have been in positions where a heart of stone was necessary.
• I have been in roles where a cold heart was applauded.
• I have been in organizations where callouses on the heart were welcome.

“Business is business” was the mantra, yet many were getting hurt by calloused hearts. What was I to do?

• GOD said to me “Open your heart and let ME in.”
• GOD said to me “I will turn your stony heart into one that can hear MY words.”
• GOD said to me “When you can hear MY words, I will provide you with abundance.”

Blind, deaf and mute was my path when my heart was calloused. I could not see GOD, hear HIS direction or speak on HIS behalf, yet I was “successful” in human terms. GOD wants me to have “treasure in heaven” which does not rust or moths cannot eat. HE desires me to have a heart for HIM.

• Do you love you more than GOD?
• Do you find your heart getting colder and colder towards others?
• Can you ask GOD to ignite your heart for others so HE can provide you with abundance?