Saturday, October 06, 2007

His acts and His ways: Dt 5:23-27

"And when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. You said, 'Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, then we will die. For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Go near and hear all that the Lord our God says; then speak to us all that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.'" (Deuteronomy 5:23-27)
I was struck by the difference between the people's and Moses' response to the presence of the Lord. Moses responded by going up into the presence of the Lord to receive His word while the people responded with fear. Moses was drawn closer to the Lord while the people drew back. Why does the presence of the Lord cause some to draw near and others to shrink back? I think the key difference was that the people of Israel knew about God, but Moses knew God. Consider the observation that David made:
"He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel." (Psalms 103:7)
The son's of Israel saw God's acts, deeds, and miracles. Moses, however, knew God's ways, character, and nature. The people knew what God did, but Moses knew God. Moses had a relationship with God. Moses knew His nature and His character and was not afraid of His presence. The people, however, only knew of what God did, they didn't have a relationship with God. Because of this, when God came, they're response was fear.

It is important that we do not become content with the substance of God's gifts, blessings, and miracles and fail to acquire a relationship with the giver of those gifts, blessings, and miracles. As exciting as our experiences in God may be, they should never become a substitute for a relationship with God. God describes the difference between His relationship with Moses and that of even the other prophets of his day.
"Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, he is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord." (Numbers 12:6-8)
There are many people today who are seeking for an experience, a dream, a vision, or a manifestation, yet, as important as those may be, they can never compare to a "face to face" relationship with God. Visions are one thing, but an open, "mouth to mouth" relationship with God is another. Visions and experiences will one day cease, but our relationship with the Lord is eternal. Let us receive with gladness the experiences we have in the Lord, but let be willing to go beyond experience to have a whole hearted relationship with Him.

David Robison

17 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:22 PM

    this is wonderfull. i really want to have a relationship with God, but something always come my way, when its time to pray, my body get tired, aching, a visitor come, an argument starts in the house. but when im not praying , there is everything is quiet

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    1. Read THE MAN GOD USES by Oswald Smith. It will show you that others suffered what you're describing and overcame it. I have been on it for over ten years. I know what you're describing. Learn to wake up before other people to pray. Start with 10 to 15 minutes. Have you time piece by you. Until the set time is up, never leave. Walk and pray. Kneeling tends to induce sleep. For a start, split the scheduled time between confession of sins, praise, worship, intercession and thanksgiving.

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    2. You can download the book.

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    3. THANK YOU so much!!! The book came right up in PDF. I greatly look fwd to reading it!

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    4. Hi Anonymous
      I'd like to point out that prayer is very important and so is Bible study and meditation but this values spring from a deeper place in us as believer's in Christ.

      What I am alluding to is a heart constantly focused on the Lord a mind constantly thinking of the Lord and His way and a disowning of every thought and desire that does not spring from what is right and true by God's standards (God's word).

      Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
      Luke 9:23 NKJV

      https://bible.com/bible/114/luk.9.23.NKJV

      This scripture lays it down very well for us and I see it as the entrance into Christ's discipleship and it must be the way of life for the disciple.

      For any believer to walk in victory in every area of his life, he must deny himself and submit to God's way and will and it is very important to know, to find out the why for when we know this knowledge it will get us to be able to be willing to obey.

      So being near God and to have a relationship with Him is much more than praying but it is our matter of your hearts position and orientation.

      The Lord our God must be what I long for the most wherever I am in in whatever I am doing otherwise if it is not so it will be difficult to do this other spiritual things.

      And our God is faithful and He longs to be of help to us and He wants us to be extremely passionate about Him. He must be what you love the most and all this other things will be added to you... Matthew 6:33

      God's blessings
      Gabu

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  2. Part of the key is to learn to develop your own relationship with God and not to copy someone else'. You are unique to God and your relationship with Him will also be unique. Let God lead you. Learn to look for Him through out your day. And remember, God wants a relationship with you more than you want one with Him. Let Him seek you out. David

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  3. Thank you David, this explains so much to me. I experience the Lord very plainly and simply through simple faith and I want to challenge others to not always be looking for signs. This post confirms that the unction!

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  4. Anonymous1:18 PM

    This was such a great confirmation for me today. Sometimes we make it difficult. Our relationship with God is unique. My relationship with God is different than my husband's relationship with God. But we both have a relationship with Him. I had to learn this. Thanks David!

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  5. "Let Him seek you out" I think is key. Thank you David for sharing this post, I've known His acts for many years throughseekingHishands, but I must say that seeking His face is most fulfilling. Bless you

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  6. Thanks God bless you

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  7. Thank you for this edifying write up, you really dealt with it from the uncommon perspective. We all need to seek the giver of the gifts and not the gift.

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  8. The place “Prayer” once held has been replaced with “conversation”; much like chatting on the phone with a friend that “never leaves” and won’t hang up !

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  9. Jesus’ finished work in us... there is no seeking as if “ looking to find” bit rather to see what He sees. Our oneness in Him. His oneness in us. As us.

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  10. So profound and useful like Moses Abba Father I seek to know your ways. Who knows the mind if a man except for the spirit that lives within him Holy Spirit consume my mind with only the living word of God. Search the mind of my Abba Father and let me know him more. Abba Father I seek a sincere relationship with you. I cry out to you. Have mercy on me.

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  11. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Thank you so much for this piece

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  12. Anonymous11:58 PM

    Great and very ressourcefull

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  13. John siame10:55 AM

    Thank you so much for the great insight.

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