Get to Know the Lord through Moses Life (Part Four) How to Love the Lord

Good morning!

Sorry that today's message is a little lengthy, but I guess that is what the Lord had on His mind.

Moses had to learn by spending time with the Lord, through making mistakes and bearing the consequences. He also had his carnal nature to deal with as he got frustrated and angry.

Most of us are aware of what Moses did that caused him to lose the privilege to enter the Promised Land. In Numbers 20:8-12 we read that instead of talking to the rock, He hit it in anger because he had enough of the peoples rebellion. But the consequences were not nice: And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.

Why didnt Moses speak to the rock? Why was his disobedience such a great issue to the Lord when it seemed so insignificant? When Moses struck the rock, instead of speaking to it, the Lord did the miracle in any case. Why did the Lord make the miracle happen despite Moses disobedience?

It appears that, because Moses was fed up with the Israelites, he acted in the flesh. The Lord maintained the miracle because He is faithful. He will keep His word despite our weaknesses, but if we misbehave Hell discipline us, as He did with Moses. So why was the Lord so relentless?

Doing things in the Spirit the way the Lord wants it done glorifies His name. Acting carnally dishonors Him. If we dont enter our Promised Land, i.e. if we dont seem to get where we hope to be, we need to find out what it is in our life that displeases the Lord and prompts Him to discipline us or to delay His plans with us.

Im reminded of Nathans words to King David after David had sinned with Bathsheba and repented: And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Only, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, this child born to you shall surely die (2 Samuel 12:13, 14). David was forgiven, but he had to bear the consequences of His deed.

Jesus said in John 14:21: Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them, and in verse 23: Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

How many of us put up our hands in church telling the Lord how we love him? Yet, when He creates opportunities for us daily to affect peoples lives with His love to exalt Him, we miss many of those, because we are busy with satisfying our carnal desires.

We love being naked, dont we? How many other naked people cross our way? Maybe the Lord wants you to touch their lives. The Lord asked me to reach out to the Naturists/Nudists because I love them so much. I had a hard time getting so far as to throw myself into the task because in the culture I live, nudism is perceived as sinful but I love it. So I had to overcome these social pressures to get to a point of obedience helping my naked friends to find Jesus and be obedient followers.

Minutes earlier in Jesus speech, from which we quoted just now, He said in verses 12 to 14: Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

What did Jesus say in these parts of His lecture? We can paraphrase it like this: Listen, you who chose to follow me. If you believe in me, you will have the power to do the things I have been doing and even greater things. You may ask how that is possible, though. You see, I want to see my Father glorified, and therefore Ill do anything and give you anything you need for accomplishing these works I want you to do. You just need to ask for it (verses 12-14).

If you love me, youll make use of these opportunities, and as you do that, my Father and I will give you more favour and revelation so you can do it even better (verses 21 & 23).

The Lord once used verses 21 & 23 to reprimand me. Years ago He gave me Psalms 91:14-16 as a promise of protection. It begins with the words Because he loves me, I will protect Him, says the Lord One day I needed protection and prayed: Lord because I love you, you will protect me He stopped me there and then, asking me: Why should I protect you, for you dont love me. I was shocked and on enquiry, I was reminded of John 14:21 & 23 and my disobedience. Due to my disobedience to the Lord in a particular area in my life, I didnt, according to Jesus, love Him. And because I didnt love Him, He had no obligation to protect me. I believe it was a lesson taught rather than Him showing conditional love, for He is gracious and faithful. But I got the message.

We need to be aware that our deliberate disobedience gives Gods enemies reason to ridicule Him, in which case He has to discipline us as per 2 Samuel 12:13, 14. We ought to keep in mind that Gods enemies, whether human or spiritual, mock Him when we are not what we claim to be. God, ha-ha-ha, look at that person, they claim to believe in you, but look how they live! This applies to both things we ought to do and dont, as well as those ought not to do, but do.

The following I have written to one of our friends on this site, so some have read it before, but it is to show that being obedient need not be an effort. Jesus said His yoke is soft and His burden is light: When I make use of an opportunity the Lord created (as per Colossians 4:5-6), I do enjoy getting into friendly conversations, talking about whatever topic. During the conversation I make a point to draw attention to the Lord, glorifying His name by giving Him credit where necessary, as led by the Holy Spirit. That way I sow seeds into their lives. The Lord once showed me that, if you want to buy something expensive like a car, you're not going to walk into a dealer and buy just any car. You're going to first get to know the car you're interested in.

In the same way, people are not just going to accept the Lord's salvation message without knowing more about Him. That's why, if someone led somebody to the Lord, he was just the person the Lord chose to pick the fruit at the end of the queue of people who had an input in the persons life. Throughout the new convert's life, people, like you and me, dropped seeds of knowledge of who God is, into their life to prepare them for when they would be born again. Just be casual about it and let the Holy Spirit take the lead. Also, check what comes naturally for you from the gifts in Romans 12:6-8. I, for instance, am good at and motivated for prophetic teaching and exhortation, but am not good at things like being generous with money or serving. The Lord planned his Kingdom very cleverly so everybody, who believes, can contribute. Find your gift and act within it. It's like a talent - it becomes effortless.

How would you like to enter your Promised Land, i.e. reach your destiny through being obedient?

Lord, please make me aware of how my disobedience affects you.

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