Facing your Enemy.

Facing your Enemy. Exodus 17:8-15.

God was teaching Israel to trust in Him. Walking through God's desert classroom they faced problems of needing water and food. In every situation they complained, argued, and accused Moses of bringing them to the desert to die. However, in every situation God graciously provided for their need.

They ate Manna for breakfast, quail for dinner, and there was always a surprise awaiting them like water pouring from a rock, when Moses touched it with a rod. Slowly, they were learning to trust in God.

They also needed to respect Moses and in this passage God was going to allow a situation to make each Israelite see that Moses was a valuable person to them.

Moses was to be their pastor; he was intelligent, raised well, selected by God, and had experience, leading sheep forty years through the wilderness. However, the people did not respect him for being this leader in their life.

This was a problem; for they showed their disrespect with harsh words and accusations when times were bad. Therefore, God was going to repair this situation using bad times to cause them to respect Moses.

Now imagine this, two to three thousand people walking and driving their flocks across the desert. To see them approaching your land what would you do?

To the Amelekites this seemed as a threat; for if you speculate about the vast numbers approaching their land, you might draw much of the same conclusions.

They were coming from the direction of Egypt; which means this were probably the Egyptians coming to battle. What other army could have the provision to cross a wasteland and survive? So the Amelekites readied for battle.

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." Exodus 17:8-9(NKJV)

The Israelites were being attacked. They had an enemy they never considered and they were being forced into fighting for their life. The strong men defended their camps until darkness ended the fighting; yet on the sunrise, the battle would continue.

Moses watched how the people handled this situation and recognized a man named Joshua. Joshua was not only strong, but was skilled in leading people and had a good sense of how to organize their defensives. Now Moses needed to take this man and turn him into a person who could sustain an offence.

As they met over the fire, Moses expressed his faith in God and told them he knew if he held up the rod that God gave him, God would give them the strength to subdue their enemies.

Yet it was going to take more than Moses; it was going to take the bravery and trust of Joshua to fight in the battle field. Therefore the plan was drafted and on the morn, they continued to fight for their safe passing.

This reaction of the Amelekites is pretty typical for all Christian people to face; especial in their places of business. People see the Christian as a fierce opponent and they battle them for company possitions.

The Christian presents a strong front; they are secure in themselves. They work hard, long, and are respectful. This can cause others to attack the Christian and to disrespect them.

People will start arguments trying to draw the Christian into an outburst. Others will build alliances against the Christian and try to discredit the Christian to the boss. There is even the act of sabotage to consider; for most Christians are great workers.

However, Christians are told not to fight with people, but look beyond their threats and see the true enemy, the spiritual enemy. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exodus 17:10-13(NKJV)

Moses completely knew that God was their protection and the battle front was only a place of physical conflict. The truth was the Amelekites were Godless people and evil had gripped their hearts as did when evil gripped the Pharaoh's heart.

As Moses lifted the rod, he prayed; interceding for the Israelites and in the field Joshua led the battle. Moses knew to use the tool that God gave to Him. He lifted the rod as long as he could and then his congregation sent people to help him when he was tired. Israel was finally seeing Moses as their leader.

In our lives Jesus Christ is our intercessor; when He ascended to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. It is from there He looks down on us and we are to look up to His support.

As we battle in the field; our prayers are being hand delivered to God and the enemy is being suppressed, broken, and its strongholds ripped down. In faith we quietly continue knowing that God is protecting us.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; for he said, "Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Exodus 17:14-15(NKJV)

The Lord is my banner! He is my protector, my strength, and my victory song. Forever Jesus Christ looks down upon us, interceding while we physically walk through battles.

Just as God pledged to fight the Amelekites; God has pledged to fight all enemies of evil and allow us to be victorious in our battles.

This day the Children of Israel learned much about complaining about their leader. They learned to respect him and help him. In like action, we help each other without complaint or fear.

Complaining. What good is it?

