You Talking to Me? – Part 11

Enormous tasks often evoke those “You talking to me?” moments.

_______________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

____________________

I am so glad that even when we have our “You talking to me?” moments, our heavenly Father still has eternity in fully in hand.  Try to truly put yourself in the shoes of a great leader of Israel we consider today.  He is called by God to step into the leadership role just vacated by one of the world’s most renowned leaders, a man named Moses.  Moses had lead Israel for 40 years. leading out of the bondage of Egypt, across the Red Sea, all the way to the Jordan River, and even during Israel’s 40 years of rebellion in the wilderness.  But now, Moses is gone, and Joshua is called upon to take the reins.  By the time we come to his “You talking to me?” moment, he has taken the reins, and led Israel across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.  The location of our glimpse is found at the walls of Jericho.

Now picture this.  Moses, the powerful leader is gone, and Joshua, though well-known, is new to this role.  He is at the head of a nation of two to three million people.  Imagine the logistical nightmare of moving such a throng of people.  But here they are at the walls of Jericho, and the Lord gives His instructions.  March around Jericho, with the people, once each day for six days, and do so without saying a word; march silently.  That could be a long walk for a few people; but with two or three million!  Oh, and remember, they can’t talk.  Tell that to a crowd that size – NO TALKING.  Do this each day for six days.  Then on the seventh day, do it again, but this time, go around the city seven times.  Think of that monumental task; seven trips around Jericho in one day, no talking, this is not a picnic, there were no modern conveniences, and inside the walls were their enemies.  The discipline, order, control, and leadership that had to be exercised in that task are phenomenal, and that’s likely understated.  But the instructions did not end there.  After the seventh trip on day seven, thirteen trips in all, they are to shout, blow ram’s horns, and charge straight up into the city.  You got that?  No talking, no stopping in the shade, and no noise until the shout.

Knowing the Israeli people as Joshua did, I can only imagine what shot through his mind at the speed of life upon hearing these instructions.  A potentially rebellious people, perhaps not deeply schooled in military tactics, are to carry out, what to some, sounded like ridiculous instructions.  Can you hear the thought as it charges at breakneck speed through Joshua’s mind?  “You talking to me?”  Yes, God was talking to Joshua, and He expected Joshua to be obedient and fully compliant with His commands.  Of course, you know the outcome . . . flattened walls, and an Israeli victory.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 10

Let’s talk some more about the incident with the tables of stone.

_______________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_____________________

Yesterday I wrote to you about one of the “You talking to me?” moments in the life of Moses when he broke the tables of the Law and had to return to the mountain to face God again.  In that series of events is one of the most beautiful illustrations of the New Covenant grace, compassion, and mercy of God that can be found in the Scriptures, and I need to share that with you.

When God called Moses to the mountain for the first time to receive the tables of the Law, already written, God Himself had done all the work.  He had prepared the tables of stone, and with His Own finger, written the commandments into them.  When Moses came to the mountain, he received the law, already written in stone, and ready for delivery to the people.  Think of that.  God placed those tables of stone into the hands of Moses.  What a grand gesture of trust Father demonstrated to Moses. 

But, alas, when Moses came down and found the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf, in his anger, he threw down the tables of stone, breaking them.  Isn’t that just so absolutely human?  We heard God’s Word, knew what it said, and even understood it, but in a moment of sudden emotion, fleshly desire, or simple soulish weakness, we threw down the law, breaking it.  At that point, there is only ONE remedy.  Repent, confess the sin, and return to God.  Let’s examine that imagery more closely. 

God gave the law to Israel, but Israel could not keep the law.  They broke it.  That first law came by the hand of God.  But being broken by man, something had to happen.  The second set of tables of the Law had to be written by Moses.  The Law of the Old Covenant, broken by man, now had to be re-written by the work of a man.  It what then that the Word of God had to become flesh, take on the form of a man, and go to the cross.  That being done, when a Christian now breaks the Word, he has an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus.  And if we will run to him and confess the sin that separated us from fellowship with Father, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, returning us to right fellowship with Father.  As one songwriter penned, “Oh, what a Savior!”  What man could not do in himself, the Word becoming flesh, making Himself of no reputation, and being tempted in all points just like us, did for us.  Once again, I declare, “Oh, what a Savior!”  You may think, “You talking to me?”  You can count on it, my friend.  I’m talking to you!

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 9

It happens far more often in thought than in actual words, but it still makes its presence known.

