WHEN THE CLOUD MOVES

Often there will be times in our walk with the LORD when we do not understand what is moving or why things are moving in a certain direction. Now I will be honest at these times I kind of like serving a God I cannot figure out, but on the other hand the uncertainty of not knowing can be a frustrating (sometimes to some debilitating) emotion in their life. At both times we must push beyond our feelings, our plans, our ambitions, and try to see what God is doing in this situation. Recently I have been making plans for a trip to Nepal to minister to the Nepalese people who are already under the gun, no pun intended. The government is tightening the screws on the Christians and making it very difficult for foreigners to come and share this wondrous Gospel message. If caught converting a Nepalese one could get 18 months in prison which is really a death sentence, Nepalese prisons are notorious for beatings, suicides, and murders. If a foreigner is caught evangelizing they will be arrested and deported within seven days. This holds true for India (much worse) and other parts of South Asia. At the time of this writing we are still planning to go, but God may have another idea. I know the Christian witness of the LORD by the Nepalese people and especially through the radio station Good News FM 105.1 (just upgraded to 500 from 100 watts) is of a far greater value to the LORD than us coming and being a bull in a china shop. Here we must push beyond our feelings and plans to see what God is doing here. Now we could go. We have the money (savings), we have the contact, we have plans in place, but what is God doing? What is God saying? You know it is easy to operate and flow with God when everything works out, but when things do not work out as we have planned and we still feel the LORD is moving then what? After all God wants us to shake the nations for His glory, right? No God wants to shake our heart with His love. We are to go and make disciples of all nations, right? Well no, we are to become a disciple of Christ first and then when He wants things to happen He will make them happen not us. One of the wilderness truths I so enjoy is the cloud that abided over the Children of Israel in the day providing shade and at night a pillar of fire providing warmth. In Exodus we read about the cloud, "And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." (Exodus 13:20-22) Wow God expects night travel! I really like verse 20 they camped at the edge of the wilderness. It almost sounds like God had (He did) to push them into the wilderness. So who is at the edge of the wilderness? God and He will push us in so He can get our attention, so He can train us, so we can learn the lessons He has for us that will enable us to be successful when we come up out of the wilderness. The wilderness is a place we never build a home in only an expedient shelter. If we never go into the wilderness (God's making places) we will never grow up and just stay babes, we will never learn the lessons that will help us move and flow with Him. We will be unschooled, untaught, uneducated to God's ways God does not hold classes in well watered, fruited lands. Oh no my friend God holds school in dry, austere, troubled situations, and circumstance. Problems where we think we will die, but with God's instruction we learn our way through. But what happens when the cloud moves? One thing for sure if in the wilderness you better move with it. The Children of Israel moved, but usually under great protest. It is not about the moving of the cloud, but about our heart condition to the moving of the cloud. If we do not go and do for God it is not about us not going and doing, but more about how we feel about not doing and going? We have these great plans: conferences, crusades, we have spent money, people informed, and we do not go. How do we feel about that? No I really mean it, how do we really feel about that? After all what will our friends say? My friend all of that does not matter. What matters is what is God doing in all of this. The cloud was a visible sign of provision, a wealth of opportunity, and even security. What happens when the cloud dries up? Even a bigger question what happens when God changes direction for our lives? Maybe this thought is for another article, but make no mistake my friend in God a few things are consistent and one of these is change. In God, problems are seldom what we think they are. We blame others for our short comings and failures, but in reality we are the problem. Remember at the heart of every issue is an issue of our heart. In Proverbs we read, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23) The words "issues" here are the good and so called bad things in our lives. No matter what happens in our lives God is looking at our reaction to whatsoever happened have it be what we call bad or even something good. I think it is the good things that happen to us that can get us in more trouble with God. After all good things rarely draw us closer to the LORD. When something good happens often we get a big head, want a pat on the back, and then have trouble get our big head through the door way, but now a good problem . . . well for most Christians that will bring us to our knees. In 2 Corinthians we see Paul has been under the cloud for a price, "It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me." (2 Corinthians 12:3-6) Now many people say it was Paul that was "caught up in the third heaven" or "caught up into paradise," but here Paul says "I knew a man about 14 years ago" plus "And I knew such a man that was caught up in paradise." Odd that Paul used the word "paradise" and not heaven. Jesus had already died and rose from the dead, no more paradise heaven was a reality. Here Paul was talking about two men he knew not himself, however without any question Paul did receive special revelation from God. But the issue was not about the revelation or the "unspeakable words" and things in heaven, but the issue was Paul willing to endure his infirmities (and he had many) to receive the wonderful revelations God had for him. Revelation is God's measuring stick of a man. Revelations are not handed out like candy canes on a Christmas tree they are earned with each scar on our face from the smitter and each humbling by God. Now the cloud moves notice Paul's reaction. Ready read, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) Even brother Paul wanted the "thorn in the flesh" removed as we all would, but God had a deeper purpose than sticking Paul in the flesh. Now Christians try to figure out what was the "thorn in the flesh." Was it his poor eye sight from his Damascus road experience? Maybe it was some unfulfilled longing in his life for greater companionship, or maybe it was an angel send from the Satan to get him off track no one really knows, but did you know it was NOT about the "thorn in the flesh" is was about Paul's reaction to the "thorn in the flesh." It was about what God was doing with the "thorn in the flesh" in Paul's life. So too in our lives it is not about what we have done (or not done) or what has happened to us now or in the past. It is about our reaction to what we have done (or not done) or what has happened to us in the past. Do we handle it in God as Paul did? Yes, three times Paul prayed (I probably would have prayed more) for God to deliver him from this "thorn in the flesh," but when God says "no" Paul's reaction was, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." Again it is not about the thorn or even the revelation it is about our reactions to the thorns and revelation when the cloud moves and make no mistake my friend the cloud will move God will see to it. Written by David Stahl