Has the Lord's arm been shortened?

Numbers 11:23(NKJV)

23And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”

Ran across this verse the other day and I just love the highlighted phrase.

"Has the Lord's arm been shortened?"

Want a fun little phrase to help remind you that God can do anything and can fulfill any promise He has made to you?  Make a little sign for your car or office or whatever.  And then anytime you start to feel discouraged or your faith starts to waver just ask yourself:

"Has the Lord's arm been shortened?" and smile to yourself!

The Old 80-20 Rule

Even in scripture we find it.  Not sure what I am talking about? Let me explain.

It seems that in most organizations, whether it is at work, church, the PTA, Little League, whatever; roughly 20% of the people step up and make things happen while the other 80% watch things happen.  The ones that step up and volunteer to teach Sunday School are the same ones that step up and run the PTA or Little League.

Why don't the others get involved?  It could be lack of confidence, lack of faith, or even just plain laziness.  I don't really know.  It just is.

What I found interesting is that I was reading Numbers 13 and 14.  God instructs Moses to send 12 men, leaders of their tribes to spy on Canaan.  They go out and 40 days later they come back.  10 of the twelve tell  Moses, Aaron and the people how dangerous and impossible it is going to be to take possession of the land that God gave them.   2 of them see the vision and have total faith that God can deliver and so they are the only two of the twelve that God lets take possession and enjoy the benefits of God's vision for their lives.

Think about that.  Two out of 12 is 17%.  That's close enough for me to see the 80-20 rule in action here. 

So my suggestion is that if you want to be really useful and pleasing to God, be a 20%er!

We Shall Reap IF We Don't Lose Heart

 Galatians 6:9(NKJV)

9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

This verse kind of continues the theme from Friday.  If you really want to tick God off then start complaining.  Why does that tick God off?  Well this is just a guess on my part but I think it may be that it is a manifestation of losing heart.

As with all of God's promises, this one is conditional.  God wants us to do good and not to tire of doing good.  God tells us that in due time, we shall reap if we don't lose heart.  Who determines due time?  God does.  Our job is to suck it up and push to the mark as Paul would say, full of hope in God's promises. Nothing less!

We Shall Reap IF We Don't Lose Heart

 

Galatians 6:9(NKJV)

9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

This verse kind of continues the theme from Friday.  If you really want to tick God off then start complaining.  Why does that tick God off?  Well this is just a guess on my part but I think it may be that it is a manifestation of losing heart.

As with all of God's promises, this one is conditional.  God wants us to do good and not to tire of doing good.  God tells us that in due time, we shall reap if we don't lose heart.  Who determines due time?  God does.  Our job is to suck it up and push to the mark as Paul would say, full of hope in God's promises. Nothing less!

Sure fire way to piss God off!

I don't know about you but I don't think it is a good idea to piss God off if we can help it.  Make sense?  Now I have written in the past about how sometimes the Bible can be a bit opaque in it's meaning.  However today I found something that, at least for me, is pretty black and white.  You ready for it?

If you want a sure fire way to piss God off, be a complainer!

Numbers 11:1(NKJV)

1Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 

Numbers 11:10(NKJV)

10Then Moses heard the people weeping (complaining) throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 

As a parent, let me use this analogy.  You know how sometimes your kids can do things that while they may annoy you, you kind of let it slide?  It's not worth making a big deal over.  On the other hand, you know how sometimes your kids will take something too far and now you went from annoyed to really pissed?  That point where the kids eyes get really big because they just realized they pushed a little too far? 

Well that's they way I picture the meaning of these verses.  Complaining doesn't just annoy God, it pisses Him off!

What does God want from us?  Let's take a look at this verse from Colossians.

Colossians 2:6-7(NKJV)

6As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding £in it with thanksgiving.

Abounding in it with thanksgiving!  What do you have to be thankful for?  How about letting God know how much you appreciate it!

The Ebb and Flow of our Journey With God

Numbers 9:15-23(NKJV)

15Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 

16So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

17Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. 

18At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. 

19Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. 

20So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. 

21So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. 

22Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. 

23At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Isn't this a great description of the ebb and flow of our journey with
God? 

We have times in our lives where everything is flowing and life is good.  We're moving forward, sailing along.  But then invariably some clouds settle in and we have to regroup.  Sometimes the clouds are short lived and sometimes they last a little longer.  But through it all, God is right there with us.  All the time.  All we have to do is follow His lead!

Roach's Prayer

A friend of mine passed away last week and I went to the funeral today.  My friend's nick name was Roach.  Now Roach was a hard partying kind of guy and so I wasn't terribly surprised to hear that he had passed away. 

What I want to share with you today though was a simple prayer that my friend had written that the family found tucked away in a drawer.  My friends outlook on life was pretty simple.  Wok hard, play even harder.  His prayer is just as simple but there is a wisdom in the simplicity that I'd like to share. 

------------------

Thank you God for what you have given me.

Thank you for what you have taken from me.

Thank you for what you have left me.

Amen my friend!