What thing do I put before GOD?

Exodus 20: ⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

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Polishing was always my final step when washing my car.  After two hours of brushing, scrubbing and vacuuming, my mechanical beast was road ready. I entered the grounds of my consulting assignment and it was as grimy as it gets. Steel manufacturing and clean cars don’t mix.

As I sat at a stop sign trying to figure out where to go a truck hit my car! When they repaired it the door was never the same. It even rusted at the bottom. My car had lost its luster.

• I have placed cars on a pedestal when I have more concern over it than people.
• I have placed houses on a pedestal when I grow my debt to the point where I can’t help people.
• I have placed gadgets on a pedestal when I need to have the latest and greatest versus helping people.

I don’t really “bow down” to things but I sure do worship them.  I know this sounds old but I was so excited to finally have a “bag phone” that I drove around catching glimpses of people as I was on the phone. I guess this stuff provides status and elevates me to the “Ooo Ah” category amongst my peers.

• GOD knows HE can easily destroy my material things so I shouldn’t put too much trust in them.
• GOD knows material items will quickly go to my head and drives lust for other items.
• GOD knows the more items I get the less I will communicate with HIM.

Please don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to own things but my problem is sometimes the things own me.  I fight hard to keep them and lay awake trying to protect them.  GOD wants this kind of attention.  HE would love a deep conversation or two hours of special detailing. HE enjoys times of just talking instead of request after request. HE wants a relationship!

• Do you have a relationship with GOD?
• Are you worried about your stuff?
• Can GOD take away your stuff and you would be alright with it?
• Can you take care of your stuff because GOD gave it to you instead of the status you get?
• Will you use your stuff for GOD’s purpose?

Am I too familiar with GOD?

Exodus 19: ²⁰ The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. ²² Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”

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Something woke me up so I decided to go to church this particular Sunday.  I was helping the teens because the teacher was “boring” but I had gone out the night before and only had a few hours of sleep. Sitting in class I found my mind drifting to many other places. When the teacher asked me a question I had no response.

Later that morning I found it impossible to keep my eyes open as the preacher seemed to take forever.  “When will I get out of this place?” I thought to myself.

• Sometimes I find myself going through the motions with GOD.
• Sometimes I treat GOD like a habit.
• Sometimes I want to be done with worshipping and get on with whatever I was doing.

I sometimes forget that GOD is GOD and not a pal or a boss. I treat HIM any old way and HE becomes my last thought or last resort. I dust HIM off when I get in trouble then put HIM away for safe keeping when I need HIM again. I don’t prepare myself to hear HIS message because worshipping is on my checklist and is viewed as something to get done.

• GOD says “wash my clothes” and prepare myself to meet HIM.
• GOD says “consecrate myself” getting myself in the correct mindset for HIM.
• GOD says “be ready” which means HE comes first and work or social comes second.

It’s easy to treat GOD as a habit instead of a being to be worshipped. It’s almost like saying “Yeah, yeah” to HIM and then doing my own thing. When HE makes life difficult for me then I try to use the argument “but I went to church, why aren’t you punishing those who are criminals?”

GOD wants me to treat HIM as GOD who is supreme, final and most powerful. HE can’t stand sin so HE allowed HIS SON to pay the price that I should have paid. HE doesn’t want me to take this gift lightly!

• How are you treating GOD?
• Do you view HIM as a pushover who only forgives or can you see HE also has supreme judgment?
• Do you fear the LORD?

Time to step up

Exodus 18: ¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.

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As I sat in church a thought popped in my head, actually it was a complaint. Actually it was several complaints. I had just finished another public speaking course and the guest preacher was boring! “I could do better than this guy” I thought to myself. “Why are they asking for money all the time?” “Why are those kids so bad?” “Why don’t they fix this place?” I think I’m going to go to another church!

• I sometimes complain about what somebody else is doing.
• I sometimes complain about the poor job other people are doing.
• I sometimes complain about my surroundings, expecting someone else to fix it.

The main question I never asked during my complaining is “how can I help?” Let’s face it, if GOD placed the problem in front of my face then maybe HE wants me to do something about it. I wonder what I can do.

• GOD wants me to be a representative for HIM.
• GOD wants me to teach HIS decrees and instructions to those who will listen.
• GOD wants me to show people how to live and behave.

Now when I attend I ask “what do YOU want me to do LORD” and HE always gives me an answer. My willingness to serve reduces my complaints significantly.

• Are you complaining?
• Do you see something wrong?
• What is GOD telling you to do about it?
• Do you realize you have a purpose that only you can do?

Faith plus actions wins the battle

Exodus 17: ¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 

¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³ So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

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School seemed like it took forever to complete! It took a lot of painful nights and prayer. Paying off bills seemed to take forever. It took a lot of discipline and prayer. Training for a marathon seemed tedious and time consuming. It took a lot of perseverance and prayer. Why couldn’t GOD just give me the knowledge, money and strength to do what I want to do?

• I want qualities that I may not be ready for.
• I want results without the pain of having my character shaped.
• I want easy living without troubles that may strengthen me.

