Being stubborn

Exodus 8:32
"But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused  to let the people go"

Stubborness can be described as a person showing total determination not to change one's mind, attitude or position about a particular thing. Despite heated arguments and pressure, a stubborn person may refuse to cooperate . They can be obstinate and hard-hearted, difficult and pig-headed in their approach. Data taken from (the Free Dictionary online).

Pharaoh's example of having a hard heart and stubbornness was through total unbelief in God. However, we as Christians can come pretty close at times especially if someone has hurt our feelings in the church or through lack of grace when we feel that we are right and everyone else is wrong. This type of stubbornness can lead us to being unteachable if we're not careful. Our attitude can stink and then we end up completely on the verge of ruining our credibility.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: 1 - 3 'Therefore, I the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the body of peace.'

Sometimes we can be certain that we're right about a particular thing. In this case we need to talk the subject through with whoever it is that has caused you an upset or disagreement, if this is at all possible. Failing that, run it by a pastor or leader to gain some wisdom on the subject. Whatever happens, avoid the temptation to be stubborn, claiming, 'I'm right and no matter what, I will not change my opinion.' all this does is drive a wedge between  us and the peace of the Holy Spirit lifts off of us. (Not leaves us - ever, but we seem to lose our anointing).

We've all been stubborn at times. Come and live with me for a week or so and you'll discover that I am far from perfect. But then again, we are all the same in various levels.

Is there anyone that you may have offended in this way. Is it possible to speak with them and put things right, so that the unity of the Spirit can flow again. Stubbornness can lead to hard-heartedness. That is something we really need to avoid.                          

You can do it

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13 NKJV

This verse does not mean that if you decide to do something like swimming the channel when you can't swim, God will give you the strength to do it. What it does mean that Jesus will enable you to do whatever He asks you to do. Nothing is impossible when He calls you to do some work for Him.

The thing is, if God called you into His ministry and asked you to give up your job and go to
wherever, would you do it? Many people have and many have not. It is something that would need much wisdom, especially if you have a family to provide for. You would have to be sure that He was calling you out. That's not easy. Many have felt they are called and have failed because they got it wrong. The fact of the matter is, if Jesus calls you to go to bible college; go and work abroad on a missionary field etc. etc. He will clarify this. You will feel deep in your heart that this is the real thing. When you do, then comes the time when you have to put this into action. That can be the scary bit. 'How will we manage?' 'How will the bills be paid?' 'Who is going to foot the bill for all of this?' Some organisations provide finance to train, with housing. However, many don't, so it becomes a faith thing.

Bob Gass says, 'How many times does something look impossible simply because you think it is?' At a time such as this, our thought life can play havoc and it would be so easy to pack it in thinking you've got it wrong. That can be the wrong decision. If God is calling you out, He will provide what is necessary!. Check out: Philippians 4: 19:

"And My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

God is our source. We need to believe Him and receive His supply to us. This is where the faith thing really kicks in. There's no need to beg Him. He will supply and I know from experience that, even though it can seem scary at time, it is exciting watching Him supply in the most amazing ways.

Is God calling you out? Is He asking you to do a particular thing for Him? You may feel petrified about this. You may feel inadequate and think that you can't do that. God doesn't get things wrong. If He is calling you, it is because He trusts you and thinks you are very capable - with His help - to fulfill what He has in mind for you to do.

Get alone with Him and listen to what He is saying. Ask Him questions; He'll let you know. People like Moses had big doubts when God called him to go and speak with Pharaoh. He tried his best to get out of it. (Exodus 3 & 4). However God provided the way for him, and He will you too.

The Armour of God

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."   Ephesians 6: 14 - 18. NKJV

The armour is based on the first century battle dress that a Roman soldier would wear. Many Christians read this passage but don't fully understand the meaning of it. Let's take a few minutes to look:

