Adventures in faith

Our lives as believers should be marked by adventures in faith as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our daily walk.  The Israelites had been held captive in Egypt for 400 years.  Life was hard, they were oppressed and abused and treated like slaves.  God raised up Moses and Aaron to liberate the people and bring them to the land that was promised to their forefathers. The journey to the Promised Land and the conquest of the land was an adventure in faith for everyone.  The journey of faith had many tests designed by God to examine the heart of the people to see if they would trust in him and in the leadership God had placed over them.  The circumstances they faced were not brought on by the devil but were orchestrated by God with a specific purpose in mind.  Often in life when we are faced with difficulties we immediately think that the devil as attacking us and causing all the trouble.  We give him more credit than we should because we do not realize that God is at work building our character and our faith in him.

Their liberation did not come instantly.  Pharaoh's heart was hardened and needed to be broken in order for him to release his captives.  The plagues that were sent had a specific purpose to build the faith of God’s people and to soften the hearts of the Egyptians.  When the final plague struck, the death of the first born sons the people of Egypt were more than willing to give the Israelites everything they asked of them.  The Israelites were poor and they needed many things to bring on their journey to freedom. They left Egypt with many valuable possessions they would need.

The adventure of faith begins with God’s calling us to a new place, a new people, new purpose or ministry or perhaps a new way to do the ministry God has called us to that he has placed in our heart to pursue.  God called Israel out of Egypt to pursue the promise he had given to them as a people.  He had something new for them to fulfill his Kingdom purposes.  It was a huge undertaking to take over a million people and move them across a desert to the Promised Land that they would have to conquer enemies though they had no previous military experience.  The call of God upon Moses, Aaron as well as all of the Israelites was beyond human understanding and ability to achieve. 

At times the calling of God may seem too much for us, we feel unqualified and lack the resources that we need to make it happen.  When Moses told the people what God had in mind I am sure that many wondered how it could happen.  After years of slavery they were probably excited about the prospect of leaving and at the same time wondering how were they going to be released and brought to the Promised Land. 

When the time came for them to leave, they had to leave quickly.  I think if it had not happened like it did some may have dragged their heels and maybe stayed behind.  The Egyptians wanted them to leave immediately as they feared they like the first born son would be killed.  The door to their freedom had been opened quickly and they needed to move quickly to escape.  When God calls us, he will prepare the way but we must respond in obedience to move when he tells us to move.  Many opportunities can be lost when we delay in acting in obedience quickly.  Had the people lingered they would have been captured by Pharaoh's army and subjected to the same grueling life they had experienced.  We must be convinced that God is the one opening the door and then move quickly to go through it.  God had been preparing the people through the demonstrations of his power.  They had witnessed the miraculous and their faith was being built up so when the time came they would be ready to move forward trusting God to lead them.  God has worked in each of our lives to show his power and build our faith.  When he calls us to something new it is with a history of his faithfulness that will help us respond in obedience.

It must have been an incredible scene to see a million people fleeing the country of Egypt.  God was going before them to lead the way and he led them to their first test of faith when they ran into the Red Sea.  In the natural it looked like it was a trap, a dead end as the Egyptian army with 600 chariots pursuing them.  The jubilation they felt when they were released was now challenged by a barrier that looked impossible.  They did not understand what God had in mind.  It looked like the end of the road for them.  It was their first test of faith to believe that God would fulfill his promise of deliverance from the Egyptians.  God kept the invading army of Egyptians from getting nearby causing darkness that disoriented them and kept them from moving forward while at the same time the Israelites had light.  But the challenge of crossing the Red Sea was still an issue.  God made the way by causing the waters to separate and form dry ground for them to pass through. It had to have been a wide area that he made for them to pass as many people through.  Again the people had to respond quickly to the opening God had given to them.  Can you imagine what it was like for them to see the wall of water standing beside them.  It became very clear to them at this time that God was going to fulfill his promise to them.  Once they were safely to the other side, the Egyptian army fell into the trap God had made by entering into the pathway God had made for his people.  The waters he held back were released at the right time and they were drowned.  They were now completely separated from their enemy and it was a time of great joy.

