Never Have Enough

Is there a difference between religion and relationship? Absolutely, a difference that anyone should be able to tell, but so few experience. It seems that the more people I talk to, more and more are "good" people, or have "good" morals, but yet when you look at their lives you see no sign that they experience the presence of God or hear the voice of God on anything resembling a regular basis. This is a travesty of the highest degree. God has designed us to worship, to experience a real and vibrant relationship with Him. So, what is hindering so many from experiencing this. . .desire. In the opening verses of Exodus 33 God is instructing
Moses to proceed with the task of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, but with a variation from His instructions at the burning bush. In Exodus 3 God had promised to bring the people to Canaan with His presence. In Chapter 33 God tells Moses to go and that an angel will be sent ahead to bring the victory, but that God's presence would not be going with them. Do you realize what God was offering Moses? God was giving him the chance to experience a "successful" life by leading God's people to victory in the Promised Land, giving them the homeland God had promised Abraham hundreds of years before, but all of it without God's presence. Why? The hearts of the people were not filled with the desire to experience and please God, it was to fulfill their own desires. I see many today living that very lifestyle; experiencing "success" without God because they will not surrender their will to His. Moses had seen the results of life without the presence of God and his response is a lesson to us of how our response should be patterned. The first thing Moses did was move the tent of meeting outside the camp showing a clear separation between the sinful state of the people and the house of God. This resulted in the repentance of the people which stemmed from a fear of God's judgment of their sin. If the church would live by, preach, and teach the truth of God's impending judgment of sin and clearly separate from all it's tenants the world might take notice. There must be a clear separation! The second thing that Moses did was go to God and make three very profound statements. The first statement could be summarized, "God you told us to go our way, but would you please show us your way that we may go with you." What is God's way for your life? Have you asked Him? Wouldn't our energies be better spent pursuing God's will and plan rather than our own? The second statement Moses makes is "If your presence doesn't go with us I'm not going anywhere. We move when you move." Activity is not a sign of the true work of God, the leading of the Holy Spirit is. In response to Moses' two previous statements God agreed to lead and go with them, so it would seem that Moses should be satisfied. He got what he was after, God would lead and go with them clearly identifying them to the world as the people of God. I want to preface Moses' final question with a question of my own. Who on planet earth at the time of this conversation was closer to God than Moses? To whom was God speaking as clearly and often as Moses? Moses could have been satisfied with his proximity to God and left it at that because compared to the rest of the human race, he looked pretty good. Notice verse 18, "And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory." Did you catch that? God, I want to see you and your glory. I've heard your voice. I've held the stone tablets with your handwriting on them. My face has glowed with the reflection of you presence, but I am not satisfied, I want to see you. Moses did not ask this question out of any ulterior motive or selfish desire, but of a pure and righteous desire to know more of God than he did at the time. Do we have that hunger and desire? Do we strive each day to know more of our God or are we satisfied being where we are because we look "better" than others? Notice Moses got what he asked for, he saw God. We will too, if we want it bad enough. Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all thy heart.

Hidden Treasure

Many look at chapters of Scripture that contain genealogies as worthless except in a historical context. Scripture tells us that “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” Within the lists of Genesis chapters 5 and 11 we are given a prophetic statement of the coming Messiah and the hope that He brings.

Adam – man or mankind
Seth – appointed
Enos – mortal
Cainan – dwelling, sorrow
Mahalaleel – Praise of God
Jared – descent
Enoch – to bring up
Methuselah – a branch
Lamech – powerful
Noah – comfort
Shem – name, renown
Arphaxad – a healer, releaser, or deliverer
Salah – mission, sending
Eber – one that passes or dies
Peleg – division, divided
Reu – his friend or shepherd
Serug – branch, layer, twining or embracing
Nahor – hoarse, dry, hot
Terah – to breath, bring
Abram – high father (Abraham – father of all people)

What does this prove? Look as we add a few words to what comes out.

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow. Praise of God (a) descent (will) bring up a branch, (a) powerful comfort. (His) name, a deliverer, sent (to) one that passes/dies, divided (from) his friend and shepherd, embracing (the) dry to bring (to) (the) High Father/Father of all people.

Coincidence? Hardly, especially when you consider that the name Jesus means “deliverer”. Here in two seemingly useless lists of names God is telling us that the Messiah will come, what He will come to accomplish, and even what His name is. Consider what other hidden treasure may be lurking in depths of Scripture.

Please Take Your Seat

As a principal at a Christian school I have heard much, read much, and even spoken much about having a "Christian world-view". My understanding of this phrase is that we view all of life and the world around us as it is defined and discussed in Scripture. Having worked with many students, and having spoken to a multitude of people about their personal experience with Jesus Christ I have come to the conclusion that simply a world-view is insufficient. Let me explain my thinking. David, the second king of Israel, the "man after God's own heart", had a son, Solomon. Solomon grew up under the tutelage of his father, a man who loved and worshipped Jehovah and had a tender heart towards the things of God. Solomon was given the task of building the temple, the most sacred building in all of Jewish history. We can read Solomon's prayer of dedication and it is filled with a "Biblical world-view". How did Solomon end up? There is a fragment of hope in Ecclesiastes that he restored his relationship with God, but the hope is fragmentary at best. Solomon had a son, Rehoboam, and we are told that he did not prepare his heart to know, serve, and love God. His life ended in rebellion against God. My father was a pastor, a man that loves God and His Word like no other I have ever known, and he taught me to have a "Biblical world-view". How I end up has little to do with my view and everything to do with the application of that view. The success of my son's relationship with God is totally dependant upon their application of the view they are being taught. I have a choice, as did David, Solomon, and Rehoboam. I can have a heart for God, a mind for God, or simply feeble hand service to God. My view means nothing without the application. There are many walking the streets of 21st century America that have a correct view but are not supporting it with the necessary application to experience the favor of God. So, which seat is your's?