_____________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

______________________

“You taking to me?”  There are some people, thankfully not most, who tend to say whatever comes to their mind as soon as it comes.  Many folks in this category stay in some kind of trouble with the people around them.  Many people wonder when they’ll learn to control their tongue.  Thankfully, most folks are either not geared in that manner, or have learned to bite their tongue before just blurting out words.  Jesus said we “take thought” by saying, or speaking them.  A thought unspoken is a thought untaken.  As  my mother used to tell me, “You can’t stop birds from flying over your head, but you don’t have to let them nest in your hair.”  Thank God men like Moses, as least most of the time, “took no thought saying.”  Still, as long as there is an enemy to your soul, going about, seeking whom he may devour, thoughts will continue to come, often like machine gun fire, at your mind and tongue.

Consider Moses when God called him to the mountain to receive the Law.  No one could see god, even though Moses once asked to do so.  To look upon God would mean death.  Yet God calls Moses for a face-to-face meeting on the mountain.  Can you hear the thoughts of Moses?  “You talking to me?”  Still, Moses obeys, going to his meeting with God, receiving the Law, and returning to find Israel worshipping a golden idol.  In his anger, Moses slams the tables of stone to the ground, breaking them.  Now he is called back for another meeting with God.  Now think for a moment.  He has just broken the tables of stone on which God had written the Law, and now he is being called to another face-to-face with God.  “You talking to me?”  Still, he returns to meet with God again, to get new tables of stone with the Law written on them.  Only this time, God requires Moses to do the writing.  Another “You talking to me?” moment.

In this scenario, we see some wondrous things about our God.  He wants us to know His Word, to carry His Word, to keep His Word and not break it.  But then, what do we so often do?  we break it.  And there are times when we can dread that return to the Father, feeling like a failure, or even worse, a grievous violator of His covenant.   Still, He has made a way for us to return.  That’s where Jesus enters the picture for the saint who sins.  If we turn to Jesus, confessing our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, returning us to right fellowship with Father.  All that, even after our own “You talking to me?” moments.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 8

Even the greatest men of faith have had their moments.

______________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_______________________

Pay close attention to the following story of one of God’s greatest faith giants – Moses, by name.  Having been raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, with all his needs met by Pharaoh, Moses grew into manhood.  There is little doubt that he knew he was Hebrew, for when Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew man, he arose and killed the Egyptian, and had to flee into the wilderness for his life.  It is likely, that being a Hebrew, Moses knew of Abraham’s prophecy that the children of Israel would be set free from Egypt in 400 years.  While he may not have known he was God’s chosen deliverer, it was at the 390^th year that he killed the Egyptian.  When we add the 40 years of Moses sojourning in the wilderness, we realize why Israel was held captive by the Egyptians for 430 years.   Now we come to some very revealing moments (Exodus 3 & 4)

Moses is tending his father-in-law’s sheep.  He sees a bush burning, an angel has risen out of the flame, and God calls out to Moses to take off his shoes for he is standing on holy ground.  God identifies Himself to Moses, and Moses hides his eyes, being afraid to look upon God.  It is obvious Moses had some knowledge of who God was.  Can you imagine what is going through the mind of Moses?  God continues to speak to Moses, telling him He is sending Moses to Pharaoh for the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt.  I am sure Moses is having a “You talking to me?” moment.   God continues to speak to Moses, now informing him of the great signs and wonders He will do to see Israel set free, and how He will overcome the objection of Pharaoh and the questions of the people, and ultimately bring great riches into the hands of the Israelites from the Egyptians.  In all these words, I am convinced Moses continues to have a “You talking to me?” moment.

Now think of this.  Moses is talking to God, seeing an angel rise from a burning bush that is not being consumed.  And when God tells him that he will deliver Israel from Egypt, Moses asks for a sign.  His shepherd’s staff becomes a serpent, and then a rod again.  Moses asks for a sign.  His hand becomes leprous and then clean again, and Moses still requires a sign.  At this point, God is becoming angry with Moses who is still having a “You talking to me?” moment, and is telling God he can’t speak well.  Moses had several “You talking to me?” moments in this single encounter with God.  Yet Father persisted in His call for Moses to deliver Israel.  I am so glad God does not give up on those He would call because of their ”You talking to me?” moments.  He is longsuffering toward us, wanting all to be saved.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 7

I cannot imagine my thinking if told to sacrifice one of my sons.  What a burden!

