Community Devotions

Just Mere Vessels

Numbers 20:10-12

10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

OBSERVATION

When the Israelites reached the Desert of Zin, they were witnesses of innumerable miracles and display of God’s power.  All the miracles in Egypt that forced Pharaoh to release the Israelites to leave Egypt after 400 years of bondage, crossing of the Red Sea, God’s provision in the desert – these were all clear examples of God’s love and power.  Yet, the Israelites complained every time their situation became unbearable and even worse, expressed their desire to return to Egypt and spoke fondly of their conditions in Egypt, forgetting that they were crying out to the LORD to deliver them out of slavery in Egypt.

First, Moses had every right to be angry with the Israelites but he did not have the authority to replace God who can deliver them from their crisis. Second, Moses let his pride take the best of him – “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”  It was not Moses who was going to provide water to them but it was God who made the miracle happen.  Moses in his anger placed himself in God’s place by saying that “must we” make the water come out of the rock. 

APPLICATION 

We are mere vessels for God whose role is to be a conduit for His power and love.  There is nothing special or important about me but only through God’s election and His power, do I become an instrument for Him.  

Be careful to avoid making decisions in anger.  It serves no one well.

PRAYER 

Father God, thank you for your grace and mercy.  May I be the vessel for your love and grace.  I surrender my pride to you and accept your authority to Lord of my life.  Protect and bless Michael, Joshua and Daniel.  Bless Grandpa and give him health and peace.  Guide and protect Christine as she teaches today.  I love you Lord Jesus.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

A Shift in Spirit

Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it."

Facts are something that truly exists or has actual existence. And the facts are in: The promised land, Canaan is a bountiful country flowing with milk and honey but the people living there are powerful and their towns are large and fortified (Numbers 13:27-29). The facts are also that God is I Am. He has proven to be all mighty in all of creation performing the plagues in Egypt, delivering Israel from bondage by walking through the red sea. God has a proven track record of faithfulness and magnificent love. Facts are indisputable. It’s a matter of perspective and the spirit in which you choose to focus on. Of the 12 spies to scout the land, 10 chose to look at the obstacles as insurmountable problems. Only Caleb (and Joshua) had a different spirit and followed God faithfully to focus on God and his promises. As a result of this paradigm shift they were allowed to enter the promised land.

I want to have that “different spirit” to focus on God, not on the circumstance. Peter was perfectly fine walking on water but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and started sinking. Fear is the result concentrating on the surrounding obstacles and problems. It suffocates our faith and paralyzes our God confidence. It’s no wonder that “fear not” is the most repeated command in the bible. I want to have a paradigm shift in my perspective so that I won’t tell God how big the storm is, I’ll tell the storm how big God is. 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for challenging me today in my perspective. Much of life is a battle of the mind. Please help me to "prepare my mind for action, and be sober minded, setting my hope fully on the grace that will be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). Having that paradigm shift help me not be afraid but walk out in God confidence in who you are and what you are doing. Please help me to lead myself, wife, family and your church setting my mind on things above (Col. 3:2). I love you so much! Maranatha!