(1) The belt of truth It refers to the truth of scripture in contrast to the lies of the devil. We live by the truth of God; He has set us free and people should be able to see in us, integrity and dedication to our faith. When we live in the truth, the devil finds it hard to hoodwink us.
(2) The Breastplate of righteousness This breastplate covers the heart and vital organs of our body. It is Jesus' righteousness  that protects us - not ours. He gives us this freely. The breastplate protects us against the accusations and charges that satan spreads about us. We are  righteousness but it's Christ's righteousness, not ours.
(3) Shoes of the Gospel of peace We are to advance in peace as we meet and speak with people. There's enough hatred and unrest in this world. We, as Soldiers of the Lord, put on the shoes of peace and we walk into every kind of situation, spreading the Peace of God, wherever we go.
(4) The shield of faith Roman soldiers used to carry a very large shield when they went into battle. It would cover the whole of the front of their body and would be covered in very thick leather, which they would saturate in water. Often the enemy they met would fire arrows at them that had been dipped in pitch and tar. They would then be lit. The arrows would sink into the shields and be extinguished because of the water. Satan attacks us with fiery darts or arrows which can come in the guise of doubt, fear, accusation, temptations and lust, to name but a few. Ensuring we hold up our spiritual shield will help us to combat these attacks.
(5) Helmet of salvation The helmet protects the head and is symbolic of making sure we use this to protect us from all the bad thoughts that may come into our minds, the one's that bring doubt and suspicion; jealousy and envy.
(6) The sword of the Spirit We need to read our bibles so that we will be equipped to combat false truth that may come our way. In the Word of God, there are promises we can stand on; there is direction that we surely need and assurance of God's love and commitment to us. As we memorise these scriptures, we are able to use them in time of need. However, if we don't read, we'll be in need when the flak comes against us and we may live to regret not studying it. It is food to Christians, if we go without food, we will soon become ill. In the same way, if we fail to eat of God's Word, we will suffer.
(7) Prayer Prayer is quite simply our conversation with God. However, it is more important. Prayer changes situations. People become healed when we pray. Amazing changes can come about by praying. We need to pray all the time. You don't need to get down on your knees each time. We can pray in the shower, the car, the supermarket in fact, wherever we choose. God speaks back to us but we need to learn to recognise His still, quiet voice.  In a nutshell, prayer changes things.

We all need to put on the armour each and everyday. We never know what we will meet as we leave home and go into this busy world. Make a practice of doing this each day. Also, find time to study this piece of scripture yourself. There is far more in it than I could cover here.

Don't Flap - Soar

"He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary. And the young men shall utterly fall.
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and and not faint."  Isaiah 40: 29 - 31 NKJV

Things may have been difficult lately. You may have had no energy to cope with the endless pressures  around you. You may have even felt like shouting the: 'Where are You lord?' syndrome. But tough times don't last - tough people do! You need to stand on your foundation which is, 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.' Jesus lives in you (if you've asked Him too.) He is in your heart, your life, your hands, your fingers, your feet etc etc.

But at times of tiredness and being battered by life's storms, it's hard to realise this. But don't confess that you're at your wits end or you'll receive that. Instead confess, 'I am receiving power to overcome; the Lord is increasing my strength.' But how? Well, firstly, we need to rise above the worry and anxiety by taking action and we can do that by waiting on God. Let's look at our text today:

Verse 31 tells us, 'Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.' You need to be one of 'Those', as you do this, just focusing on Jesus and pouring your heart out to Him, He will give you the necessary strength to cope with things. But waiting is difficult. We usually want things, NOW! However, life with Jesus is not always like this. He wants to give you rest. He wants to comfort and build you back up again. He wants to bathe the wounds that life has passed your way. Let Him and then: 'They shall mount up with wings like eagles.' Have you ever seen an eagle in flight? it soars and hardly ever flaps. It mounts itself off and soars above all predators and birds that try to hassle it. We can learn a lot by studying this. God wants to have you mount up on eagle's wings and soar above every problem that has come or will come your way. Remember, don't flap - soar.

Then we read, 'They will run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.' Have you ever done any running. It can hurt until you're at your peak fitness and when you are, it can still hurt some more. However, God is saying that as we wait on Him, we will run and not become weary. In other words, waiting on Him can take you to new heights, giving you the strength to tackle whatever comes your way, because waiting on Him, spending time with Him and resting in Him will bring you to peak, spiritual fitness.
Give it a try, today! Don't flap - soar!

Get Rid of the Baggage

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame  and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
                                                                                                                Hebrews 12:1 - 2 NKJV

I remember my army days where we had to do 10 - 15 mile bashes. That's what we used to call route marches. We would be dressed in full kit, with a weighted pack on our backs, plus a heavy weapon and we had to march, on our own, from A to B. It was sheer pain, especially at first and the thought to throw off a piece of the heavy kit, was so tempting. Anything to relieve the constant struggle.

The Christian life is often described as a race. Check out 2 Timothy 4:7 and 1 Corinthians 9:24. It can seem so competitive at times but that's only because we make it seem that way. To be a Christian is not easy. As soon as we start, we are faced with our enemy, the devil, who will do anything to prevent us carrying on with this life and will put every type of temptation in our way in order to bring shame upon us.

If the Christian life isn't hard, why then do we have to run with endurance, the race set before us? Of course the Christian life is hard but that's where our endurance needs to kick in. The devil doesn't want us to succeed. He can't have this type of life and the blessings that come with it, so he'll try all he can to prevent us from enjoying it too by putting temptation in our way. Think of Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), the serpent tricked her into staring, longingly at the fruit on the tree, until she couldn't stand it any longer and ate it. That was when sin was introduced into the world. It's no different today. There are temptations all around us and we need to deal with them as they crop up, or enter our minds.

