ONE MOMENT!

“Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10 ESV)

Things happen. Irrespective of how we intend to conceal our intentions, some happenings expose us beyond our imagination! Moses had walked with God for years. He had put his life on the line, confronting Pharaoh, the commander of the deadliest army of his time. He fearlessly confronted the Egyptians’ magicians. Through him, incredible signs and wonders were performed, including the parting of the Red Sea. Ultimately, Moses appeared to be indispensable. Sad to state, though, Moses deviated from the instructions he was given by God. His statement in the above verse of the Scripture is quite telling.

For the extent he had gone with God, no one would ever imagine him receiving lashes for wrongdoing. But “God is no respecter of persons.” (Act 10:34 KJV)

Moses more or less equated himself with God. What a tragedy! Moses said, “Hear now, you rebels;” challenging the people God chose as if they amounted to nothing. His next statement was even more disturbing. He said, “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” The question is, who are the ‘we’ in that statement?

Further in the following verse, the Bible states that Moses struck the rock twice, and water gushed out, and the people drank. Unfortunately, the Apostle Paul revealed that, “that rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). One moment of Moses’ singular act cost him the Promised Land. Shameful!

Beloved, the severity of Moses’ fate concerning the Promised Land would never dawn on us because we were not in his shoes. When next you stand to carry out divine assignment, be sensitive. Watch your words. Watch your actions. Be sensitive because the careless handling of ‘One Moment’ may lead to a severe consequence. I pray that none of us will miss divine counsel for us in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

MY EYE OR GOD’S EYE?

“But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:31 CSB)

A boy asked his father: “Dad, what is the size of God? The father looked up into the sky, thinking of an appropriate response. Luckily, an aircraft was passing. The dad asked the son, “What is the size of that airplane?” The boy replied, “It is very small. I can hardly see it.”

The dad did not comment. He headed to the airport with his son. As they approached an airplane at the airport, the dad repeated his question: “Son, how big is this plane?” The boy replied: “Wow! Dad, it’s huge!”

Then the father told the son, “Back to the question you asked before, God’s size depends on how close or far you are to him.” The boy nodded.

Considering the above Bible verse, personally, I think the Israelis who gave the negative report were honest. But their so-called “honesty” was valid only because they believed that they won the battles of the past because they fought. And they were resolved to go again in their own strength. How terribly wrong they were!

Although God has always fought their battles, they never had the inkling that God was the One who has always fought for them. They saw their victories through their eyes.

Caleb, supported by Joshua had a different view. They saw the perfect picture. They did not focus on their own strength. They did not see their victories through their own eyes. They saw the situation through the eye of God. You cannot afford to see your victories through your own eye. Yes, you made effort. But God made it work. Also, like the father of that young boy taught, the closer you are to God determines the eye you see through.

Beloved, your concept of what God can do is largely dependent on the eye you see through. Yes, that situation may be challenging. But ask yourself: “Do I see through my eye or God’s eye?”

EXCEPT THE FATHER DRAWS

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44 KJV

Thank God for the many children God has all over the world today. It is true we came and identify with Him. The feeling of having a great and faithful Father like Him is beyond human comprehension. We look at ourselves and are proud to be called His children. But have you ever asked a daunting question – “How can a natural man attain salvation?” A natural man neither has power nor will to understand spiritual things. No, not a single bit.

But why not? A natural man is dead in trespasses and sins. He is impotent to everything that is spiritual. And whilst a man is in a state of such unregeneracy, blindness, and darkness, he sees no need to come to Christ. In fact, he is prejudiced and rebellious against Jesus and His Gospel. That is the state you were prior to your salvation.

The next phrase says, “Except my Father draws him.”

Now, being drawn by God does not equate to being forced, brainwashed, or coerced to salvation. The picture can be likened to a child being shown a candy. The child runs after you and wants to have the candy. You have not forced the child. You have not told him a lie about your candy to believe you. He just loves your candy drawn by his love for it. The same goes for the children of GOD. GOD has not forced you or coaxed you into the light.

Then how did you attain this salvation? Where has the desire to love God or wanting the things of God come from, having in mind a natural man is in an unregenerated state before GOD?

Beloved, GOD is the brain behind it. He orchestrated it, and it is all the work of Grace. It is the grace of God that stirred up your urge to love what God offered you through Jesus, which led to your salvation that produced the hope of eternal life. So, whenever the discussion of your sonship or daughterhood comes up, always remember that you would not have come Except The Father Draws.

HEADS HELD HIGH!

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” (Leviticus 26:13 NIV)

The imagery of this phrase, “Heads Held High,” portrays a situation where a class of people carry themselves with confidence and pride, having a sense of self-respect, feeling dignified, not ashamed and not afraid.

Before they were rescued from slavery, the Israelites constantly stooped under the yoke, and they were of dejected countenances. But now, God said, “I brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high. Wow! People who had walked head bowed for hundreds of years now have the effrontery to walk in the open in an erect stature! It calls for jubilation.

But do you realise that there is a parallel of that imagery when you accept Jesus as your LORD and Saviour? Even, much more!

Those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus have been enabled by God “to walk with heads held high.” They are no longer slaves to fear, to sin and its reward and to any harassment from the devil and his cohort. Their manner does not express pride, though, they are jubilating for being delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son. Alleluia! (Col 1:13)

Not just that, Romans 8:29 states that God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son. (NLT) That’s a screamer!

Martin Luther said, “The Christian man is the most free lord of all; the Christian man is the true servant of all.” We serve “with heads held high” because “his service is perfect freedom.”

Beloved, always remember: because you are a child of God, you have the right to walk with your ‘Head Held High!’

Experiencing the TRUE GOD.

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