"These are the words which Moses spake unto all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah over against Suph, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea. And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that Jehovah had given him in commandment unto them; after he had smitten Sihon the king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth, at Edrei. Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,". -Deuteronomy 1.1-5
Here in the book of Deuteronomy we have the final words of Moses. If we look closely at what takes place in the next thirty-four chapters we'll see that it is here, in his final days and hours, that Moses gives his greatest messages to Israel. The nation is on the border of the Promised Land, and because of his actions at Meribah, this is as close as Moses will get.
We see here the character of a great leader. After being told he would not enter the land Moses continued to lead the people in the wilderness. Here on the edge he gives them what would become the most central teaching in Israel, but more on this later. A selfish leader who is only in it for himself wouldn't have put up with these people knowing he wouldn't receive the blessing, but that isn't the type of leader Moses is. Moses not only leads them but on the edge gives his most influential teachings to them. He could have become bitter, but he didn't and because if that God used Him fully, right up until the end if his life.
Men, there will come a time in each of our lives when we get news we aren't thrilled about. There may even come a time when we learn we won't see the fulfillment of what we have worked so hard to accomplish. It is how we respond in those moments that most define us. Do we become bitter and angry, selfishly hoarding our remaining years and a life of experience? Or do we accept what God has said, and allow Him to continue to use us fully, having our greatest influence?
Moses didn't want to die on Nebo, but his desire to live obediently to God was stronger than his desire for personal satisfaction. Because of this, God gave Moses his greatest influence at the end. Do we desire to live with the same obedience? Are we living so that God can use us to our fullest potential? Will we have our greatest influence or is that behind us?
Let us strive to be great leaders. May our greatest influence come at the end of our lives as the result of complete obedience to God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Saturday, October 4, 2014
The Cost of Disobedience
"'Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.' So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, 'Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?' Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.'" -Numbers 20.8-12
This is perhaps the saddest moment in the life of Moses. He's led the people from Egypt to Sinai, and then from Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land with them complaining the whole way and asking if they can turn around and go back to Egypt. Things had gotten so bad that God sentenced them to forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses would have to put up with their complaining for four decades, but at the end he would lead the nation into the land.
But then we have this event at Meribah. The people need water and complain to Moses about their thirst. Moses in turn falls face down in humble submission to God and God tells him to speak to the rock and water will come forth. Moses goes to the rock and gathers the people and just as God's power is about to be shown off again, Moses disobeys and instead of speaking hits the rock twice with his staff. God doesn't abandon him, water still comes out for the people, but God is displeased with Moses.
I don't know if it was out of anger with the people, for some reason up until this read through I thought it was, but the text doesn't seem to indicate that here. I don't know if it was simply lack of faith because up to this point everything had been accomplished with the staff. I don't know why he did it this way, but it cost him more than he wanted to pay, more than he ever expected to lose.
Because of his lack of trust and disobedience, God will no longer allow Moses to lead the people into the Promised Land. He will lead them through the wilderness for the next forty years, he'll even get to see it from the top of Mt. Nebo, but his feet will never step on the soil. Because of his lack of trust he missed out on the blessing of the land, the hope that probably kept him going through all of the complaining.
There is an important lesson in this story. In January of 2013 I was on my second Israel trip, this one included a few days in Jordan, and aside from Petra the thing I was most looking forward to was the view from the top of Nebo. On a clear day you're supposed to be able to see North to the Sea of Galilee, and West to the Mediterranean. Sadly the clear days happen in the summer and I could just barely make out the northern tip of the Dead Sea. But my time on top of the mountain resulted in one of the greatest lessons I received from a brilliant biblical scholar.
One of my professors was on the trip and pointed out that in this event God shows that no one, not even a leader whom he speaks with as a friend, is able to get away with disobedience. Everyone is held accountable for how they respond to God, and no disobedience will be overlook or go unpunished.
Men, are you disobeying God? What rock have you been commanded to speak to, and yet you are hitting it instead?
Remember, God may not abandon you, water still came from the rock when Moses hit it, but his disobedience was not permitted. God took away the Promised Land from Moses. What will your disobedience cost you?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
This is perhaps the saddest moment in the life of Moses. He's led the people from Egypt to Sinai, and then from Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land with them complaining the whole way and asking if they can turn around and go back to Egypt. Things had gotten so bad that God sentenced them to forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses would have to put up with their complaining for four decades, but at the end he would lead the nation into the land.
But then we have this event at Meribah. The people need water and complain to Moses about their thirst. Moses in turn falls face down in humble submission to God and God tells him to speak to the rock and water will come forth. Moses goes to the rock and gathers the people and just as God's power is about to be shown off again, Moses disobeys and instead of speaking hits the rock twice with his staff. God doesn't abandon him, water still comes out for the people, but God is displeased with Moses.
I don't know if it was out of anger with the people, for some reason up until this read through I thought it was, but the text doesn't seem to indicate that here. I don't know if it was simply lack of faith because up to this point everything had been accomplished with the staff. I don't know why he did it this way, but it cost him more than he wanted to pay, more than he ever expected to lose.
