Dear Family,
Today is Thursday, May 19, 2022, Day 5 of Week 5. This is the 33rd Day in our Count to Pentecost.
Exodus 17:7 And he called the name of the place Massah [testing], and Meribah [quarreling], because of the chiding [scolding, rebuking] of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying; Is the Lord among us, or not?
Ancient Israel “tempted” God. What were they thinking? The cloud and the pillar of fire had not disappeared. What kind of evidence of God’s presence did they need? Did Israel really expect God’s purpose in using Moses was to do them evil in any way? Why didn’t Israel expect “good” from God and His servant? Had they not been convinced by God’s deliverance and recent generosity?
Why did they not go before God, asking for what they needed, and then EXPECT God to provide the good things?
From the perspective of the New Testament Scriptures, we can determine that the Israelites were walking according to the flesh. Israel was NOT going to EXPECT good from God, nor submit to His authority/commandments, nor validate His righteous motives, because the carnal mind cannot do those things.
Romans 8:5-8 (5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
People who are walking in the flesh, and who continue to mind fleshly things, CANNOT please God!
God’s GOODNESS is designed to bring people to repentance; yet, some people choose to “despise” God’s goodness and patience. And, they may be unaware that they are doing it because of self deceit…their foolish heart is darkened. No matter how GOOD God is to them, some people continue to be unwilling to see God as the truly GOOD GIVER and SAVIOR that God is. And, once we see that God is the Giver of good (and only good) gifts (James 1:17), we need to acknowledge Him as He is. We need to glorify Him. It’s a matter of worshipping the True God, instead of some false image, i.e., some perverted view of Who God really is.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
We all need to really know, and KNOW THAT WE KNOW the True God and His divine nature, and be rid of any misconceptions we may still be holding about Who and What is God.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
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