Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Need For Dependence
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
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"And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle."
(Exodus 33:11)
Are you confident in where God is leading you today? Are you confident in your steps being ordered by the Lord? Are you at rest today? Are you going to be obedient to do it God's way? Is His way not sufficient, sensible or fast enough for you? Man's wisdom is foolishness to God, and God's wisdom is foolishness to man. Which wisdom are you going to choose? The two wisdoms don't work together; they're totally, diametrically opposed. You can't amalgamate them. The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Do you want to know why you're not at peace, confused, and there's no rest? You are double-minded, which leaves you in a state of confusion and discontentment. Once you determine to move in God's wisdom, then peace and assurance come and you know who you are.
Moses needed dependence. God delivered the children through the Red Sea. As the children murmured, the Lord provided water. Then at another time Moses said, "You rebels! Must I fetch you water from this rock?" (Num. 20:10) Moses did two things wrong.
Number one: he separated himself from the people, thinking he was above them-- "You are rebels; I'm obedient." Then he proceeded to be disobedient.
Number two: he put himself in God's place--"Must I fetch you water?" You tell me, Moses, how you're going to get water out of a rock! How easy it is to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, to think that somehow we've arrived at a place spiritually where God owes us or that we can depend upon our own spirituality. We are absolutely, totally dependent upon Him for every moment of our lives. Because of that haughty spirit, God said to Moses, "I'm not going to let you take the people in. You did a good job; I'm going to honor you, but you're not taking the people in." Don't you want to finish the race? Don't you want to lead your children and your grandchildren in? There needs to be a constant humility and obedience.
Joshua watched Moses make the big decisions. When Moses was on Mt. Sinai, Joshua went up as far as he could go. When the Shekinah glory appeared in the tabernacle, Joshua was the only guy that wouldn't leave, concerned that he might miss something if God showed up. Where's your heart today? Where's your hunger and thirst for righteousness? If you're hungering and thirsting for righteousness, one thing is guaranteed: you will be filled. When you seek God with all your heart, one thing is guaranteed: you will find Him. Do you believe that today? Then why are you in the condition you're in? I'm not saying that in a derogatory way. The question that I'm presenting is, "Have you accessed everything available to you?" If not, then why don't you press in and get some more? If you seek, you find. You knock; it's opened. You ask; it's given. You hunger and thirst; you are filled. There's more for you if you will stir up your heart and the gift that's in you. God has more for you in direct proportion to your pursuit and your obedience.