Complaining. What good is it? Exodus 17:1:7.

You think you may know a person; however, when staying with them for an extended time or traveling with them, unseen personality traits will surface you never would have seen before.

In these times you might find hardships and you might find a person, you though you knew, is a completely different person. Many have come away from these types of experiences closer friends and others not so much.

When faced with adversity, a person often reacts revealing their true righteousness. For instance, take a person who has just injured themselves; the first words out of their mouth will show you much about their true self.

They same applies to all the adverse conditions a person would face. The good times, the bad times, when frustrated, and when tired. All these can bring your true self to the surface before others.

In our passage the children of Israel were on a trip through wilderness with Moses as their leader and following a cloud from God. As each faced trials they responded to them causing Moses to reach his breaking point.

Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?" Exodus 17:1-2(NKJV)

When being faced by adversity, our nature is to react at the person who is in front of us; not necessarily the person who is to blame.

Those in the service industries find that customers blame the person serving them rather than the business who set the terms for the service. Take the case of the waitress who brings food to the restaurant tables.

A food order is served cold or does not taste well; which is out of the control of the server. However, customers lower the tip for the server; who does not make much money to begin with and it affects the family she has at home. This is a reacting to the person in front of you.

Moses was only passing down the instructions from God and leading them in their journey with God. He was not God himself and yet every time something went wrong, Moses was the one they would blame.

God wanted Israel to turn their well being over to Him in faith. This is the human struggle that follows humankind through time. We see the people in front of us and we react to situations; however, we should look to God who has control over all of our lives.

We should ask, "Why is this happening to us" and pray for the answer from God. This is Christian maturity and God is working in our lives so that we might recognize His work in our lives.

If we need more faith, God brings circumstances to increase our faith. If we need a detour around a circumstance, God brings it. God watches out for our safety and everything that happens to us is for our own good; yet, it is up to us to recognize it and learn from the situation.

Do you trust the Lord? When asked, people will say, "Yes." However, true trust in the Lord is when you see a problem, look to God for the answer, and then seek God on what you should do about it.

And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" Exodus 17:3-4(NKJV)

Complaining is a terrible thing to propagate. When one person begins to complain, it affects others. Soon many people are disgruntled at their situation and their complaining is teaching others to be complainers. God does not want His people misguiding others.

Accused a second time, Moses takes his concern to the Lord. "What am I to do with these people?" This was a great question, to the right person, and placed before the Lord at the right time.

Notice Moses took his concern to the Lord? He did not complain back to the people or lash out saying something back to his accusers. He did not complain to others or those he knew would sympathize with him. Moses, faced with a great accusation, turns to the Lord for answers.

And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Exodus 17:5-7(NKJV)

When complaining, it is an indirect statement against the Lord. In this case, their complaints truly stated, "Is the Lord among us or not?" When complaining about life's circumstances, the blame is ultimately directed at the Lord.

Yet God was merciful and met their need causing water to spring forth from a rock. God was showing Moses that from the hardest substance on earth, life giving water can flow. This included the hard hearts of the children of Israel.

If you find yourself complaining about not having enough, high bills, unable to make it in life, the Lord would have you turn to Him. It is His work in your life and He works to soften you heart to trust in Him.

In the dessert God can bring water from a rock; but God also brings people to the dessert so He can work in their lives to draw them closer to Him.

Thanksgiving or Gluttony?

Thanksgiving or Gluttony? Exodus 16:31-36.

Though the Israelites were becoming real bad complainers, God continued to bless them. Yet, through this blessing of food, God was teaching them the importance of a Sabbath day rest. God wanted Israel to respect the Sabbath.

Why keep the Sabbath? We are to keep the Sabbath because humankind is made in the image of God. When God created the world He worked for six day and on the seventh He rested. Taking in the majestic sight of all His work He said, "It is good."

It is simple to conclude if God rested on the seven the day, then being made in God's image we too should rest one day of the week.