Because of his lack of trust and disobedience, God will no longer allow Moses to lead the people into the Promised Land. He will lead them through the wilderness for the next forty years, he'll even get to see it from the top of Mt. Nebo, but his feet will never step on the soil. Because of his lack of trust he missed out on the blessing of the land, the hope that probably kept him going through all of the complaining.
There is an important lesson in this story. In January of 2013 I was on my second Israel trip, this one included a few days in Jordan, and aside from Petra the thing I was most looking forward to was the view from the top of Nebo. On a clear day you're supposed to be able to see North to the Sea of Galilee, and West to the Mediterranean. Sadly the clear days happen in the summer and I could just barely make out the northern tip of the Dead Sea. But my time on top of the mountain resulted in one of the greatest lessons I received from a brilliant biblical scholar.
One of my professors was on the trip and pointed out that in this event God shows that no one, not even a leader whom he speaks with as a friend, is able to get away with disobedience. Everyone is held accountable for how they respond to God, and no disobedience will be overlook or go unpunished.
Men, are you disobeying God? What rock have you been commanded to speak to, and yet you are hitting it instead?
Remember, God may not abandon you, water still came from the rock when Moses hit it, but his disobedience was not permitted. God took away the Promised Land from Moses. What will your disobedience cost you?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, September 1, 2014
Blessings of Obedience
"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect." -Leviticus 26.3-13
God tells His people that if they will follow Him, be fully devoted to Him, and live righteously as He has instructed them, then He will bless them. As I read this I thought back to Genesis 28, when Jacob is giving God all of the requirements God needs to meet for Jacob to follow Him (see Ultimatums from March 3,2014). Jacob said that if God would do this, this, this, and this, then Jacob would serve Him faithfully. But who is Jacob to give such ultimatums to God? Who is any man to God how it's going to be? But here we see God talking. Here we see God telling man what must happen, and what God will do if they obediently follow Him.
God promises to send rain so that the crops will grow, and He promises that the crops will come abundantly and last so that they don't have to worry about what they will eat. He promises peace, so that the people can live without paranoia, always looking over their shoulders and sleeping with one eye open. He promises that war shall not come to their land, and that harmful animals will be removed as well, so that their families and flocks may live in safety. God promises victory, few will overcome many, and the enemies will flee before them.
God promises to make them a great nation, and to fulfill His covenant with them. They will multiply and enjoy the promises made to Abraham. God promises His presence and acceptance of them. He will be their God. He delivered them from slavery so that they might enjoy fellowship together. God greatly desires for this, but in order for the people to receive it, they must desire it equally greatly. God has done so much more them, offered them so much, that they must respond in trust and righteous living to receive the blessings.
Men, God makes the same promises to us. He promises provision, protection, and peace. He offers us victory and security. He desires to dwell among us and fellowship with us. But in order to receive the blessings from God, we must pursue the God of the blessings.
This isn't a list of "do this in order to get that" rather it is the result that comes from intimate fellowship with God. When we come to new life in Him, when we delight in Him and fellowship with Him, these things are the natural result of that. And when we live apart from God, these things cannot be found. They are the result of a righteous life. The are the blessings of obedience.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
God tells His people that if they will follow Him, be fully devoted to Him, and live righteously as He has instructed them, then He will bless them. As I read this I thought back to Genesis 28, when Jacob is giving God all of the requirements God needs to meet for Jacob to follow Him (see Ultimatums from March 3,2014). Jacob said that if God would do this, this, this, and this, then Jacob would serve Him faithfully. But who is Jacob to give such ultimatums to God? Who is any man to God how it's going to be? But here we see God talking. Here we see God telling man what must happen, and what God will do if they obediently follow Him.
God promises to send rain so that the crops will grow, and He promises that the crops will come abundantly and last so that they don't have to worry about what they will eat. He promises peace, so that the people can live without paranoia, always looking over their shoulders and sleeping with one eye open. He promises that war shall not come to their land, and that harmful animals will be removed as well, so that their families and flocks may live in safety. God promises victory, few will overcome many, and the enemies will flee before them.
God promises to make them a great nation, and to fulfill His covenant with them. They will multiply and enjoy the promises made to Abraham. God promises His presence and acceptance of them. He will be their God. He delivered them from slavery so that they might enjoy fellowship together. God greatly desires for this, but in order for the people to receive it, they must desire it equally greatly. God has done so much more them, offered them so much, that they must respond in trust and righteous living to receive the blessings.
Men, God makes the same promises to us. He promises provision, protection, and peace. He offers us victory and security. He desires to dwell among us and fellowship with us. But in order to receive the blessings from God, we must pursue the God of the blessings.
