The Captain's Log

Finished up the book of Numbers recently and God showed me a beautiful insight about how perfect His ways are and how He desires for us to rely on Him alone.

In chapter 20 the Israelites are grumbling, again, against Moses, again.  This time it is because they are in the wilderness of Zin and have no water.  This has happened before, but the interesting thing this time around is that God has just given them the Laws of Purification in Chapter 19.  Now, in order to obey God in these laws, they need to use water.

I think God often puts us in a position to trust in Him for what we need and not just our basic needs, but perhaps especially for our acts of obedience (Romans 8:26).  The problem is that we often end up complaining to or getting frustrated with other humans (like the Israelites did with Moses) instead of going to God and asking Him to provide for our needs.  Which is really sad because God longs to give us good gifts (Matthew 7:11), meet our needs (John 3:16), and work His powerful love through us (John 14:12)… if we will allow Him to (Rev. 3:20).

So, eventually Moses does ask God on behalf of the people for water and God does provide water for the people.  However, by now Moses has had it with this congregation’s complaining and he lets it frustrate him into disobedience by striking the rock instead of commanding the rock to pour forth water.  This disobedience is what kept him from entering the promised land.  The next time I have a need, I pray I’ll have the faith to ask God first instead of complaining to a human and thus possibly being a stumbling block to them.

A note about these “rocks” that water comes from: I once heard Pastor Joe Knight of GRIF teach that these we rocks made of sand that glazed over water and held it like a cactus holds water.  He went on to say that Bedoin shepherds would strike these rocks with their staffs and water would come out for them and their livestock.  If this is the case here in Numbers, then Moses would have to trust that commanding the rock to bring forth water based on God’s instruction to do so would cause it to happen without hitting the rock (though that was the command in Exodus 17:6).  This would take a level of faith in action that we are commanded to exercise in our every day lives, if we would take that kind of courage (Josh 1:7, 9).

My church is reading through the Bible chronologically and our pastor is posting commentary at the church’s web site to accompany the readings.  Today we read Numbers 11-13 and he wrote:

“Numbers 11 is a very important chapter. It begins a sequence of rebellion (often against authority) and complaining that will characterize most of the rest of the book of Numbers.”

I think that I find myself rebelling against God when I don’t like the circumstances of my situation, so I decide to take control, which is actually rebelling against God by not submitting to His authority.  And then I’m not in a position to be led by His truth or to receive His blessings.  So then I need to choose to come back under His authority – to surrender to His Holiness by submitting myself, my agenda, my will, and my desires.  Then His will can pour through me, leading me to live the life He so desires for me to both grow in AND enjoy

Also in today’s reading:

“We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” (Caleb’s fellow spies said to Moses in Numbers 13:31)

Thank You, God that every time I feel this way or am tempted to believe some lie like this one that you respond with:

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Jesus explaining the way of salvation to His disciples in Matthew 19:26)

Thank You, God that You offer us both eternal salvation and current salvation.  And I thank You that You don’t just deliver us from trials and temptations but that you also give abundant life, if we are willing to receive those good gifts from You.  Oh, please open our hearts and help us choose to receive, amen.

There are three reasons I have been able to stay married for over eight years:

1.  The will of God and our submission to the Holy Spirit.  Can’t do it without Him.  Wouldn’t have gotten married in the first place without obeying God.  If you don’t know the story of what God was doing the week Peter proposed please ask me sometime

2.  Choosing compassion so that we can show each other love when we aren’t acting lovable (following the example of Christ Jesus) and respect even when we are not behaving respectfully.  We would have these times when I thought I was about to loose my mind because we don’t believe in divorce, but to stay together seemed impossible.  About a year ago we started learning how to be compassionate towards one another.  This changed EVERYTHING.  When I say EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING.  Thank You God and thank you Set Free Ministries.

3.  Compassion helps, but then there are times when your spouse’s actions can just… drive you up the wall!  God has taught me His salvation for this situation: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:2-5

I must admit that at first I felt like God was asking me to deal with my teeny, tiny, little speck of sawdust before I “helped” Peter with the big log cabin that was totally annoying me.  But I stepped out in faith and trusted God at His word (of which He has always been faithful).  Each time I allowed God to deal with my attitude and/or sins I saw that they were somewhat larger than a speck…  And, after I grew a little – maturing in Christ in that area I then looked over at Peter.  Because my vision wasn’t so blocked (after I let God deal with me) I could see that it really was only a speck in Peter’s eye, and my how had he matured in that area!

By the way this method of dealing with people who annoy me has also worked on other family members, my next-door neighbor, my co-workers, and my fellow church-goers.