For six days, busy yourself working, planning, ensuring that your family is taken care of; but on one day a week, a person should let it all go so they may reflect on their work, on their attitude, and their righteousness.

Taking that day off from all cares, including shopping for food, is a good way to keep yourself recharged, satisfied, and it readies you for the week to come. A day of rest brings your family together.

In a world that people suffer from hypertension, attention deficit, and low self esteem you can see the impact that taking one day off would do.

The rest for the weary is not to be neglected; for to do so is to disobey God and go against the design of our own bodies.

Rest is essential; reflection and restoring a relationship with God is essential. Our family's spiritual health is essential; therefore, the Sabbath rest is essential.

And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" Exodus 16:31-32(NKJV)

Manna or "What is it?" was a special provision from the Lord and in order to have Manna on the seventh day a person had to gather enough for two days, on the day before the Sabbath.

Any other day, should they gather enough for two days, the manna would spoil; turning into a putrid substance drawing flies and producing worms. Yet, on the Sabbath, the Manna collected was sweet, delightful, and a miracle from the hand of God.

Israel was challenged to forever remember the Manna by keeping a portion of it and show it to future generations so they may see the miracle at the hand of God and remember the Sabbath; a day rest.

Therefore, they gathered Manna, placed in a jar, and carried the jar with them until years later when it would be placed it in the Ark of the Covenant.

The tragedy is, a many years later, the Ark of the Covenant was lost and the keeping of that tradition was lost. Israel failed to keep the Manna Jar in their possession and they can no longer show the miracle to their children.

And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations." As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah. Exodus 16:33-36(NKJV)

The reluctance of Israel to follow God became a deepening scar for Moses. He was not good at public speaking anyways and he continued to withdraw from the people, letting Aaron deliver the messages.

Still the work of the Lord would remain in their hearts and Manna would become a staple part of their diet for forty years.

Throughout history bread was considered the staple of life. Flour was made from grinding grain so that it could be mixed with water and yeast to make the essential part of the diet.

Remembering the Manna, people of spiritual reverence considered bread as being a gift from God. When they planted the seed they prayed over the fields and when harvesting they gave God the glory.

As they would grind the grains and mix the dough, glory to God would be on their lips. Then when partaking in a meal, prayers of thanksgiving would be said before the meal.

So reverenced was God's gift of food, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

The breaking of bread was to be a sacred occasion and not an indulgence. When a visitor was invited to a meal, it was not only to share in food, it was to share in unity. Though food can be tasty, the bond of faith was to be shared at the table.

Food was not to be wasted; it was a precious commodity and those who experience famine or drought could tell of its importance.

In our society bread is still important; however, many do without eating bread. There are other nutritional items to eat and some forgo the calories that bread gives.

Many members of society have learned to replace bread in the diet while others still eat it and enjoy a great variety to choose from. However, the spiritual significance of bread is being lost in a Westernizing world of plenty.

The garbage can of the world's cities could wipe out hunger and if everyone in need had bread they could survive. Yet reverence for bread is being lost; just as reverence for God is being discarded.

Jesus told His disciples, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:32-35(NKJV)

Jesus is the bread of life. The breaking of bread was to be done in remembrance of Him. He is greater than Manna and also came down from God.

He gave his life to be broken on the cross so that we might have our trespasses forgiven. Therefore, we, like Israel, are to forever remember the goodness of God for providing the essential for life.

Is one day a week to much, to take the time to rest from work and our habitual life? Is one day a week too much to spend with our family teaching them that Jesus is the bread of eternal life?

If we discard our rest, we discard so much more; however, Jesus has invited us to rest in Him. Let us take our families to the table of the Lord in reverence and on one day a week make it a day that is reverent.

Causing Trouble in the Congregation.

Causing Trouble in the Congregation. Exodus 16:16-30.