This isn't a list of "do this in order to get that" rather it is the result that comes from intimate fellowship with God. When we come to new life in Him, when we delight in Him and fellowship with Him, these things are the natural result of that. And when we live apart from God, these things cannot be found. They are the result of a righteous life. The are the blessings of obedience.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Friday, March 21, 2014
Glimpses of the Destination
"Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. God said to him, 'Your name is Jacob; you shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.' Thus He called him Israel. And also said to him, 'I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.'" -Genesis 35.9-12
It was decades ago that Jacob set out on a journey, without knowing the destination. At the beginning God appeared to him and spoke, and over the next several years he learned and grew. He's been through a lot, gained a lot, and even gotten a couple of glimpses of where the journey leads.
In the beginning God promised to be with him and give him the land. At the wrestling match on his way back he was given a glimpse of who he really was, his true name, but still had some growing to do in order to get to that point. And now God appears to him and blesses him. God himself changes his name and officially brings him into the covenant.
Men, we are on this journey, and most of the time we don't know exactly where we're going, if we did we wouldn't need faith, but I believe that along the way God will give us glimpses of the destination. We get them to fan the flames that drive us to pursue our dreams and passions. We get them to encourage us to keep doing through the rough times. We get them to help us endure the tedious events we have to do. We get them to help our faith grow and to strengthen our identity in God.
This moment in Jacob's life was not the end of his journey, simply another glimpse of all that God had for him and his family if they remained faithful. The glimpses we get of where God is leading are contingent upon our continued obedience to Him. God can't take us somewhere we aren't willing to follow Him to. And it is important to remember that God is faithful. If we are obedient to Him, He will do all that He has promised and so much more abundantly beyond that.
Along the way we'll get glimpses of where we're going. Grab them, hold on to them, and continue to faithfully follow.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
It was decades ago that Jacob set out on a journey, without knowing the destination. At the beginning God appeared to him and spoke, and over the next several years he learned and grew. He's been through a lot, gained a lot, and even gotten a couple of glimpses of where the journey leads.
In the beginning God promised to be with him and give him the land. At the wrestling match on his way back he was given a glimpse of who he really was, his true name, but still had some growing to do in order to get to that point. And now God appears to him and blesses him. God himself changes his name and officially brings him into the covenant.
Men, we are on this journey, and most of the time we don't know exactly where we're going, if we did we wouldn't need faith, but I believe that along the way God will give us glimpses of the destination. We get them to fan the flames that drive us to pursue our dreams and passions. We get them to encourage us to keep doing through the rough times. We get them to help us endure the tedious events we have to do. We get them to help our faith grow and to strengthen our identity in God.
This moment in Jacob's life was not the end of his journey, simply another glimpse of all that God had for him and his family if they remained faithful. The glimpses we get of where God is leading are contingent upon our continued obedience to Him. God can't take us somewhere we aren't willing to follow Him to. And it is important to remember that God is faithful. If we are obedient to Him, He will do all that He has promised and so much more abundantly beyond that.
Along the way we'll get glimpses of where we're going. Grab them, hold on to them, and continue to faithfully follow.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, January 13, 2014
Unquestioned Obedience
"Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did." -Genesis 6.22
God said to Noah, "Build an ark, fill it with animals and food, take your family in, because it's going to rain. I'm sending a flood." And it's important to keep in mind that it hadn't rained yet (Genesis 2.5). Think about the faith it took Noah. Build an ark, fill it, it's going to rain. But Noah does it exactly as God commands.
Noah was already different from everyone else. He's righteous and blameless, he walks with God. And because of that, he is able to have a trust and obedience to God that most people can't even imagine. He spends decades working on the ark, gathering food, and collecting animals, because God said a flood is coming. Building the ark was an act of worship. Worship is a trusting, obedient response to the word of God. Noah trusted and obeyed God, and therefore, Noah worshiped.
What is God asking you to do? What "ark" has He asked you to build? How crazy does it sound? What is your response to God? Have you tried to negotiate, and talk your way out of it, hoping to change God's mind? Or have you done according to all that God has commanded? Are you trusting and obeying? Are you worshiping?
To be righteous and blameless, to walk with God, we must worship. In order to worship, we must trust and obey the word of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
God said to Noah, "Build an ark, fill it with animals and food, take your family in, because it's going to rain. I'm sending a flood." And it's important to keep in mind that it hadn't rained yet (Genesis 2.5). Think about the faith it took Noah. Build an ark, fill it, it's going to rain. But Noah does it exactly as God commands.
Noah was already different from everyone else. He's righteous and blameless, he walks with God. And because of that, he is able to have a trust and obedience to God that most people can't even imagine. He spends decades working on the ark, gathering food, and collecting animals, because God said a flood is coming. Building the ark was an act of worship. Worship is a trusting, obedient response to the word of God. Noah trusted and obeyed God, and therefore, Noah worshiped.
What is God asking you to do? What "ark" has He asked you to build? How crazy does it sound? What is your response to God? Have you tried to negotiate, and talk your way out of it, hoping to change God's mind? Or have you done according to all that God has commanded? Are you trusting and obeying? Are you worshiping?
To be righteous and blameless, to walk with God, we must worship. In order to worship, we must trust and obey the word of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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