_____________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_____________________

Sometimes it seems that when God finds a man who can be faithful, obedient, and willing, especially when facing those “You talking to me?” moments, He will call His man to them more frequently.  He had such a man in Abraham.  Just think of some of those moments in Abraham’s life.  God told Abraham to leave everything behind.  “You talking to me?”  God told Abraham to change his name when he was 99-years old.  “You talking to me?”  God told Abraham to circumcise every male in his household, including himself.  “You talking to me?”  And here we are again.  God is calling on Abraham to do something extraordinary, emotionally and intellectually devastating, and parentally repulsive.  God tells Abraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah, build and alter, lay Isaac on that alter, cut Isaac’s throat the bleed him to death, and then burn his body to ashes.  In my wildest imagination I cannot fathom what my response would be to such a call.  But we know what Abraham’s was.  OBEDIENCE.  OBEDIENCE NOW.  OBEDIENCE with full will.

And with such obedience, what do we see?  A supernatural response by the Lord in the demonstration of establishment of the blood covenant.  Oh, dear fellow believer.  Would that every child of God could and would walk with such a commitment to our Jehovah God, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the voice, leading, and word of Holy Spirit, and all that without excuse or hesitation.  How thankful I am for the wisdom of God in establishing the New Covenant in a manner that can never be nullified.  I am likewise eternally thankful for a man with the faith and integrity of father Abraham, who was willing to carry out whatever order came from Father, regardless of how difficult or unplausible it may seem. 

Is there any wonder why Abraham is called “the father of our faith?”  He was a man who was committed to follow the instruction, commands, and will of Father, and that in a way that truly honored our heavenly Father.  I did not attempt to write about all the “You talking to me?” moments in Abraham’s life.   There were others about which I did not write, but the ones I have shared with you set forth a wonderful example of what our life should be as the seed of Christ, and therefore, the seed of Abraham.  Make the commitment, dear friend, to be an Abraham figure, one who obeys Jehovah God regardless of what the cost appears to be.  When we’re walking in obedience to our heavenly Father, to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to Holy Spirit, there need be NO worry of the outcome.  He knows the plans He thinks toward us,  to have and expected end. 

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 6

Can you imagine a man being told to circumcise himself?  Wow!

_______________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

________________________

My dad used to say to me when he had a few tough days in a row, “They told me days like this would come, but they didn’t say they would come like grapes – in bunches.”  Well, as we consider Abraham and his “You talking to me?” moments, it does seem that on at least one occasion, they at least came in small groups.  Think of this.  He has just been informed that Ishmael would not be his heir.  He was told he would have to change his name from Abram to Abraham.  He was told that Saria’s name would now be Sarah.  He was told that the number of his seed would be as the sand of the sea.  Now imagine being told all that in a few moments of time, with another major piece of information yet to come that would, at the very least, make most men weak in the knees.  Jehovah speaks to Abraham (his new name) and tells him he must circumcise every male born or bought for his household, and that included himself, now 99 years old.  I have no doubt in my mind that at that moment, Abraham had a “You talking to me?” moment, and a rather stout one at that.

I cannot and will not be too graphic here, but please consider what God had just commanded Abraham to do.  Circumcision is no small manner.  It is the surgical removal of  the male foreskin.  That means blood, lots of blood from a very vacuous place of the male body.  That means pain, much pain, at a very sensitive place on the male body.  It would be bad enough to have to do this to all your servant.  But it is also for every male bought or born into that household.  Oh, and let us not forget.  This order included Abraham, too.  Can you begin to identify the difficulty Abraham was about to undertake?  I’ve gone through some painful things in my life.  I had bones broken.  I’ve had surgeries from which I had to recover.  I’ve had injuries to my body that were very painful and took time to heal.  I’ve had to go through therapy to regain strength and mobility for surgeries or injury, and that therapy was painful.  But none of the blood letting or pain of surgery did I ever have to do to myself.  Oh, and one more thing.  When those things occurred in my life, there was anesthesia.  But in the days of Abraham, there was nothing like what we have today.  We’re talking about an act of extreme courage, self-control, personal discipline, and pain tolerance that is truly enormous.  Yet Abraham did it.  A “You talking to me?” moment does not imply it is an opportunity for disobedience, but may indeed push one to the limits of that very thing.  Herein is a level of commitment that many will never know.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 5

In a lifetime, you’ll likely have many “You talking to me?” moments.  Learn from them.

