Thursday, July 29, 2010

Faithfilled Life

Exodus 14:12 "Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."
     Let's get some things clear first .
      1. The people talking here are Isrealites ,(God's people) talking to Moses (the man God placed as their leader)
      2. In the Old Testament, Egypt represents a sin controlled life
      3. The wilderness is the place God led them thru in order to get them to the Promise land, which God had reserved for them. It also represents the area of faith God wants us to live in, where we walk dependent on Him.

    (Now let's pretend like we are all on the same page and understand what was explained above)

    This scripture blows my mind! It is a scripture that has churned in my mind alot recently, and it is now churning again.  God has called us to live in a place where our actions demand that God completes what we get into, or else we fail.  I mean, isn't that what it really means to live by faith.  How in the world can I really be living by faith if I only stay in situations that I can either naturally cause to happen or can by my own ability resolve if it goes bad. The Isrealites had been used to living in slavery and bondage and they never tried to go against that system. Then this man named Moses shows up with words from God Almighty and is an example of living by faith in the One who is unseen.
     Each time Moses went before Pharoah, it was by faith in God's power. If God didn't protect him, then Moses' only other option was instant death for insulting and commanding Pharoah.  No one else ever dared to do this, because all Pharoah had to do was say, "Off with his head!"  Moses was God's leader for the people of Isreal, and Moses lived moment to moment by faith.  The people of Isreal liked Moses' faith, they liked his confidence, and they even followed him when he said it was time to leave the life of sin and slavery.  The people learned a lesson very quickly. It was great to watch another person step out in faith, and it was great to see God at work in them- but it was a whole different situation to actually live by faith themselves. 
     Sadly I think most people start their Christian life the same way.They see the way God shines through someone. They see the life in their eyes, and the passion of life and eternal life that seems to seems to sweat out of their pores. They say, "I want that."  Starting out because of seeing how God works through someone is awesome, but God doesn't want us to continue to live off of the rememberances of what He did for another person in times past.  God's desire is for people to live a life that writes their own personal story of a faith filled life. A life that demands, either God shows up or we fail. 
      I have learned that Exodus 14:12 shows us the difference in a person who lives with dependence on God, versus just following a person who is dependent on God.  Those who live by faith find themselves in desperate situations that have amazing results of God's power answering their cries.  Those who simply try to follow another person without ever trully living by faith themselves always ending up fussing about the place their leader led them too, and end up looking back at their life of sin as though they enjoyed the shame. 
      The story that God finishes as a result of a faithfilled life, is so much better than the history satan has lead us too in our past.  Step out, everyone needs a Moses to follow, but everyone needs to become a Moses for others as well.  Everyone needs a leader, and God has intended for everyone to become a leader to another.

I believe Jesus said it like this, ""All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:19)

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