God had shown His glory, lighting up the clouds and while the congregation of Israelites looked to the sky, flocks of quail flew into the camp. That night the children of Israel dinned on meat and the complaining stopped. Their God had provided them food.

Though Israel's complaint had worked for them, it also worked against them; they established themselves as complainers. Where the meat and the bread met their need; they had much to learn about their selfish, mistrusting, cold hearts.

This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'" Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need. Exodus 16:16-18(NKJV)

The unit of measurement, the omer, is equaled to about 3.64 liters which is a good portion of manna; however, the people were not that specific about how much they collected and some gathered more, others gathered less. In this they showed that their own desires were more important than God's desires.

When God is working with a person's heart, often a person will think of themselves better than they really are. I have known people to trample through others people's problems never considering the damage they do.

These have an attitude that they are wise and they apply their wisdom without acknowledging the work of the Lord in the situation. In reality, they are like these people gathering manna; they trample in and then trample out; they take what they want regardless of what God's word said.

And Moses said, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted. Exodus 16:19-21(NKJV)

This was the problem; the word of God, expressed through Moses, was of little value. Many did not take instruction serious and did what was right in their own eyes. They greedily took more than they should and tossed out the instructions.

Therefore, the result was a spoiled stinky mess and so it goes with people who do not follow the leadership of God; they end up with a stinky spoiled rotten mess.

People make messes of relationships; they muddy the reputation of others. Thinking themselves to be doing what is right, they make a mess of the situation they are in.

However, some do learn from their mistakes; and this lesson instilled in many to follow the directions that God gave. This was an important lesson; for Israel would have many instructions they needed to remember and follow.

And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.'" So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Exodus 16:22-24(NKJV)

I wonder how many were having a problem with trusting God to keep the manna overnight. That night, I would not doubt many made trips to the manna pots to check for worms. For trusting God to care for them was their main issue.

Then Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none." Exodus 16:25-26(NKJV)

So focused where they on the bread situation, many did not realize that they were being taught to keep the Sabbath.

If loyalty was a problem in their ranks, it makes sense that they too were breaking the Sabbath. Therefore, God used the manna to help them through several problems of being loyal to God.

In every society, in every church, and throughout the world, there are those who are going to shake their head yes, but really mean no. They act as if they follow the congregation; but they live differently.

Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." So the people rested on the seventh day. Exodus 16:27-30(NKJV)

Moses was hearing the word of the Lord and watching people search through the camp, behind bushes, and talking to each other about their hunger.

When they were to be respecting God's Sabbath, they were busy trying to find enough food for the day.

Many pastors look out at their congregation and know the trouble the people bring to themselves. He sees gossiping, busybody women. He watches men who talk only about their own fun and knows their desire to be elsewhere.

The pastor has to listen to arguing spouses on the brink of divorce and help others with the troubles of broken marriages and families.

The pastor daily recieves, from the Lord, messages to speak to the congregation and delivering them, he sees those who are not paying attention and they become those who are going to do things their own way.

The pastor cleans up the stinky mess when people trample through the congregation with no respect or regard to God.

Christians can be some of the most difficult people on earth as they have caused church splits, marriages to fail, and encouraged children to be disobedient.

Everything that God says not to do, many Christians do and the hardships fall on the pastor.

God said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See!" This indicates that a congregating is viewed by God as a whole.

A church is no stronger than its weakest member and to this, the pastor and his staff toil to make them understand the importance of reverence to God's word.

Drawing Near to God.

Drawing Near to God. Exodus 16:9-15.

The complaint department is usually full. In our day people have become expert complainers. If it's not about family, it's about money. If it's not about money, then it is about how someone soiled your day. No one is beyond criticism; however, criticism is different than a complaint.

The critic shares a way to make something better in life. However, a complaint is a byproduct of fear and we are instructed by scriptures not to fear for God is in control of every situation. Therefore, many people think they are criticizing; however, they are complaining and this becomes very annoying to God and others.