_____________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_____________________

Just because you’ve had one “You talking to me?” moment does not mean it won’t happen again.  For the wise man, they are growing moments that can last a lifetime, especially if they happen when God speaks to you.  And you should keep in mind that the Lord may speak to you by His Spirit, through His Word, through another man or woman of God, and at times, from sources totally unexpected.  Yesterday I shared a “You talking to me?” moment with Abram, and again today I turn to Abram. 

Until the day the Lord changed his name, Abram, like most people probably lived the life he expected to live.  But when God changed his name, once the “You talking to me?” moment was embraced, his expectancies totally changed.  We see that moment illustrated for us in Genesis 17.  Abram was 99-years old, and Sarai was 90 when God appeared to him and spoke to him.  The moment before God spoke, Abram’s life was reasonably well planned in his own mind.  Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar, had birthed a son to Abram named Ishmael, and Abram believed Ishmael would be his heir.  But the moment God spoke to Abram that day, all that changed.  Abram means “father,” and the name Sarai likely meant “contentious.”  If you’ve read the Biblical account, that seems to be quite accurate.  But when Father spoke, everything changed.  Abram (exalted father) became Abraham (father of nations) and Sarai (contentious) became Sarah (princess).  Imagine the shock.  God had just told an old 99-year-old man he was to be called “father of nations,” and his old 90-year-old, barren wife that she was to be called “princess.”  Think of that.  My friend, in this case I am sure that both Abraham AND Sarah came to a “You talking to me?” moment.

What a glorious thing to see those “You talking to me?” moments become reality.  For Abraham and Sarah, the clock was rolled back.  Sarah conceived and gave birth to Isaac, and that within a year.  Think of that!  What a miracle had taken place.  And even years following the impact of Sarah’s “You talking to me?” moment was reflected when foreign kings looked on her, and seeing her amazing beauty, wanted to take her as one of their wives.  Once again, think of that!  My friend, you may have one of those “You talking to me?” moments in life when every circumstance about you seems fixed and settled, causing you to think you can’t move on from where you are.  But if the Lord speaks, regardless of how it may sound, and regardless of how impacting that “You talking to me?” moment is, you can trust the Lord.  He CAN, and He WILL bring it to pass.  Agree with Him.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 4

When you’ve done all you think you can do, there often remains much more to accomplish.

__________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

___________________

Throughout the opening chapter of Genesis, we read the words, “And God said…”  In each instance, He was speaking to His creation or his man He designed to rule over His creation.  At the time of this speaking, Satan was bound and there was no resistance to anything Father said.  Every word Father spoke brought forth life in some measure, whether in actual creation, or in the shaping of His man from that which He had created.  God spoke, nothing argued with Him, and it came into physical existence.  Nothing of creation or His man, at that time thought, “You talking to me?”  God said it, and that settled it.

Today, when Father creates vision with His words to the heart of a man, often that work must first come through the human filter of, “You talking to me?”  But even coming through that filter, when man will believe, embrace, and act upon what Father says, the Word, the will, the plan of God becomes manifest.  One of the great examples of that is with the man we know as Father Abraham.  While we can surely count on the faithfulness and goodness of God at all times, our humanity will still be, at times, shocked, or taken aback just a bit at some of the things the Lord calls on us to do, and this can be particularly true in our early steps with the Lord.  That was certainly the case with Abram in Haran, a city of the Chaldean culture.  Consider his circumstances just before the Lord called him.  He had lived in Ur, and had come with his father, Terah, to live in Haran.  This move for Abram was instigated by the Lord when He spoke to Abram.  Consider what the Lord said to him.  God told Abram to (1) get out of his country, (2) get away from his kin, (3) get away from his father’s house, and (4) and go to a place He would show him. 

Now consider this.  What would you do if you were told to leave the only country you had ever known, get away from your kin (in large part, the only people you had ever known), away from your father’s house (leave behind any potential inheritance you had), and go to a country that was, as yet, unknown to you?  I’m pretty sure your response to anyone telling you that, “You talking to me?”  Now Abram was a worshipper of Jehovah God.  He had come from the line of Shem, the genetic line from Noah who were to receive the inheritance of the Promised Land.  Once again, keep in mind that this was possibly the first direct contact Abram had with the Lord.  Such a command could be staggering.  However, despite the fact that he may very well have thought, “You talking to me?”, he chose to obey the Lord.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 3

There’s more in you than you know or think.