When God calls us he goes before us and will remove whatever barriers that need to be taken out.  We can trust him to do whatever needs to be done to open the doors for us and bring us to the place he has called us.  Nothing is too difficult for him.  Our faith will be tested by circumstances that seem impossible but God will show himself strong to those who will believe in him.

I was reading the testimony of converted Muslims who were being used by God in miraculous ways as they fulfilled his calling on their lives.  Two Muslim men had been called by God to go to villages that were Muslim and preach the gospel. On their way to the village they had to pass by a village that was extremely opposed to anyone sharing the gospel.  As the two men approached the village suddenly the motorcycle stopped running.  They could not get it to run so the only option they had was to go to the antagonistic village and try to find help.  When they came to the village the entire population was mourning the death of the wife of the chief of the people.  One of the men felt that God was calling him to go to chief and ask if he could pray for his dead wife.  The other man thought he was crazy and he wanted to leave as soon as possible.  They proceeded to walk through the crowd and found the chief to ask if they could pray for his deceased wife.  He gave them permission and they began to pray.  They did not pray silently but lifted up their voices so that all could hear.  They prayed for 40 minutes and nothing happened.  Some of the people began to wonder what they were doing yet they continued to pray.  Then they felt the wife’s body become warm, she was coming back to life.  She opened her eyes and the people went wild, they were witnessing a miracle!  The chief was overjoyed and he opened the door for them to return to the community to use their school to teach the people about Christianity.  What seemed like the end of the road for these two men became an open door for them to see the miraculous power of God to change the hearts of people and establish his Kingdom in the community. When they returned to their motorcycle, it started right away and they were able to go to the village they originally intended to visit.  God had orchestrated these circumstances and as they allowed him to lead them he opened a door that only he could open.  These men had to respond in immediate obedience or they would have lost the opportunity to see the miraculous happen.  What appeared to be an obstacle was really an opportunity for God to use them in a miraculous way to show his love for this village.

As Israel moved into the wilderness they were faced with more challenges and tests of their faith.  The first was the test of provision.

Exo 15:22-24  Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"

 Whatever water and food they had taken with them when in Egypt was probably consumed in a short period of time.   Once again it was a test of their faith in God and in Moses.  It looked hopeless in the natural and the natural response of the people was to complain and doubt that God would provide for them.  It would take millions of gallons of water to meet the needs of the people.  It looked to them that life would soon come to a miserable end, dying of thirst after traveling for 3 days without water.  

Their food resources were limited and consumed in a short time after leaving Egypt. 

Exo 16:1-3  They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

They departed Egypt on the 10^th day of the first month and on the 15^th day of the second month they had a food crisis.  Again the people complained and wondered if they would starve to death.  They now wanted to return to Egypt where they had food.  They preferred to feed their flesh rather than fulfill the promise God had given them about going to a land that was flowing with milk and honey.  God had a new diet for them, food that would provide them with what they needed to get them to the Promised Land.  This would only be for a limited amount of time. It was only going to take a couple of weeks for them to get through the desert and be able to cross into the Promised Land.  It was a sacrifice they had to make but it was for their good.  Eating the foods of Egypt were not on God’s menu.  He was using these circumstances to teach them to daily depend upon him to provide what they needed.  It was a mundane diet but it was exactly what they needed.  I think it may have been motivation for them to keep moving forward so they could get to the Promised Land and the provision God would give them.  Many of our tests and trials are only for a limited time.  When we are faced with financial or material challenges as we pursue God’s call on our lives we can respond by complaining and doubting God or we can proclaim his promises and wait upon him to provide what we need.  If God has called you then he is responsible to provide for you in whatever manner he chooses.  Complaining and murmuring only demonstrate our lack of faith.  God provided water for Israel the entire 40 years of their wandering in the wilderness.  His resources have no limit.  We can trust him to take the most difficult circumstances and provide what we need.  In my life I have seen God provide in ways I never thought would happen.  One of my greatest concerns when I left my full time job to pursue ministry full time was the care of my daughter.  I was a single dad and my daughter had lived with me from the time she was 7 years old.  I was concerned about her future education and how she would be able to pay for university classes.  God provided everything she needed to get her university degree and then a Master’s degree. She graduated with no debt and had money in the bank which most college students never experience as they are saddled with thousands of dollars of school loans to pay back.  God has never failed to provide for my needs.  He has proven himself to be faithful and true in every circumstance I have faced.  Whatever difficulty or challenge you are facing is an opportunity for God to show himself faithful to you as you place your trust in him. 