Moses was very annoyed with the Children of Israel. God had saved them from the Egyptian army. When they needed water God provided. With such great display of God's ability to save, these complained to Moses about food.

It was not criticism, nor was it constructive; their complaints were destructive as they tried to blame Moses for leading them into starvation.

Moses had had all he could take from the miserable people and turned the message over to Aaron. Moses was going to sit back and watch; probably saving himself from being like them.

Then Moses spoke to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.'" Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'" Exodus 16:9-12(NKJV)

They keys to their attitudes were the distance of their hearts. To draw near to God is to put aside other things and to focus in prayer where you will receive understanding of whom God is, what significance an event has, and how great is our Lord.

Many people suffer in their situations complaining about how bad things are. The situation causes them grief and grief causes them to focus on the problem. They draw nearer to their problem and compound their grief.

Drawing near to the Lord is a way to see the problem against the Lord God who created the Universe. In this, the size of the problem shrinks and the less burdensome it becomes.

Yet to these fortunate few the size of the Lord was revealed before their eyes. The cloud that hovered over them began to glow and the glow turned in to an increasingly bright light.

The dessert lit up like no sunset could ever do and the gloriousness of God was in plain sight. Though shrouded in a cloud God was making himself know in their presence.

God has done the same in the lives of people throughout time. Those who take their problems, their discomforts, and their sicknesses, to the Lord in prayer, find his presence shinning in their heart.

It starts faint as a small light; but through worship and reading His word, meaning grows and so does God's presence in their life. People go from dwelling in darkness to living with the presence of the Lord in their heart; where their fears, the threats, and the discomfort flee away.

When people draw close to the Lord, life changes. This when you and others will see the glory of the Lord in the amazing answers to prayer and the astonishing clarity of what good an event has in their life. The Glory of the Lord shines on the face of His people as His dwelling place is in their heart.

So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. Exodus 16:13-15(NKJV)

Their problems were over; the quail were so thick in the camp that grabbing a few to roast was easy. No hunting, no great effort, God had supplied all their needs. That night, Israel was blessed regardless of their bad attitudes and accusing statements.

The next morning was like waking after an evening's snow; the ground was covered with bread. However, it looked different and they stood staring at the bread in dismay.

"What is it? What do you do with it?" God had given them a resource that they did not understand and that was enough to make Moses break his silence and he comically answered, "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."

I believe that Moses found joy in seeing the people sheepishly looking at the bread in wonderment; for now they were not questioning him, they were questioning God.

In every situation of life there is purpose. Not a single person dies without their being a back story, a purpose for their life, and a meaning in their death. God is at work in every aspect of life.

This being recognized, we can learn and understand his ways if we draw close to Him through worship, prayer, fellowship, and Bible study.

If we look at a situation and complain, we are focusing our attention away from seeing God's plan, God's ability, and God's greatness. This is where many lose their focus on God altogether and too many have passed without knowing God personally.

Remember, it all starts with focusing on discomfort, which grows into complaining. If you let focusing on problems stay in your life it can be a lifestyle that you take to the grave; where you will forever be separate from the glory of the Lord.

Complaining about Others.

Complaining about Others. Exodus 16:1-8.

It had begun to be a common occurrence for the children of Israel to doubt Moses and God when faced with adversity. Any time their safety was in danger, the first thing out of their mouth was an accusation and expression of their fears. This troubled Moses; for Moses wanted a calm, peaceful joining of Israel to their God in faith.

As with any good father, the waiting for his children to mature is part of the process of life. God had been patient with Israel and taught them through their trials to have faith in Him.

Through Moses, God sent a message saying, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."

This was a warning that for those who fail to recognize God's authority. God will do things to command respect from people. As a child, he will spank them on the behind and let them see His authority and His ability to control their fate.

And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Exodus 16:1-3(NKJV)

This word Sin translates to the word "thorn;" and though sin is a thorn, it is not the same word from the Greek that translated to our understanding of sin. However, again we find the people complaining against Moses and Aaron. This is an act of sin for they are missing the mark that God had set for them.