___________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_____________________

Today I continue to write about Noah.  His story is amazing.  He was from the line of Shem.  His great grandfather, Enoch, did not die, but was taken by God.  His grandfather, Methuselah, would live longer than any other man on earth – 969 years.  His father, Lamech, died before Methuselah, but saw the ark under construction.  Methuselah, whose name means, when he dies it will happen, died in the same year in which the flood came.  And then there was Noah, the man chosen by God for a 120-year labor of building the ark, charged with the responsibility of preaching righteousness in an effort to save as many souls as possible.  Think of that.  Noah preached for 120 years, and including himself, only had eight people to enter the ark. 

Then there was the flood, Noah and his family saved on the ark, along with all the animals.  And when the water dried up, Noah, his family, and the animals ventured forth from the ark; the only living people and animals on the planet.  And if the call to build the ark and preach for 120 years was not enough, God was not yet finished with Noah.  First, he was called to do what he could to save mankind and the world, but now there came a different call for Noah.

He was told it would rain, build an ark, there will be a flood, load the ark with animals, and God would close him in to save him.  At that point I can hear Noah’s mind saying, “You talking to me?”  But it’s about to happen again.  After all the drama of the building, preaching, rain, animals, flood, and salvation, God calls on Noah again.  This time the Lord said to a 600-year-old man, and to his sons, too, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1).

Can you hear it?  I can.  Noah had obeyed the Lord in an enormous work of labor and faith.  He built the ark, preached righteousness, raised a family, gathered the animals into the ark, stocked it with supplies, weathered the rain, broken fountains of the deep, the flood, and had spent more than a year on the ark with his family and all those animals.  Now he has exited the ark to discover that he and his family are the only human beings on the earth, and he is 600 years old.  Imagine that.  121 years of intense labor and obedience.  It’s time to rest.  But God says, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.”  Once again, I ask, can you hear it?  Can you hear Noah thinking once again, “You talking to me?”  My friend, you may have already come through so much; perhaps more than you could imagine.  But don’t be surprised to hear the Lord calling upon you again.  Don’t be surprised to hear yourself asking the Lord, “You talking to me?”

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4

You Talking to Me? – Part 2

Get ready to move onward and upward with the Lord.

_______________________

Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .

_____________________

Our God is not one to back up, nor does He remain stagnant.  He is Life itself.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  He is the “way” to the Father, the “truth” of the Father, and the “life” in the Father.  And in Him, we have it all.  In this series of Second Milers, I want to encourage, inspire, and embolden you to expect to hear more from the Lord that have ever heard in the past, and to expect more to be asked of you by Him than you could ever imagine.  The Scriptures are filled with just that sort of thing happening.  Let’s begin with a character introduced to us in Genesis 5.  His name was Noah.

Now think of this.  Noah was a man just like men today.  He knew about the world in which he lived.  He did not have knowledge beyond that.  But then God spoke.  God came to Noah and told him that it was going to rain; something that had never before happened on the earth.  So, what was rain?  God told Noah he was to build an ark; something no one had ever before built.  So, what was an ark?  God told Noah there would be a flood; something no one had ever before experienced.  So, what was a flood?

We read the story with our current knowledge.  We know what rain in, what an ark is, and what a flood is.  But Noah knew none of those things.  Then the Lord told Noah about the animals, and all that was connected to their survival; something that had never before happened.  So, what was Noah to do?  Noah was to fully obey the Lord and do all these things about which he had no knowledge concerning things that had never before existed or happened.  Now be truthful with me.  I know that it may seem to be a bit humorous in the way I am approaching it, but perhaps that might make it a bit easier to accept.  Can you imagine Noah, hearing from the Lord like no man since the days in Eden had done?  Can you imagine the flood of thoughts that literally exploded onto the landscape of his mind?  Can you imagine Noah looking all around himself as he is hearing what sounded like a fantastic dream, and asking, “You talking to me?”

I certainly can.  It could happen to you, too.  Don’t be surprised if the Lord calls upon you to carry out a plan for something you’ve never experienced, or even imagined.  He could do that to you, or someone you know.  When you hear it, you may ask, “You talking to me?”  If He is, He’ll make it plain for you.  If He’s telling someone else and they share it with you, listen to them.  He may still be talking to you through them.  Listen up!  Father won’t leave you to a flood.

Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4