Failure to Recognize...

How often do we fail to recognize God’s blessings as GIFTS from Him? Sometimes, they are as simple as a day of rest, or enough food for the day.

The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey My commands and instructions? 29 They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why He gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. Exodus 16:28-29a

Providing for Our Needs...

God always provides what we need. Notice I didn’t say WANT. The emphasis is on NEEDS. Why would God expect us to do something without providing the means of doing it? He wouldn’t. If we find ourselves complaining about something, particularly if it’s something we want and didn’t get, we need to accept the fact that God deemed it unnecessary. He knows best, and we need to recalibrate our ability to differentiate our “needs” from our “wants”. God always provides enough, even if it doesn’t fit our definition of it.

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow My instructions. 5 On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” Exodus 16:4-5

17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Exodus 16:17-18

When Your Faith Fluctuates...

There are times and seasons in our lives when our faith fluctuates and we start to question it. What we don’t realize is that a life that pursues God will have these kinds of moments. When we start to question, “what does God want from me?”, we need to go back to the basics of our faith. These basics never change. They never lose their importance or effectiveness in our lives. God always (daily) wants us to listen carefully to His voice. If you’re not hearing His voice, you need to press into Him more and realize sometimes His voice is already being communicated in His silence. His voice sometimes is what we already know, what we read in scripture. So regardless if we “feel” close to God, we need to “DO” what is right in His sight, “obeying His commands and keeping His decrees”. This just means aligning your heart with His. Loving people, helping those in need, and having an attitude of “I’m important, but not as important as I might think”. God honors those that honor Him. He takes care of His children.

25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to Him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:25-26

Doubt and Action...

03072019 Doubt is the enemy of faith. Action is it’s ally.

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” Matthew 21:21-22

The Road of Laziness...

The only place the road of Laziness leads you is to a destination called Poverty. Along the way you travel through a land called Enablement. From there you travel through the city called Entitlement. When your car breaks down you get it fixed at a garage called Welfare. And right before you arrive at your final destination you drive through the suburbs of Poverty, called BlameSomeoneElseville and ItsNotMyFault place. That’s the road map of Laziness.

  6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.Learn from their ways and become wise!7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work,8 they labor hard all summer,gathering food for the winter.9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?When will you wake up?10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,a little folding of the hands to rest–11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. Proverbs 6:6-11

Put in Their Place....

I once heard a story about the Exodus of the Israelites being chased by the Egyptians into the Red Sea. A college professor was telling the students that the Biblical account wasn’t accurate. All the scientific research clearly showed that the parting of the Red Sea must’ve taken place at the shallow end of the Sea. The college professor stated, “it must’ve only been a few inches of water that parted allowing the Israelites to walk through”. Just then, one of the students yelled out, “now that’s even a greater miracle”. The college professor was dumb-founded. The student continued, “God showed His Glory to the Israelites, by parting the Red Sea, and then drowning the Egyptian army in a few inches of water. Now that’s miraculous”. Skeptics who try to explain God away, will always be put in their place.

21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!23 Then the Egyptians–all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers–chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here–away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers–the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.29 But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before Him. They put their faith in the Lord and in His servant Moses. Exodus 14:21-31

Let God Exalt...

For any believer in a leadership position, this is the best method on how to lead your group. In order to be effective you have to be different. You lead by setting the example. You lead by walking with the members of your group. You lead by serving them, looking out for them, becoming last by advancing them, instead of trying to be “#1” yourself. Sacrificing your time, your pride, and yourself, will make a lasting impression. If not for this life, but for the life to come. Don’t exalt yourself, let God do that; concentrate on serving others.

25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28