We walk a fine line when complaining about people, places, or things. As we go about our daily business, it is easy to cross over that line and though we might not recognize it, we can be complaining about what God has provided for us.

When a spouse complains about their mate they are complaining about the person God has brought them. Often people do not recognize that they are unhappy with what God has provided because they only see the fault of the other person. God takes it personal; for He would have a person accept the spouse thankfully and take all problems in prayer to God.

I have seen various types of this. A person, who prays for employment, finds it and is overjoyed. However, their love affair soon grows old; complaints about coworkers, working conditions, or pay, becomes grief and instead of taking it to God respectfully in prayer, they complain, and wallow in their misery. What God so graciously provided is now considered a hardship and gratitude is lost.

And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Exodus 16:4(NKJV)

They had learned not to accuse God and they feared angering Him; however, they still have yet to understand that you cannot single out God's leader without blaming God Himself.

""You have brought us out into this wilderness!" This is your fault. They had plenty of food in Egypt and now they wondered why Moses did not plan better. Food was dwindling and as if they did not learn a thing from the problem of running out of water, these people were again stirred up.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." Exodus 16:5(NKJV)

God was measuring their commitment to Him by their obedience to the rules He gave them. This is where God draws the dividing line between who are faithful to him and those who are not faithful to Him.

In this challenge each morning they would wake to find a substance they would call bread. Each new morni9ng they were to gather a quota of bread to feed themselves for the day. On the sixth day they were to gather twice the amount so they may be able to have it on their Sabbath day, the day of rest.

In this test, those who trusted God would be thankful and believe in God to provide the next day; or they would fearfully, greedily, gather more than their share and prove their unbelief in God who promised to provide.

Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?" Exodus 16:6-7(NKJV)

Moses was very bothered at the treatment they received from the people. In this speech Moses declares to them in the evening they were to reflect on the goodness of the Lord who delivered them out of Egypt. Reflecting on their deliverance and God's faithfulness would make the morning so much more glorious.

This is the missing ingredient to a happy life in all those who find bitterness. Reflecting on the goodness of the lord and all the wonderful works of the Lord should cause us to have faith, hope, and produce love from our life.

When a person understands the Love of God for them; there is no room for fear. Doubt is pushed to the side and faith causes a person to quit striving. God is good and there is none like our Lord.

Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD." Exodus 16:8(NKJV)

How can you complain when God was not only going to deliver them bread, but God was also going to bring meat to eat for the evening dinners?

Yet Moses was forming his own opinions about these people. Many of them were self centered, selfish, and he knew that they would complain again. Even after God had delivered them, fed them, and gave them water, they would find something else to complain about. So Moses told them the way it would be.

Next time, don't complain at me, you complain at God for that who you are blaming anyway!

The Children of Israel were no different that we are today; we are all people and we all make mistakes like people. With our mouths we bless God and curse others. We complain, voicing our displeasures to others, and we also blame others.

Yet we must remember that if we are displeased, our words should be taken to God in prayer. We should pray, "Change them or change me;" giving our honor and respect to God.

Listen to yourself, monitor your own faith and when listening to someone else complain, pray for them for it is a hard concept for people to understand and never let your complaining bring others down with you.

As Christians we are teachers with our life. Would it not be a terrible thing to be considered a person who taught others to complain, to cross the line, and miss the mark of God?

Falling Down at the First Sign of Trial.

Falling Down at the First Sign of Trial. Exodus 15:20-27.

The Children of Israel were so elated to have the Egyptian army defeated it provoked a joyous celebration. Instruments sounded and song broke out as merriment was in the hearts of the people.

There is no better time to celebrate than when a person has overcome a great trial in their life; the only problem is life is filled with trials.

Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: "Sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!" Exodus 15:20-21(NKJV)

Miriam is the sister of Moses. Miriam watched over Moses as he floated down river in the ark made for him as a baby. Miriam approached the Pharaoh's daughter and talked her into hiring her mother to care for the baby.

Being of the family of Moses held great responsibility, for if Moses were to be wrong about God and God's will for the children of Israel, the immediate family would too be shunned.

As Moses and Aaron were leaders among the elders, Miriam was also stepping up to take her role leading the women in celebration of their delivery from the enemy. Is it not interesting to see that women's ministry is mentioned so early in our scriptures?

Miriam was more than a leader; she was gifted with ability to prophesy and though her prophesies are not recorded, their fulfillment coincided with the delivery from the enemy by God. With joy Miriam celebrated and led others to celebrate the same.

Celebration is not to be confused with worship. Celebration comes from great emotion following a victory, an achievement, or a completed task; worship is to be a continual action through good times and bad. God's people must learn they worship God regardless of the situation faced.

Celebration takes a person to a mountain top of adulation and goes as quickly as it comes; for we must walk through valleys so low.

In those valleys we face trial, difficulty, and fear; however, the worship of God should not stop.

Through worship, God's people become strong; as God helps them to make it through their situation. Through worship, fears are silenced and darkness is turned to light.

The Children of Israel were going to face many low times and even in the lowest of time God expects faith from His people. This is what a leader must remember; victories are great, but too much celebration is not good for people.

So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Exodus 15:22(NKJV)

These people had been on the move and their water supply was dwindling, if not completely gone. Running out of water became a great fear and the dessert ahead was a barren waste land. This is only the first obstacle the children of Israel would face.

Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" Exodus 15:23-24(NKJV)

The same people who danced at the victory, given to them at the hand of God, now complained to Moses. They had never been out of Egypt and they had no idea of what to expect.

They saw water in the distance and the two to three million people caravanned over to a great water source. It was a great find; however, they also found the place was called Mara or bitter. This water could not be drunk.

At this point to be a leader of the people was not a joyous position. The leaders Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, were approached by all side with people wanting to know, "What are we going to drink?"

Many of the questions came as accusations and sounded like the accusations expressed when cornered by the Egyptian army at the Red Sea. There they asked, "Did you bring us out here to die?"

We can plainly see it is hard to face trials after experiencing such great joy. It can be measured by the fall for the higher the mountain top, the greater the fall.

To the leadership this must have seemed a terrible contrast of attitudes and loyalty. What about God's ability to deliver? Where is faith and when will these people trust in God? Being new to leadership, Moses became upset at his people's response.

So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." Exodus 15:25-26(NKJV)

Through this trial, it became clear it would take time for these people to spiritually mature. They went from great faith to no faith; from joy to miserable and for a leader this becomes a measure of his or her effectiveness in their congregations.

Moses too cried out in distress to the Lord. The people did not trust him as a leader. He too went from victory to defeat with a problem that seemed impossible.

Though he had faith in God, the situation caught Moses off guard and he grieved. Yet Moses received a quick word of wisdom from the Lord and in obedience they cast the tree into the water and it not only became drinkable, it became tasty and sweet.

It did not take Moses long to reflect on the power of God over circumstances and Moses knew that God would tolerate no compromise in faith; for without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore, Moses gave the people a sermon, a warning to trust in God.

You must be diligent to heed the voice of the Lord and do what is right in His sight. You must keep God's rules intact, for your life to continue to be healed. This means following where He leads, trusting in Him to provide, and allowing Him to heal our broken lives.

There is something broken in our lives if we fear. To complain and murmur is the sign of a greater problem, a spiritual problem and our distance from God. Therefore, let us praise and worship God without peaking so that we will have faith in the valleys.

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters. Exodus 15:27(NKJV)

God leads us to rest in Him. He is an abundance supplier and when we trust in Him we find our way.

These people following Moses into the dessert had great trust issues with God and their leadership. If they did not receive the healing their trials would bring, they would not enter into their rest.