RUSSELL SANDERS

12-5-2024

THE LIFE OF MOSES – LESSON 37

MOSES’ PERSEVERANCE

AND HIS FAILURE

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We now fast-forward to the final year or two of wanderings. They had settled in at Kadesh-barnea in the Wilderness of Zin. It was the first month of their 40th year. It was here that Miriam died and was buried (Exodus chapter 20).

There was no water at this location here at the southern border of Canaan. This caused the people once again to come against Moses and Aaron due to thirst. As Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before God in the tabernacle, the glory of Jehovah appeared to them. God told them to take the rod and gather the assembly of the people. They were to take them to the rock so they could personally witness God’s miracle provision of water from a dry well, the rock.

God told Moses to simply speak the word to the rock. He did not. Perhaps it was due to the anger from the people’s murmuring, and his remembrance of having struck the rock at Sinai to get water that caused him once again to strike the rock twice instead of speaking to it. As he struck it with the rod water came forth. The people witnessed this faith-building miracle. Nevertheless, Moses had disobeyed God’s specific instruction to only speak to the rock. Because of his sin of disobedience, God denied him of the opportunity to enter Canaan. Moses named the place “Meribah” meaning “strife” because the people had not trusted God or His leader Moses.

They now broke camp and came to Mount Hor, near Edom, to the southeast of the dead sea. It is here that Aaron died. It was here that the people again complained (Ex. 21:5-9) that they had neither food nor water. The LORD punished them by sending many poisonous fiery serpents (snakes) to bite them. Many of them died from these bites.

When the people confessed to Moses for their sin against Jehovah, God answered with a remedy. He told Moses to craft a brass image of a fiery serpent and set it up onto a pole. Everyone who came to that pole and looked at the brass fiery serpent while it was lifted up received healing from the fiery serpent bites.

Who else was also lifted up that we might be delivered? Yes, Jesus was lifted up about 1,500 years later. Moses had endured much murmuring and complaining, numerous accusations, and two rebellions, yet his faith and trust in Jehovah did not fail. This meek man endured all these hardships to the very end.

When we go through hardships, take inspiration from Moses who was bombarded with these challenges for forty years. Put your trust in the LORD and do not despair.

HELEN SANDERS

12-5-2024

BLOOM WHERE GOD PLANTS YOU

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When I first moved to Florida from Michigan our children were very little. We rented a house that had so many additions added on that you nearly had to have a map to maneuver through the house. It was far from new, but it was “home” and I made it work.

I met a lady that lived near me that had moved from New York to our town here in Florida. This lady was very negative. Even though she had moved into a brand-new home, all she could do was complain about Florida and talk about how much better everything was in New York. She was miserable. It wasn’t pleasant being around her because she could not see the beautiful life that she could have right here. She did not want to bloom where she had been planted. I can attest that things in Florida were a lot different for me having come here from Michigan, but I did not let it get to me.

Often, we are just like that lady. We remember what things were like in the past and get stuck there. We are so busy with the wanting to go back that we miss out on what God has provided right where we are.

I have moved many times in my life, and with every move came something new. To enjoy the new, I had to leave behind the former and move toward the new “what is.” Some of the moves were easier than others, but if I have learned one thing about change, we need to learn how to bloom where we are planted.  

God’s road map for our lives often has twists and turns in it. We might wonder why He allows certain things to happen, but Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

All things aren’t good, but all things work together for good. This includes the bad things and the good things. There is something we can learn from every experience. As we bloom where we are planted, God lets his sweet fragrance flow from us into others’ lives that would never have been touched if we weren’t where he planted us!  

Yes, he planted us. In Isaiah 61b it says, “…to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.” Yes, God planted us, so bloom where you are planted for Jesus!

APOSTLE PAT MURRAY

PROPHETIC EXHORTATION

In spite of what’s going on in or around your life; Just determine that even though you know you cannot change anyone or anything…But thank God you do have the ability to make things right in your own life. No, we none can change what other people do or what they say; Oh, but we do know that with God's help we can always keep a good attitude and a right spirit in our own hearts and lives. Today, I encourage you to join with me and start looking deep within your own heart and life; And ask God to help you determine to be all that you can be and then leave everyone and everything else to Him. Remember God’s Word tells us in Romans 12:19…”Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD." Therefore regardless of what your own circumstances are at this point in time; Just know that God is already working everything out for you…And He will bring justice to that situation at hand. Just remember that battle you’ve been going through is God’s; It is NOT yours or mine and He WILL make all things right IF you’ll leave every situation in His hands. Hard to do you might say and I can totally understand; But it's only when you take your hands and your mouth off that God WILL get involved…So get ready and just do it.

DEBRA TOPE

SEER/INTERCESSOR



Thursday Thought For Today

Each of us has a story. If you belong to God, it is a miraculous story. You might not believe it but we all have a testimony of what God has done in our life.



We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for God’s grace. Many of you still see the hardships of life. If you are alive and breathing you have the favor of God on you. There are no guarantees for this life just a continual wooing of our creator.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 A Servant’s Heart! HCC

To love the Lord with all you are,

But more than that, to love your neighbor,

To walk that extra mile.

To have a servant’s heart,

A blessing from above.

These are gifts, if you have them,

Gifts from God, with love.

Coming to Christ will give you eternity and more.

The Holy Spirit will enter you,

Yes, you have been reborn.

Smile now as you step out,

To share your love today.

It will make you feel so good,

This will brighten all your days.

To see more of HCC's beautiful poems on YouTube click here

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