Do not Profane the Holy - Part 2
- Michael Smith
- Jul 10, 2008
- Series: Do not Profane the Holy
Do not Profane the Holy - Part 2
michaelsmith 7.07.2008
In part one of this message we talked of how God allows us to experience manna that He might humble us and test us, to do good to us in the end.
In part two we want to look at what is the purpose of Him humbling and testing us. Is it to just do good to us only?
Remember how we talked about the children of Israel being led by "stages" from the wilderness of sin in Exodus 17:1
And how we to are led by "stages" from faith to faith.
And how Israel complained and their heart was hard as in,,,
Psa. 78:40 where it says, " How often they rebelled against Him in the "wilderness" and grieved Him in the "desert"!
They had been saved from bondage in Egypt just as we are from the world. And just like Israel God is testing and training us to a maturity that we might reign with Him. That we will know who He is and how great He is, and then to share that with a lost and dying world.
Eph. 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles ( or lost ) the unfathomable riches of Christ,
Eph. 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
Eph. 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church ( that's us ) to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Eph. 3:11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
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In a similar way God wants to have us encounter impossible situations that we might know that with Him all things are possible. That He might display His mighty works through us to every created thing, every power and every authority in heavenly places.
Every circumstance Israel encountered was designed by God that they might know man does not live by bread alone as in Deut. 8:3
Israel from Egypt to the Cannan land was being prepared and trained to be the people of God, to rule and reign with Him. That they might learn of God's provision in the wilderness and to learn to exercise authority in warfare with the enemies of God by entering the promise land. But they failed because they would not trust Him with their circumstances, or for their sustenance.
Are we trusting God for His timing in the "stages" our lives?
Are we allowing Gof to reveal Himself through us into our daily encounters with others?
Do we exhibit the mighty works of God in our lives?
1Cor. 10:1 ¶ For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;
1Cor. 10:2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Cor. 10:3 and all ate the same spiritual food;
1Cor. 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
1Cor. 10:5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.
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They were laid low because they were eating and drinking spiritual food and water and then murmuring because is was not what "they" wanted. Or maybe even more so, it was not in the way or when "they" wanted.
1Cor. 10:6 ¶ Now these things happened as examples for us, so that "we" ( that's you and I ) would not crave evil things as they also craved.
Now when would we crave evil things?
Are we now smarter then Adam and Eve, who were pure having not been exposed to the corruption of the world yet, and they were to rule over all the earth. Yet the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil had become to them, "good for food and a delight to the eyes and would make one wise" Gen 3:6
Do we not also become dissatisfied and discontent and therefore desire or crave evil things such as not waiting and trusting God and then proceed to make our own provision etc?
And therefore hinder God's mighty works from being manifest in our lives and surroundings.
1Cor. 10:7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY."
1Cor. 10:8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.
1Cor. 10:9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.
1Cor. 10:10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
1Cor. 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1Cor. 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
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Why would we be tempted to crave evil things and to not rely on God?
Could it be we too as Adam and Eve did, believe a lie from the enemy that God is holding out on us? Maybe in our finances, or marriage, our relationships or in some area of our lives where we feel short changed?
Israel was not just complaining of the manna God had for them, they were really saying they didn't like trusting God with their circumstances and His handling of their circumstances.
The lie in the garden with Adam and Eve was, "did God really say that?" in other words, you better act in your own interest because God is withholding from you. You can't trust His word to you. Right?
We want the cucumbers, leeks and meat too, but instead we have this daily manna from God.
If Israel would have just trusted God for their daily provisions as they progressed through "stages", they could have ruled and reigned with God in the promise land.
And just like them we too can miss ruling and reigning with God through Christ who is our spiritual water and food for each day.
We can reign in our circumstances if we will not harden our hearts in unbelief. If we will allow God to teach us a new dependence on Him and learn His ways which are higher then our ways in dealing with our circumstances.
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Israel were slaves and needed to be tried and trained into learning how to be God's representatives in the earth.
We were lost and darkened in our understanding, Eph 4:18 and we need to be saved as well from a life of slavery to self reliance, self independence by having our minds renewed through "stages" from faith to faith. Rom. 1:17
Salvation is repenting, confessing our sins and accepting Jesus Christ. However salvation continues with our being delivered from our old mindsets and our flesh into learning to depend on God for our daily sustenance.
It is a process called sanctification.
And that process in part is,,,
Look to God for our sustenance daily.
Surrender to the process of His daily bread in our lives.
Be content with the stages of our lives and not complain.
Praise God for His mighty works in our lives.
It can be a grand adventure if we will allow God to be truly Jehovah Rophe, Nissi, Shalom, Jireh, etc in our midst.
We can become excited as our Father's loving hand leads us into divine encounters of His making to further His purposes in our lives and in the earth.
He really is involved in our affairs and wants us to rule and reign with Him in all circumstances if we will allow Him.
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Ours daily prayers should be,,
Father, I look to You this day for my daily food, and direction.
Help me trust You, to lead me into Your will for me this day.
May I surrender and allow You to express the greatness of who You are through me this day.
And I will praise You for Your mighty works in my life.
Amen
