- araratchurch
- Aug 24, 2022
- 4 min read
“And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.”
Exodus 35:30-35 NKJV
William Joseph Seymour was born in 1870 in Louisiana to emancipated slaves. He would go on—through a combination of God ordained events—to settle in Los Angeles, California where he initiated the Azuza Street Revival. The Azuza Street Revival was responsible for sparking the outbreak of Pentecostalism and (eventually) the Charismatic movement in the United States. “Daddy” Seymour (as he came to be known) was a black man living in a time of racial discrimination. Yet, he used that force as the wind in his sails. Rather than stopping the call of God in his life, adversity actually propelled him into God’s plan. He was born into poverty and was blind in one eye (from complications of smallpox). Yet, he would be instrumental in a movement that has as its children and grandchildren most of the Pentecostal, Holiness and Charismatic denominations and movements in the United States today.
Smith Wigglesworth was born to impoverished parents in the United Kingdom in 1859. Having to work from the time he was able, he never went to school and was illiterate until the time that he married his wife, Polly. Polly would be the one who would teach him to read the only the only book he ever read, the Bible. He was a plumber by trade until he went into full-time ministry in 1907. Wigglesworth’s healing ministry spanned decades and is still talked about in Pentecostal circles today.
Reverend Earl Pearly Paulk, Senior (my maternal grandfather), was born in South Georgia in 1904. He was also born into a humble home and had to leave school after the second grade in order to help with the family’s farm. He would grow up to attain high position and great recognition in the Church of God. He traveled the world (in a time when that was not common for pastors) and sat before kings. Although his reading skills were limited, he became known as the “walking Bible” because of his vast memorization of scripture.
What all of the above men have in common is that—against all odds—they succeeded at doing what would have been seen as impossible, if making a human calculation.
Another thing they all have in common is that they followed the leading of the Lord, doing what He sent them to do, while trusting Him to equip them for the impossible.
Throughout the word of God we find examples of people who—against all “odds”—did the impossible; they gave themselves to the Lord and trusted Him to empower them to do the work.
“Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” [The Lord answered,] Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.”
I Kings 3:7, 9, 12 NKJV
When Solomon became king after David‘s passing, he felt he was not up to the task. He asked the Lord for His help and received ability far beyond what he could have imagined.
Today we find Moses telling the people that the Lord had equipped two individuals to lead the work of building the tabernacle. The Lord had given them the skills they would need to carry out his instructions as well as the ability to train others. You see, the Lord did not just tell Moses that He wanted a tabernacle, He also gave detailed instructions and put the ability within individuals to carry out the work.
If your starting point is analyzing what you are able to do, in terms of “deciding” what God can do with your life, you will greatly limit the power of God and your personal calling. The Lord will never call us to do something that He will not also equip us to do. As well, He will prepare our path. Our part is to listen to Him, follow His instructions and leading, all the while fully trusting Him to prepare us for the work.
What is possible for our lives should not be judged based on our ability, but on the power of God. And—given that basis for estimation—even the sky is not the limit!
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
You will be able to do what you need to do.
- araratchurch
- Aug 23, 2022
- 4 min read
“And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze;”
Exodus 35:4-5 NKJV
I think most people of my generation have heard some rendition of the story “The Little Red Hen” (an American fable). The story goes that a little red hen found a small amount of grain and decided that she would make bread out of it. She first planted the grain in order that she would have enough to make a lot of bread. She asked many of the farm animals if they were willing to help her plant the grain; and they all refused. When the grain had grown and it came time to harvest, she again asked the farm animals if they were willing to help her gather the harvest. They all refused. Next, the grain needed to be ground. The little hen asked all the farm animals if they would help and their response was the same, “No!” When requesting help with gathering the other ingredients needed to make the bread, and with mixing the ingredients and cooking the bread, she was also refused. Finally, when the bread was prepared, she asked the farm animals who would be willing to help eat the bread; and they all were willing to do so. As I remember, she refused to give them the bread and explained that it was because they were unwilling to help her do any of the other things that led up to the bread being made. The moral of the story is: if you want to eat the bread, be willing to do the work.
