WTFMT 50 HGM ON 23 JAN 18

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-50 TEXT:
 "And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto 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." (Exodus 16:10)

I. POINT OF VIEW
A. What we see depends on our point of view. Our point of view is the direction in which we habitually look. The gaze of the Israelites had just been on meat which they desired, but did not have. Only when they looked toward the wilderness did they see the glory of God. The glory of God was not in the meat which they desired.
B. The reason why many of us on different occasions miss seeing the glory of God is that we are looking toward what which we desire. We are viewing Canaan Land when we should be looking toward the wilderness.
C. If the glory of God is appearing in the wilderness, and we are gazing at the Promised Land, we may see the Promised land, but we will not see the glory of God. When the glory of God has come to the wilderness, it is time to give the wilderness our attention. God brings us into the wilderness specifically to see His glory. He wants to bring to our vision His mercy, grace. longsuffering, provisions, purpose, and most of all His love.
D. Although many are brought to the wilderness to see the glory of God, not all see it. The direction of our vision at any particular time in our lives will determine what we shall see. It will also determine what we are not seeing of that which God wants to show us. We shall miss seeing His goodness as we constantly gaze at unfulfilled desires and long for the comforts of the flesh.
E. The wilderness is the place of opportunity. Here, from the Wilderness of Paran, the children of Israel could have moved into greater opportunities. The possibility of taking the Promised Land was theirs. God Himself actually initiated the conquest of Canaan at this time from this place, as seen in: "And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel." (Numbers 13:3)
F. The wilderness may not be seen as a launching pad into an orbit of spiritual reality and living, but the wilderness is that, and more. It is a place of opportunity. A particular opportunity in numbers reads. "And thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them." (Numbers 13:2) These men are going to search and discover. They are moving toward that which God had promised them. In this, many things will be discovered, and revelation will unfold.
G. The Israeli spies are going to discover things which they never though existed in that promised area. What do they discover? They discover the fruits of the land. "And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it." (Numbers 13:26-27) This was quite a revelation for these people who left the fertile waters of Egypt.
H. Foundations are necessary for revelation. The more abundant the revelations, and the fuller and richer they are the more the need for greater and stronger foundations.
I. God will often bring us through difficult places simply to establish in us a sufficient foundation and strength for the revelation which He desires to bring to us. Foundations are built by irrevocably trusting God and responding properly to Him in ALL our situations, whether pleasant or unpleasant.
J. 10 of the 12 spies did not have a foundation sufficient enough to support their revelation. Of the two who had faith, one spoke up: "And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." (Numbers 13:30) Instead of great faith coming to them from the revelation, they were filled with fear and defeat. "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:33)

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. The foundation for revelation must be built. Without it God will never be able to put into us certain truths and revelations, and the means of living them. Therefore we must be willing for the undergirding foundation to be built in us. Unwillingness for this particular work of God will cause loss of the riches of God.
B. Come let us go into the wilderness with willing hearts. There we will learn riches, and glean for ourselves unimaginable wealth.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

