Bibledoorajar: Fighting Technique

     The Bible says that Amalek picked the fight. It was over water that he wanted. Israel had never picked a fight or fought a battle, not in Egypt and not on their journey thus far. But now battle had arrived. Moses commanded that men be selected to fight Amalek. Joshua was to lead. The way to approach the battle was to trust the efforts of Moses and Aaron and Hur who would hold his arms up if he tired. As long as the arms were up, the Israelites would prevail. The Bible says that Amalek was not totally defeated. The Word says that he was discomfited. He was routed and forced to flee by the edge of the sword. Amalek would be a constant source of trouble for generations of Israel, but God made a promise that he would ultimately be defeated.
     Our preacher this morning spoke of the last verses of Romans 11. In that passage, Paul writes that God recognized that ALL men were disobedient, but His plan to save them would bring Him much glory and praise. The Bible says that the flesh picks the fights. Usually when we are feeling blessed and at peace, it attacks us. Galatians 5 says the the flesh lusts after the spirit and the spirit lusts after the flesh. The question becomes which technique will be used to "discomfit" the flesh?  Christ said that He would send a Comforter to help us. He has given us the Word to read and implement in our lives and He, himself, intercedes with groanings that we cannot understand. Isn't it wonderful to know that He is helping our shortsighted pleas to be full and complete? Meanwhile in Heaven, Jesus takes that effort made complete and intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. If we worry that our prayers are heard, we should be assured that this technique works. Grace and mercy will flow to help us because as the song says, standing on the promises cannot fail. This method of resisting evil will put the flesh on the run if that is what we really desire. The challenge for us is to admit we are in the battle and use the edge of our sword (Word of God) and declare that we have every ability to rout the enemy through Christ. He is trustworthy.

O God, our help in ages past,

our hope of years to come, 

Our shelter from the stormy blast. 

And our eternal home!

Isaac Watts

Bibledoorajar: Let the wars begin

     "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.....Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." Paul in 1 Cor. 10: 1ff.

     Three very spiritual things had happened to God's people. According to Paul, they were baptized, ate spiritual food and drank from the Rock, and that Rock was Christ. Once Moses struck the Rock and that spiritual water came forth, the people were God's people. A new nature had been given to them, but it did not take long to see the warfare was to begin. The story reports that Amalek, the grandson of Esau, came on the scene. His name means "war-like" and he began to war with the people. Amalek's behavior and belief system was just the opposite of what God had just bestowed on his people. He operated completely from the lusts of the flesh and found the Israelites an enemy.
     It is a hard concept to explain to a new Christian that he can now expect warfare within. But it does not take long for it to occur. We go from feeling "fresh and clean" to "wilted and unclean" pretty quickly. We learn the battle is on; the mind will need renewing and often. We have to "put off" the flesh and "put on" the spirit. We begin to see the value in the water flowing from the Word of God. We need the Spirit's strength and transforming ability. We learn we have to fight, but the world and our flesh cannot get us down permanently. We will fight on all the way to Glory.

"I've been to the river and been baptized,

All my sins have washed away I've been redeemed.

And that's not all, the Lord and I we got so close.

He went and He filled me with the Holy Ghost.

All My sins are washed away, I've been redeemed."

Unknown

Bibledoorajar: Who's in front?

     God commanded the people to move out as He directed under the leadership of Moses.  They moved forward as a people and together they came to a place and were thirsty. But there was a big problem: there was no water to drink. That is, they found no water when looking on their own. And in their looking they became more and more frustrated. Angry, they forgot who was out front, that is, who was doing the leading.
     Yesterday  I listened to an interview with actor Sean Hayes who is playing God in a hit Broadway show. Hayes said the message of the play was that "people can believe in God or not, but before they appeal to a higher power they should do everything in their own power to solve their problems." There you go again world--anything but God first. But praise the Lord, the Israelites had a leader who sought the Lord and put Him first. Moses' behavior was admirable for he did not complain to God about their criticisms, but simply asked God for help on what to do with them. Unlike Hayes advice, Moses sought the Lord early when no water was found and he sought Him with great earnestness (he cried unto the Lord). And as can expected, the Lord answered.
     Moses was to go in front of the people with elders (witnesses) and with the staff (His God given authority) that smote the Nile. God said He would be standing before them at the rock in Horeb. Moses was to smite the rock. As he did as commanded, water came forth. I wonder how quickly word spread from the elders through the ranks of the Israelites as to yet another miracle wrought by God through the intercession of Moses? How quickly did they realize the importance of who was going in front of them? Why did their ever distrust God? Why do we? Why do we wait so long to ask? Why lean on fluff when we can lean on the Rock? Why do we esteem the Rock who was smitten so lightly? Today, our challenge is to put the Rock out front and keep Him there. Doing this makes moving forward so much better. I can feel the peace already.

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

Let the water and the blood,

From thy riven side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me

from its guilt and power"

  A.M. Toplady

Bibledoorajar: Bread before our God

     God had provided. The manna sustained. When it needed to last through the Sabbath it did. For forty years it provided a door between God and His people. True, there were some of those who came with them (mixed multitude) who tried to draw attention away from the glorious provision of the manna. They spoke of the food that they had to eat in Egypt and demanded that type to eat. But God continued to say there was but one food that would sustain His people all the way out of the wilderness of Sin. To further show His people the glory that was in the manna, He commanded that a portion of it be put in an earthen vessel and placed before Him as a Testimony. The manna remained as a Testimony incorruptible. A Jew could say, "there it is, and it is not decaying even though the days and years have gone by. Surely it is a glorious thing".
     When God placed the Bread of Heaven in an earthen vessel (became human), He declared in Heaven that the glory of the provision would not be corrupted and that He would stand before Him in Heaven as a Testimony. Although beaten and tortured, Jesus's body was not corrupted (decayed) because God took Him into His presence as a Testimony of His faithfulness. And there He is to this day.
     Now faith is being sure of the substance of things unseen (Heb. 11:1). With the eye of faith we can see Jesus there. With faith we can be assured of the Glory involved in the miracle of His being there. With faith we can hear the voice of God assuring us that we will one day be there too if we continue to feed on the Bread of Heaven and reach out for that day. There is but one way out of the Wilderness and Jesus, the Bread of Heaven, has done it. He will provide for us all the way home. Hallelujah! Thank You Father. Blessed assurance. Is it not wonderful?

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full into His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

IN THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY AND GRACE....

Helen Lemmel

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine."

Fannie Crosby