“If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:19-20 NKJV
We see the sentiment being expressed by the Lord many times throughout the scripture that willing obedience is rewarded.
I have observed that given a task to do, people will generally respond in one of three different ways. First of all, there’s that person who is willing to do or give whatever they can. A second kind of responder is unwilling to do anything, and is completely detached from the project or need at hand. Thirdly—and perhaps the most insufferable type of responder—is the one who doesn’t want to give or do anything, but is highly critical of those who ARE doing and giving.
“For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”
II Corinthians 8:12 NKJV
The Lord expects that we give or do according to what we have and according to our ability. He does not expect us to give what we don’t have or to do what we can’t do.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
II Corinthians 9:7-8 NKJV
We are promised that our willingness in giving and doing will be rewarded with abundance.
Today we find Moses telling the people that the Lord has asked for an offering from all who are willing. The purpose of the offering is to build the tabernacle for which the Lord has given Moses detailed instructions. Their reaction to the call for donations was so overwhelming that they actually had to be told to stop bringing things in!
“And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.” So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.”
Exodus 36:3-7 NKJV
With all of their other faults, unwillingness to give, or to work, did not seem to be a problem.
We don’t always end up where we wanted to be or doing what we wanted to do. But, if we are willing and obedient to the word of the Lord, He will bless us where we are and continue to help us to make it where we need to be.
If there’s work to be done for the common good, if there’s resources needed for the benefit of the same, let us willingly give to the Lord what we have, and do what we are able to do. Surely He will bless us to overflowing with more than enough to do every good work.
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
Be a willing participant.
- araratchurch
- Aug 22, 2022
- 3 min read
“So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”
Exodus 34:30 NKJV
There is an old proverb that says “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” What this means is, you can give opportunity and direction, but you can’t motivate, you can’t force a change of mind.
Shipmen, lost at sea for several days, were close to dying of thirst. Seeing a friendly vessel, they began crying out for help, “Give us water; we are dying.” To which the answer was given, “Let down your bucket!” Thinking they had been misunderstood, the desperate men cried out again, “Water! We are dying!” Again the answer came, “Let down your bucket!” After repeating this exchange three or four times, the distressed captain took a bucket and let it down into the water. Much to his shock, he pulled up a bucket of fresh water, as they were in the mouth of the Amazon river. You see, The force of the Amazon river going into the ocean is so strong that the water can remain fresh a great distance from the land. Had these men not come upon this other ship, it is very possible they would’ve died of thirst, surrounded by fresh water.
The lyrics to an old hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus,” tell a great truth.
“What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
We are living in a time of great stress and uncertainty. Now, more than ever, we need the peace of God through Jesus Christ. And yet—because we do not take the Lord up on His generous invitation to come to Him—we needlessly suffer from anxiety, fear, and even despair.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV
Jesus—before departing this earth—promised that He was leaving His peace with us.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27 NKJV
So, if He was leaving us peace, the perfect peace not dependent on circumstances, why then are we not at peace? Take note, He also said “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” If we don’t choose to take His peace, it will do us no good.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33 NKJV
Could it be that we don’t take hold of peace because we don’t believe that the Lord has overcome the world for us? In other words, we may believe that He overcame; but we may doubt that we have the same overcoming power.
Today we see that the children of Israel are yet again afraid. This time it’s because of the glorious glow that Moses has after having been in the presence of the Lord. But at other times they were afraid because they were facing the enemy; or they were afraid because they were thirsty, or they were hungry, or they were…fill in the blank. It seems that their natural response, their first response, was to let fear drive them to unbelief; or was it their unbelief that brought fear? Actually, we see a hellish “chicken and egg”phenomenon with fear and unbelief.
Even though the Lord had promised them protection and provision—which they had seen manifested many times—their first response is still to fear.
If you have the Holy Spirit of God living inside of you, you have ever present access to the perfect peace that passes understanding. However, if you will not take hold of that peace, if you will not allow it to guard your heart, you may well die of thirst, surrounded by fresh water!
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15 NKJV
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
Take hold of His peace.