GOD could have wiped out the army that fought against Israel but HE allowed HIS people to fight and show faith while fighting. GOD used Moses the strength in Moses arms as a gauge for whether they were winning or losing the battle. Meanwhile the soldiers had to actually fight for their lives. Many were wounded but they won the battle.

• GOD strengthens me through trials.
• GOD provides for me through work HE has given me..
• GOD grows me through studying HIS Bible and serving HIS people.

Each trial grows me for GOD’s purpose. As much as I despise the training I love the result!

• Are you going through a battle?
• Do you feel you have to fight for everything right now?
• Can you accept the painful process of GOD growing you?
• Can you take notice of the changes GOD is making in your life for HIS purpose?

Complaining about GOD isn’t smart

Complaining about GOD isn’t smart

Exodus 16: ²⁶ Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

²⁷ Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 

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Alarms, whistles and bells don’t sound when I want to sin.  There is a small still voice that says to me, “you shouldn’t do this” but I quickly ignore it and proceed anyway. Am I trying to prove GOD wrong or do I just want my way?

• GOD says to me, ”I have heard your complaints.”
• GOD says to me “How long will you refuse to keep my commands?”
• GOD says to me “How long will you refuse to keep my instructions?”

Honestly, this is the side of GOD I get a little nervous about. HE does have love that spans all of my sins but it doesn’t give me license to blatantly sin.  GOD heard HIS people complain in the desert and HE didn’t like it at all. Since HE doesn’t change I believe HE still doesn’t like complaints, especially about someone HE has a plan for.

I believe the more I complain the more GOD stores up against me.  HE knows I am coming from a very selfish place and HE isn’t pleased when I look at someone else as being the problem.

• GOD wants me to see HIS creations as being perfect.
• GOD wants me to accept HIS plan and not wander away from it.
• GOD wants me to accept HIS timing because HE know how to instill patience while providing.

Waiting on the LORD has not been one of my strengths so I complain. GOD wants me to turn my complaints into praise. This changes my perspective and puts me back on course!

• Are you complaining?
• Do you think your complaints are pleasing to GOD?
• Can you stop complaining and start serving?

Praising GOD is worth it

Exodus 15:

² “The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
³ The Lord is a warrior;
    the Lord is his name.

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Suitcases filled the car and we were on our way. Vacation was finally here and the drive was part of the fun. About an hour or so into the drive a very strange light appeared on the dashboard that could not be ignored. Soon after, the vehicle began to slow to a crawl. I move over to the shoulder and we called around trying to find the nearest dealer we could be towed to.

Three Thousand Six Hundred was the quote for a new transmission, but the service manager dug a little deeper and saw our impeccable maintenance history. He said “you don’t have to pay anything.” We sung a wonderful song!

• Sometimes I have to go through the pain in order to sing praise to GOD.
• Sometimes I have to go through problems in order to praise GOD.
• Sometimes I have to have trouble in my life in order to praise GOD.

I actually should praise HIM before HE delivers me from my trouble. HE has delivered me over and over again so I should look forward to watching HIS might unfurl before me. Praising GOD doesn’t manipulate HIM into my positive outcome rather it shows my allegiance to HIM in accepting HIS route.

HIS plan is best and I can praise HIM for it. I must admit, I do sing a little louder when HE does deliver me from pain!

• Are you waiting for delivery?
• Are you going through a difficult time?
• Can you stop and take a moment to praise GOD right now, thanking HIM for HIS method of delivery?

Stand Still and watch GOD work

Exodus 14: ¹³ Moses answered the people, “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. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

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Technology is great when it works! Today I got up and I go through my usual routine of drinking coffee in order to pry one eye open. I sat down to check my technology security. Since I work with many technology companies, the right hand doesn’t always talk to the left. In other words my usual routine was thrown into a tizzy when I got a message “Access Denied” from my own technology.

Frantically I started making calls. As I spoke to support, they began to panic. Something within me said “calm everyone down” so I did. I got everyone to talk to each other and the problem was because of a simple change that I was not informed about. Something tiny caused a great deal of stress.

• When problems happen I get stressed out.
• When situations happen I start moving faster and faster trying to react before the situation gets worse.
• When trouble happens I squirm until I get out of trouble.

Even experts will say during any emergency, stay calm and I definitely agree. Panicking blinds me and I can’t think or hear. Many times the situation can be alleviated through some simple solution but in a panicked state I dream of big solutions instead of simple. This causes me to panic more!

• GOD says “do not be afraid” which means HE is in control.
• GOD says “stand firm” which means HE will absorb the blow.
• GOD says “today I will see deliverance” which says it all.
• GOD says “HE will fight for me” which means who can beat HIM?

My feeble plans and solutions are nothing compared to the almighty GOD! HE laughs at adversity and sneers at problems. HE commands evil to step back and watch HIS deliverance. I need only to be still.

• Are you in a panicked state?
• Do you see no way out of your situation?
• Can’t you depend on GOD to deliver you?
• Won’t you put your trust in HIM instead of your plans?