As we moved from 2017 to 2018 I lost track (an understatement) of the number of Christians who said, "I hope I have a happy new year" or "I wonder what the new year holds for me and my family?" I kind of shook my head and pondered what in the world are they talking about? What kind of year are they going to have? What does the new year hold for them? Really? Are they Christians? Now I will be the first to admit being a Christian does not exempt us from life's many distractions, sorrows, and disappointments, but as Christians we MUST in experience of relationship with the LORD rise above the fray of worldly trials and circumstances (that seemingly level the playing field) for all who live on earth will be situational dependent (being happy) or sad depending on situations and circumstances faced in our daily living. As Christians we are not to look for our happiness in temporal things such as our livelihood, success, our health, even our acceptance. A.H. Maslow the well know American psychologist who was best known for creating "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs," a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow described human needs as ordered in a prepotent hierarchy—a pressing need would need to be mostly satisfied before someone would give their attention to the next highest need. The hierarchy of human needs model suggests that human needs will only be fulfilled one level at a time. According to Maslow's theory when a human being ascends the levels of the hierarchy having fulfilled the needs in the hierarchy one may eventually achieve self-actualization. At the bottom of the hierarchy are the basic needs or physiological needs of a human being: food, water, sleep, sex, etc. Then safety needs: security, order, and stability. Next is the third level of need is love and belonging. And at the top of the pyramid need for self-actualization occurs when individuals reach a state of harmony and understanding because they are engaged in achieving their full potential. Once a person has reached the self-actualization state they focus on themselves and try to build their own image. They may look at this in terms of feelings such as self-confidence or by accomplishing a set goal. Late in life Maslow came to conclude that self-actualization was not an automatic outcome of satisfying the other human needs. Sadly (it is my experience) this is the way most Christians live their lives. Once I get a good job, a big house, and fancy car then I can work on myself and all the while satisfying basic needs along the way will equal the happiness I find in my life. Well this contrary to what the Bible teaches. The word of God has a much much more deeper and fuller understanding of where our happiness in found. Christians are not to build their happiness, which is situational dependent (where we get the word "blessed" from), but we are to be built on joy. Joy keeps us going when all around us is collapsing and hope seems to be no more. When our life is in shambles the "joy" (not happiness of the LORD) rushes in and is a shield and buckler for us to endure the many slings and arrows our daily living brings our way. Nehemiah shares with us a critical truth we MUST never forget when life begins to get us down. And make no mistake life will get us down the LORD will see to it. "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) But notice this is not just any "joy" it is "the joy of the LORD" which is our strength. The "joy of the LORD" is what strengthens us to endure and overcome life's problems and circumstances. How can we guess if problems and situations are coming our way in the new year? How can we wonder what the new year will be like? They are on the way the LORD will see to it, because it is the LORD's dealings and judgments in our lives that develops "the joy of the LORD" in us. Happiness is light and fleeting while "joy" is heavy and abiding. "The joy of the LORD" puts us on a good path for all year and it will sustain us all the days of our lives because it is built from a work of God in us and because it produces in us wisdom, righteousness, judgment (oh a bad word for most Christians), and equity. In the Proverbs Solomon said, "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path." (Proverbs 2:6-9) When does the LORD give us all of these things? When we allow Him to work in our lives to show us our infirmities and failures. He adds these things underlined above to us while He is able to subtract our weaknesses and failures. God has made a way to endure life and overcome (be victorious) it through the work of Christ on the cross and through His dealings and judgments now within us. Can you imagine the hearing and understanding of the disciples and all in the crowd when Jesus told them, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:31-34) How could Jesus say, "take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be clothed?" Does not Jesus know we need food, drink, clothing? Yes, but if you are filled with "the joy of the LORD" having or not having food, drink, or clothing does not matter. Does not Jesus know we need to self-actualize (become all we can be) and take care of our self? Yes of course, but back in Nehemiah we read, "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord:" Again "the joy of the LORD" is dependent not on us receiving (even from God), but others receiving. How could Jesus say, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." Does not Jesus know we are to be happy? Well, no He does not. One of the greatest revelation we can discover in the new year is God is not trying to make us rich, popular, famous, powerful, or even happy, but is trying to do all that we will allow in our lives to conform us into the character and image of Jesus Christ. Sandwiched between these thoughts above is what God expects in our lives to bring us to a place in Him where we can survive and overcome life, "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." That is right "seek (it must be discovered it is not laying on the ground somewhere waiting to be found there is a discovery we must make as God works in our lives) first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Now the "kingdom God" is not a place or a palace, but it is within us. In Luke we read, "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21) When the "kingdom of God" is active in our lives happiness will not even be a concern. Paul told the Church at Rome, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17) You cannot get a job in the kingdom of God, but many people try to. Ah there is that word "joy" again, but that is not just the joy we have when we see a new born baby or as we swell up with pride when our son or daughter hits the winning goal, but it is "the joy of the LORD." The only way to have a happy new year is to allow God to work in our lives through His dealings and judgments and build in us "the joy of the LORD" and not happiness and even a good blessings.