Another test they faced was a test of contentment.  We will be tested in our contentment of where we are, what we are doing, what we have and the leadership God has placed over us.  The Israelites complained often of where they were.  They longed to go back to Egypt where they thought life would be better.  They were not content with where God had them and what he was doing in their lives. Learning to be content in our circumstances is something God values and desires to build into our lives.  He wants us to learn to rest in him and not be constantly looking for something new or different.  Some people seem to never be satisfied with where they are.  They complained and miss out on what God wants to do in them and through them in the situation they are encountering.  They are always looking for the escape door and do not realize that God has placed them there for a purpose.  The daily diet of manana, the routines of life, the moving from one location to another were tests of their contentment.  Learning to be content with the leadership God has place over you is another test God will use.

The test of contentment also involves what we are doing.  For many people life can become a routine, we do the same things each day and not much seems to change.  These are times when our contentment is tested.  We have a choice to make the most of each day or become complacent and resign ourselves to living a mundane life.  Contentment helps us live in the moment.  We are not living in the past thinking of how good we had it, nor are we living in a future that our minds create to avoid facing what we are experiencing in the present.  Our attitude should be that we recognize that God has placed us in the circumstances, we accept them and are grateful to be where we are and what he is doing in us.  You are not like a plane in a holding pattern waiting to land in a different location.  You are in the place of God’s calling and he wants us to fulfill his purposes for this time.  Here I am God, what do you want me to do?  If we do not live in the moment we often pass up opportunities to be a blessing to the people we are with.

The people were also tested in their contentment in the leadership God has placed over them.  Moses had a very difficult job.  He did not ask for the job but he accepted God’s call upon his life to lead the people to freedom.  He faced opposition from the people who were not content with his leadership and were jealous of the position he had.  Even his own brother and sister opposed him.  Numbers 12 explains what happened. 

Num 12:1-2  Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.   And they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it.

The discontent began with Aaron and Miriam complaining about Moses’ wife.  But it went deeper as they disputed his leadership and felt they were just as qualified as he was.  Another example was the 250 people that Korah recruited to dispute Moses’ leadership.  They were not content with the position God had given him.  Numbers 16 relates the story.

Num 16:1-3  Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.   And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

 When we are not content with the leaders God has placed over us we become contentious and begin to cause problems.  We try to get other people on our side and poison them with our discontent.  It is easy for us to be critical of leaders after all they are human and they make mistakes.  Our role is not to be the accuser, Satan already has that job and he is doing a great job.  We are called to pray for our leaders, support them and encourage them.  If they get out of line, God has ways of bringing changes and at times he may use us to bring issues to them in a loving way.  When the people opposed Moses’s leadership God came to his defense and the consequences of their discontent were pretty severe.  Miriam was struck with leprosy over all of her body, Korah and all who joined him were swallowed up as the earth opened and they all fell in.  God does not take opposition to his leaders lightly so we must be very careful in how we treat them, what we say and think about them. If we are discontent we will cause division, one of the seven deadly sins that God hates.

A third test of faith was a decisive test to determine if they were ready to move into the Promised Land.  This tested what they believed about their circumstances, what they believed about themselves and what they believed about God. When the 12 were sent out to check out the Promised Land it was meant to be a great encouragement for the people.

