READ: NUMBERS
20:7-11
Moses was a
great man of God. Of all the men God used, Moses stands out. God testified
about him as the meekest man on the face of the earth. He was a great leader.
But he had one weakness – anger. As a young man in Pharaoh’s palace, that was
his problem, which led to his killing an Egyptian before he escaped for his
life.
Several years later, his anger still undealt with, Satan pulled out the joker card against Moses. In our reading, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come out for Israel’s use. But at the time he received the instruction, Moses was angry with the children of Israel. His anger blinded his reception. The Father struck his Son, Jesus, only once at the crucifixion. Moses had struck the rock twice, in disobedience.
The water flowed because of God mercy, but that was the end of Moses’ ministry. He who was chosen to lead God’s people into the Promised Land was prevented from entering Canaan. Even someone who knows God as Moses did, may suffer a type of fall for which there is no restoration.
Judas Iscariot was a trusted disciple of Jesus. He was the treasurer of the King of kings himself. But his problem was the love of money. Before long he started stealing little by little from the treasury. When Satan pulled out his joker, Judas sold his master for money he could not even spend on himself. Acts 1:20 says something serious minded believers need to know: “For it is written in the book of Psalms: LET HIS HABITATION BE DESOLATE, and LET NO ONE LIVE IN IT, and LET ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE.”
If you love money, when Satan pulls out his joker on you, you will lose your heavenly mansion to someone else; your name will be deleted from the Lamb’s Book of Life. Are you stealing little by little from the money or offerings kept in your care? Beware! You are playing with something worse than fire. Repent and make restitution for your ways; if your assignment will keep you sinning, then drop it, so as to save your soul from hell.
Several years later, his anger still undealt with, Satan pulled out the joker card against Moses. In our reading, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come out for Israel’s use. But at the time he received the instruction, Moses was angry with the children of Israel. His anger blinded his reception. The Father struck his Son, Jesus, only once at the crucifixion. Moses had struck the rock twice, in disobedience.
The water flowed because of God mercy, but that was the end of Moses’ ministry. He who was chosen to lead God’s people into the Promised Land was prevented from entering Canaan. Even someone who knows God as Moses did, may suffer a type of fall for which there is no restoration.
Judas Iscariot was a trusted disciple of Jesus. He was the treasurer of the King of kings himself. But his problem was the love of money. Before long he started stealing little by little from the treasury. When Satan pulled out his joker, Judas sold his master for money he could not even spend on himself. Acts 1:20 says something serious minded believers need to know: “For it is written in the book of Psalms: LET HIS HABITATION BE DESOLATE, and LET NO ONE LIVE IN IT, and LET ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE.”
If you love money, when Satan pulls out his joker on you, you will lose your heavenly mansion to someone else; your name will be deleted from the Lamb’s Book of Life. Are you stealing little by little from the money or offerings kept in your care? Beware! You are playing with something worse than fire. Repent and make restitution for your ways; if your assignment will keep you sinning, then drop it, so as to save your soul from hell.
MEMORIZE:
PSALM 19:12 –Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