I encourage you to give it a try

Nov. 2nd God sent one of His faithful servant to help me pray through some hard stuff.  During that prayer time she prayed that God would give me verses to cling to as I grew anew in Him.  I was expecting Bible verses, but it was song lyrics that He gave me.  You can hear them at the first web site under the song.  The second site has the lyrics if you are interested.  Jehovah Jirah is so loving!

Spoken For – Mercy Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWvnLj980M&feature=PlayList&p=8C0EA49464956800&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=9
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mercyme/spokenfor.html

Unbreakable – Fireflight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCUfHQSsC2c&feature=player_embedded
http://www.metrolyrics.com/unbreakable-lyrics-fireflight.html

Alive Again – Matt Maher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6w5szlpedY

Not be Moved – Natalie Grant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wu8YM-XDvs&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-will-not-be-moved-lyrics-natalie-grant.html

What Do I Know of Holy – Addison Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6J5TzSE_18

Hope Now – Addison Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xboucW89gUU&feature=channel

In Better Hands Now – Natalie Grant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yKlQ6zoqDE&NR=1

Matthew 5:20 “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Even the legalism of the Pharisees wasn’t enough to get them into heaven.

God has been teaching me a lot about resting in His love and allowing His strength and provisions to be all that I need – that I would not worry, work, or try to control anything but to trust in Him alone.  Of all the encouragement He has given me for this, it is also good to have His teachings against the ways of my flesh as well

This morning Tobi peed half way on the rocks and looked at me out the corner of his eye.  He was testing me to see what he could get away with.  I don’t really care if he doesn’t go directly on the rocks or not, but I had to respond with the strength that I am the alpha.  Anyway, it got me thinking about something Dr. Dobson said about strong willed children being like a night watchman – wanting to find the door locked but having to try it to test.  It got me thinking about Adam and Eve.  I wonder if there was a part of them that wanted to test God – asking, “Do you really mean what you say?  Are you bigger, stronger and wiser than I am?”  I think that we need the answers to those questions.  And I don’t think that bothers God.  We are made in His image which means that we have a strong will (maybe some more than others, but still).  God knew that, and He knew how to handle that.  It is forever about trust now…
Will we trust Him to handle our strong will?  And now that He has answered our questions, we do know that He does mean what He says (all of His promises and warnings), He is bigger, stronger and wiser than we are.  That’s all we want to know.  Is He gonna be there and does He have what it takes to handle not only our situation, but our hearts, minds and lives as well.

I’ve been on a journey this year to discover what the Bible really has to say about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  This journey has been all about shedding the “religious” “country club” mentalities of what Christianity has become in my country where we drive SUV’s to church (never mind being poor stewards with our money by incurring debt and not taking care of the poor, widow, refugee & orphans) because we are more concerned about what our neighbors think of our outward appearances than we do about how God wants to love, set free and redeem our hearts, minds and lives.  This morning my pastor shared a concept that may be at the heart of this perverted mentality: As soon as we start defining who God is, we have made ourselves God.  This made me stop and consider what preconceived notions I’ve installed as fact – weather my upbringing conditioned me that way or I’ve come to choose it as a “justified comfort”.

My God does not serve me the American dream, but Jesus has tied an apron around His waist and washed my feet.
For those of us who consider ourselves Christians or who say we believe in God – let us seek God with all of our heart, soul and strength, and may we allow God to search our hearts and know our anxious thoughts.  May we let God know our anxious thoughts by trusting our God who’s name is Love.  May we remember that Yahweh gave Adam a mate, used the dysfunctional family of Jacob to save the nation of Israel, did not bow to the supposed divinity of Pharaoh but delivered Jacob’s descendants from the bondage of slavery.  To this day Yahweh sets us free from the ways we’ve allowed ourselves to be bound and redeems our bad choices and their consequences that have enslaved us financially, emotionally, relationally, and from all things that we find ourselves dependent upon other than God’s grace, mercy, and provisions (“every good and perfect gift” James 1:17).

Thank You God for offering not just grace and mercy, but also love and total redemption!  Thank you that you want to make us new creations and not just whole and healed, but useful for Your will to love, encourage and teach others all about Your truth and the freedom You died to give us

Well it gladdens my heart to see that Kristin is again leading me gently into things that God has been calling me to engage.

I love her gentle and straight forward following of God.

And I am so happy to hear that she wanted to start blogging.

It will be a great encouragement to move forward in it myself.

Welcome my love it is an honor to blog with you

Peter

I have never been one for spouting off my thoughts or feelings, and much less on line…

But in keeping with the theme of Vawtersedge I will experiment by sharing some of the things that come to mind throughout the day as well as some family updates.

Please feel free to join and comment on any of my posts I am interested in knowing your feelings on what is said and growing this site into one that God would use.  Eph. 3-10

God bless

Peter