Num 13:17-20  Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

 The sight of grapes, figs and pomegranates after eating manna everyday was to be a wetting of their appetite for all the good things that were waiting for them. Some of the mission trips I have been on have been times of eating very different food and often the same type of food on a daily basis.  Some of the students would look forward to going to McDonalds or some other restaurant where they could eat “real food.” It was motivation to look forward to what they would soon experience. Big, juicy grapes were to be proof of the good things God had waiting for them.

The sight of the fortified cities should have been an encouragement to let them know what living conditions they would have.  After living as slaves in Egypt and nomads in the desert, the thought of a secure city should have been a motivation to want to move forward to receive the blessings God had planned for them.

 Joshua and Caleb had a spirit of adventure.  They saw the opportunity and they were excited about possessing the Promised Land.  They saw things from God’s perspective and had confidence that God would defeat the enemies and give them the land.  The size of the enemy and the fortified cities were not deterring factors in their decision to go forward into the Promised Land.  They saw things through God’s eyes and it was as nothing to them.

The other ten had a different opinion of what they saw, how they saw God and how they saw themselves.  They saw an unbeatable enemy and cities that could not be conquered.  They did not see God as greater than the enemy or powerful enough to give them victory.  They saw themselves through the eyes of the enemy and they became hopeless. They were as grasshoppers when compared to the inhabitants of the land. Instead of being overjoyed at what was waiting for them they became overwhelmed by the circumstances.

Our adventure in faith will always be tested on these three levels.  How we view our circumstances, how we see our God and how we see ourselves.   We can view our circumstances as overwhelming and impossible to overcome or we can see them as obstacles that we can overcome with God’s help. We can see ourselves as more than conquerors through God’s power working in us, through us and for us or we can see ourselves through the opinion of others or compare ourselves to others and determine that we are not able to do what God has called us to do.  We can view God according to his revealed character of faithfulness and absolute power over every circumstance, person or power, or we can believe the lies that make him incapable of overcoming..

The ten were basically calling God a liar and a deceiver.  They were attributing to God the very things that were the nature of Satan.  It was blasphemy and the assassination of God’s character in front of the entire nation.  The negative report of the ten influenced the people and caused them to doubt God’s promise and his power to give them the victory.

 Our unbelief has devastating results.  It is like poison to our soul and the souls of others who hear our negative report.  God’s response was just, he banned all of them except Caleb and Joshua and those under 20 years old from entering the Promised Land. He sentenced them to 40 years in the wilderness until an entire generation of doubters were dead.  They had missed the open door God gave them because of their unbelief and disobedience.  This was the final exam for the nation and they failed.  They tried to make up for it the next day by going to battle but they suffered defeat because God was not with them.  He was not going to change his mind.  They had offended him and angered him by what they had done.  The price they paid was great. Can you imagine what it was like for them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, eating the same food every day and living with the memory of their failure?  I can’t think of a more depressing situation to live with.

The failure of Israel is to be an example to us.  That generation did not receive what God had promised to them.  They failed the tests of faith and were not able to receive what God had for them.  Instead of a life of adventures in faith they were destined to a life of routine and no hope of change.

As we move forward in our adventures in faith, we must be prepared to face the challenges that will be presented to us.  How we respond to the challenges will determine if we will receive the promises God has given to us and whether we will fulfill the calling he has place on our lives.  He has called each one of us to a life of adventure with him. 

We will be tested in our faith to believe him for the provision that we need.  We may go through time of limited resources to test our heart to determine if we will trust God to give us everything we need to carry out the work he has called us to do.

We will be tested in the area of contentment as to where we are, what we are doing and our attitude toward the leadership God has placed over us. 

Finally we will be tested in the way we see our circumstances, the way we see ourselves and the way we see God.  We can see things through God’s perspective and move forward in confidence of the victory he will bring or we can view things through our human perspective and shrink back and never possess what God had planned for our lives.

What areas are you being tested ?  Are you moving forward in the adventures of faith or are you struggling to believe and find yourself complaining, doubting and discontent?