Archive | February 2015

Exodus 32 – The Golden Calf….

Feb17

Good afternoon y’all. Today we are looking at Exodus 32. Here we see the Israelites pester Aaron to make them a graven image.

Ok, what first got my attention was verse 1 where the Israelites were asking Aaron to make them a ‘god’.

“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32: 1 NLT)

I thought to myself: is this not the same Israelites God appeared to on the mountain, the same ones God spoke loudly to and gave all the commands and they all responded we will obey.

“Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the Lord had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded”. (Exodus 24: 3 NLT)

Now, fast forward 8 chapters and they are already asking for a new god!. Seems to me these people never truly understood or knew God. Their encounter with God was shallow; it was just on the surface. Perhaps that’s why they asked Moses to speak to God on their behalf in Exodus 20:19.
They were too lazy and didn’t want to do the required to get closer to God. After all God had done for them, I’m amazed at verse 1.

Before we judge the Israelites, lets take a closer look at our own lives. Sometimes we too behave like the Israelites. We’ve seen God do miracles; seen Him show His mighty power, yet our understanding and knowledge of Him is limited to just those things. We are shallow in our in our understanding of who God truly is, so when trouble or temptation comes, we start to waver and look for alternative solutions. That’s exactly what the Israelites did. Just because Moses was gone for forty days and they had not seen him they decided they needed another ‘god’:they were so quick to forget all that God had done.

Are we shallow or deeply rooted in christ? Do we truly know this God or we are only interested in the things we can get from him? I’m reminded of Colossians 2: 6-7 and Luke 6: 46 – 48

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness”.(Colossians 2: 6-7 NLT)

“Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me  is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn’t even shake. But anyone who hears what I say and doesn’t obey me is like someone whose house wasn’t built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces”. (Luke 6: 46- 48 CEV)

If all we know of God are the miracles He does for us, then what happens when He stops doing miracles and He is silent?  Does that mean we shift camp, move to a different base and find the next best thing that works miracles? Doesn’t that imply we are only with God for the benefits we can get and not because we genuinely love and want to serve Him?

Lets read on….

Aaron, oh Aaron….I’m speechless…. like this is a dude who dined with GOD himself in Exodus 24. Dude has seen God work miracles through him. I’m asking myself with all that Aaron saw of God was it that He still didn’t understand God? Or could it be that He never even knew God? He was just doing what Moses asked him to do. Does this mean it is possible to encounter God and remain the same? Aaron was so quick to agree to the Israelites suggestion; he didn’t even think twice about making the golden calf. I guess it just shows how we can deceive ourselves to thinking we know God when in fact we do not know Him at all. May God help us!!!

I pray we we will be deeply rooted in Christ and when temptations or trials come our ways, we will be strong enough to discard them and stand on God’s word. Amen.

Thanks for joining today.

Have a blessed day 🙂

***With God all things are possible***

Exodus 31

Feb16

Good Morning y’all. Happy Monday 🙂

Today we are looking at Exodus 31.

Be blessed 🙂

God chooses and calls us. Not just that, He blesses us with what we need to accomplish the purpose for which we have been called.

In verses 3-5  we are told God called Bezalel and blessed him with all He needed to accomplish the task He has been given. God gave him the wisdom and skill to create the objects for the tabernacle. He was also filled with God’s spirit.

“Not only have I filled him with my Spirit, but I have given him wisdom and made him a skilled craftsman who can create objects of art with gold, silver, bronze, precious stones, and wood”.(Exodus 31:3-5 CEVUS06)

God equips us with all we need to fulfill purpose. Sometimes all we need to do is take the first step and everything we need to fulfill our calling will fall into place.

When we are working in God’s plan and will, He makes sure everything works out for us. I once heard a preacher say “… with every divine appointment comes divine provision…”. If God has called you to do something, He will always bring provision. He will supply all you need to fulfill the plan. He will lead you always and connect you to the right people that will help you. God raised up Oholiab and other men to help Bezalel with the task that God had given him.

“I have appointed Oholiab from the tribe of Dan to work with him, and I have also given skills to those who will help them make everything exactly as I have commanded you:”(Exodus 31:6 CEVUS06)

God doesn’t call you and leave you to get on with it, wandering around alone confused and clueless, trying to figure out how exactly you are meant to accomplish the task ahead. No, He always sends help and if you listen to His Spirit, He will lead you and reveal the plan to you. Isaiah 42:16 says:
“But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way, who can’t see where they’re going. I’ll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don’t fall into the ditch. These are the things I’ll be doing for them— sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”(Isaiah 42:16 MSG)

This doesn’t mean everything will be smooth but even in the storm God will always make a way out for you. He will hold you by the hand and lead you to your destiny.

God can do same for us too. James 1:5 -8 says:
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open”.(James 1:5-8 MSG)

Perhaps there is a call on your life but you don’t know how to start or where to start from or who will support you…etc. Today, be encouraged for God will send help. Ask him to show you the people He has raised to help you and give you boldness to step out into what He has called you to do. Step out in faith knowing God has your back.

Prayer:
Dear Lord we thank you for today. We thank you because you never leave us alone; You always make provision for us. Today we ask you show us the plan for our lives. Help us see the people and things you have set in place for us. Give us boldness to step out knowing you have our back. Thank you Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Thanks for joining today.

Have a blessed day 🙂

***With God all things are possible***