The one sin that repeatedly defeats us is the one that the enemy will tempt us with. It can be alcohol abuse, adultery, homosexuality, pornography or a host of other things. This may be the one that we struggle with and the one that we need to address by getting rid of this baggage. It's a weight that is holding us back. It ensnares us, prevents us from reaching our goal. We need to lay it aside. How? By looking and focusing on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (V2). Easy, no it is not but is is achievable as we admit we need help and we throw ourselves on His mercy. You see, He is dedicated to taking this burden from us (Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7) because He cares.

Today, let Him set you free from the weight that ensures you so that you can run with endurance:

Lord Jesus
I need Your help. As I come to You now, please set me free from the weight of.................. and help me to run with endurance, by keeping my eyes on You. I ask in Jesus' Name . Amen
And if you have never given your life to Jesus, why not do it now:

Lord Jesus
I ask You to come and live in my heart. Please forgive my sins and fill me with Your Spirit, and be my Lord and Saviour. Amen

Respect

"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert; and came to Horeb - the Mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, 'I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn'. So when the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, 'Moses, Moses.' And he said, 'Here I am.' Then, He said, 'Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is Holy ground.' " Exodus 3:1 - 5 NKJV.

Horeb or Sinai as it can be called, was the Mountain of God. It was set in what is called, the back of the desert, because it is a wilderness, dry and dusty. It as no accident that Moses approached the Mountain of God. God had planned it that way. When we approach God, things begin to happen and change! And things were certainly going to change - big time, for Moses.
Moses saw a bush burning near to him. Now this was nothing unusual in such a hot and dry place. However, this was different because the bush was not burning up and it also began to talk. Moses realised that it must be God. Can you imagine such a thing happening to you? Wow, what would you have thought?

The Hebrew term for such a happening as this is called a Theophany - This is an appearance of God or god, to a human being. A divine manifestation. Theo indicates God. In this case it was the Angel of the Lord, possibly the preincarnate Christ The flame of fire was the Glory of God's presence - the Shekinah, which transformed everything and everyone it touched.

As Moses drew as near as he could, the Angel of the Lord told him to take his sandals off as he was standing on Holy Ground. In the East, removing one's shoes or sandals, is a form of respect.
We should always respect God in all we do and never take His name in vain. Moses here was only allowed to draw so close to God. But James tells us to, 'Draw near to God and He will draw near to you' James 4:8. It would have been too consuming for Moses to get any closer.

As we draw near to God He will draw near to us, especially if we are in a dry state spiritually and feel like we're in the back of the desert. However, we need to submit to Him. Give Him our all. He will then guide us through whatever we are struggling with. He requires our love, our life, our all and total respect.This is not a game we're involved in. We are dealing with the Most High God. The Almighty God. He is on Holy Ground but through our friend, Jesus, we have permission to approach the Throne of Grace boldly. Hebrews 4:16.

Are you feeling dry and rejected, as if you've been left on one side. Take a look at our text in verse 4, it says 'So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called' In other words, when God knows He has your attention He will call to you.
Give Him your attention and see what happens!

Dead to Reaction

"Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts." 
                                                                                                                        Romans 6: 11 - 12 NKJV

As Christians we are to be Dead to Reaction. Dead men don't react and therefore, neither should we because we have died to sin and been made alive in Jesus. So when sin tries to get the better of us, we need to deny its existence. Die to it. Very difficult I know. But with practice, we can do it. When we are faced with something that may cause us to lose our peace, we need to remember that, Dead men don't react. We are dead to reaction.

James tells us: 'You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.'  James 1: 19 - 20. New Living Translation.

A complete overhaul is required to allow us to get into the place God would have us be. It takes training and self-discipline. It doesn't just happen overnight. We as Christians, are a work in progress. An athlete doesn't become a great sportsman and medal winner straightaway. He has to take charge of his body and pound it into shape until he is at his peak fitness. It's the same for us.

Paul says: 'I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.' 1 Corinthians 9:27. New Living Translation.
This takes self-discipline; self-denial and self-control and we'll fail miserably at times, even though we may have been Christians for many years. The thing is, we're not perfect yet. Perfection will come when we're standing face to face with Jesus on that wonderful day in Heaven. Until then, we need to get into practice. Learning to be dead to reaction causes the devil all kinds of problems. He schemes to get us into things we shouldn't be involved in and when we stand tall and are dead to the reaction he would expect, it completely throws him and he has to come up with something different. He'll never stop trying hassle us so we need to take action to combat the attacks. Being dead to reaction is a great way to start.