My wife emailed me the other day with a thought provoking comment. She read this on someones facebook profile so I thought I would pass this along. It made me think.

God is not responsible to show you the next step you should take…when you refuse to take the step He’s already shown you!!!

Hmmm. A quick Google search doesn’t find the original author of this quote so maybe it was her Facebook friend. Anyway, God does ask us to take steps and make descisions in life. I could see some truth to this statement given the fact that if we are not obedient to what God has asked us to do in the past then why would He show us what’s along the path next. But, God has always made provisions for His people.

I am thinking of the children of Israel after they left Egypt. They came into the desert and to Mt. Sinai where the Lords presence descended upon the mountain. God intended for this to be a place where His people came up into the mountain and visited with Him. He gave Moses instruction in Exodus chapter 19 to tell the people not to come up into the mountain until they heard the trumpet blow. If they came and touched the mountain before it was time they would die.

We know from reading this chapter that they became afraid and even Moses didn’t understand God’s original instructions. He too thought the people would die if they touched the mountain. He forgot the part about the trumpet. When the trumpet sounded then they could all come up into the mountain in an orderly fashion. We know that because of their fear and lack of trust in God they did not experience God’s presence that day. The path they chose ultimately led them into rebellion and way from God.

Sometimes God’s ways can seem a bit freightning at first, but when we put our trust in Him He will lead us in the ways that we should go. If we choose to not follow because we are afraid then our ultimate path will be one like the children of Israel in the wilderness. It is also refreshing to see how merciful God was to them by even providing for their basic needs in the widerness.

God had so much more in store for them in the promise land and He wanted them to walk into it. However, He mercifully provided their basic needs in the wilderness by giving them mana, the pillar of fire, the cloud, and water from the rock. Don’t settle for a wilderness experience with God. He has so much more for you in the promise land.

The promise land for us today is not physical land somewhere on the earth, but it is a spiritual promise land. When Christ was crucified on the cross he made a way for you and I to enter into this beautiful spiritual promise land. It is a beautiful place where you can drink water that quinches your thirst forever. A place where you receive rest for your weary soul. Oh how beautiful is the promise land of God when you find it by way of the cross!

The “If You Are” Trap:

Some fall into the “If you are” trap. What I mean by this is when you are confronted with this question your gut reaction is to defend yourself.

If you are a son or daughter of God then satan will try to make you doubt this. He does this using the “If you are…” trap. If you are really a Christian then prove it. Turn stones to bread or do some other spectacular miracle. He pressures you by using the same teqnique he used on Jesus. In other words prove to satan that you are spiritual.

Many Christians get tricked into trying to prove they are spiritual rather than just standing justified before God by their faith. They fear the big “IF” question and then react.

Simply standing in grace makes you less vulnerable to temptation. The moment you begin to give place to doubt, pride will step in and take over. You will begin to say things like: I know I am a Christian because I do this, or I do that.

What WE do will never make us a Christian. For this is where the law failed. Only one person has ever been able to keep ALL the law and He died on a tree. You will be tempted, you will fail him, and you will fall. These things are sure. But when you fall will you fall at the cross, or will the cross fall on you?

Have faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is the power to set you free.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)

⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I heard an interesting story a while back and wanted to share it with everyone. I made several changes to the story to relate Christ but the lesson remains the same.

A man once lived in a land where it was dark, and dreary, all the time. A thick fog always covered the land because of it’s location. In the land there stood an old dark tower. People said the tower was haunted, and everyone was afraid of it. No one would even approach the tower.

This man was intrigued by the tower, and wanted to visit the tower. One day he got enough courage to face the tower, and went inside.

Inside the tower was beautiful. The steps were gold, and the staircase looked as if it had been built by a master carpenter. The tower was empty, but warm and inviting.

He began climbing up the stairs as they spiraled up for what seemed like an eternity. He continued climbing for many hours. Along the way he wanted to turn around because the journey was just too hard for him. But now, he was driven by sheer will power, and had to reach the top somehow.

He continued climbing until finally he reached the top. Although he was tired, and wanted to rest for a while, he was curious what was behind the only door he found at the top of the tower. He went through the door which led him outside to a balcony.

Once he was outside the sun was shining brightly because he was above the gloomy fog that covered the land. The view he had was beautiful. Like nothing he had ever seen before in his life.

He could see a distant city more beautiful than any he had ever seen. He saw mountains, and valleys like none before.

This story shows us that sometimes confronting our fears face to face can lead us to brighter, and more beautiful places in life.

God is a strong, and mighty, tower. Abiding in Him can lead us to greater heights, and to some beautiful places.