Manna + Maggots = Uh Oh! … Not A Good Thing!

For especially non-profit organizations, Master's Commission included, the prolonged effects of the world's economic crisis is not good news at all! For months now, we've been anxiously monitoring the daily news reports with rapid breathing expecting to hear the much awaited announcement, "The Nightmare is Over!" But as each day passes, the nightmare grows more nightmarish (if that is a word) as we recently learned about the massive fraud scheme that instantly ruined the financial portfolios of untold thousands worldwide. – That was definitely not good news at all!

Although I feel all alone, I know I cannot possibly be the only person wondering, "Is God trying to tell us something?" – The reason why you're reading this is because last night at 1:15am I suddenly discovered that I was wide awake mentally rehearsing the Bible's account of God's miraculous daily provision of manna from heaven. (For the complete story read Exodus chapter 16)

"… that I may TEST them"

Of notable interest at this sleepless moment is verse four (4), which reads, 'Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not." – Did you notice that? Bread from heaven… a test to determine whether the Israelites would obey God or not? … hmmmmm, that's very interesting.

If we follow the storyline in verse 16, we'll discover very specific and exact instructions concerning this manna from heaven; 'These are the Lord's instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent. V17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. V18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. V19 Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it until morning."

Apparently this test was not about God's ability to provide as much as it was in the ability of the people to obey. – There are some very concerning parallels that require little effort to imagine. My not-so photogenic mind is recalling a number of other instructions in the Bible that may have a direct correlation to this idea of our obedience towards God, especially when being tested. Take for an example the following;

• Matthew 6:33 – "Seek first His kingdom and righteous…." (to see context read verses 25-34)
  
• Luke 12:20 – "You Fool!" Concerning the wealthy farmer who had a challenge storing up all of his abundance. Obviously God didn't agree with his priorities and said to him "You Fool! (I didn't) You will die this very night. …" v21 "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." (NLT)
  
• Luke 12:33-34 – Jesus said, "Sell your possessions and give them to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (NLT)
  
• Acts 2:44-45 – "Now all who "believed" were together and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need." (to see context read verses 40-47)
  
• 1 Timothy 6:17-19 – "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us (manna from heaven) all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasures as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life."
  
• Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him (the rich young man), loved him, and said to him, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Go and sell all your possession and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (to see context read verses 17-31)
  
• Matthew 16:24-26 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
  

The "Maggot" connection?

Returning back to the Israelites' test, it continues in Exodus 16:20, But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it (manna) until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them."

THE BOTTOM LINE

Considering what's happening with the current USA economic meltdown, did we (the church) flunk a very important test?

An Economic Tsunami

With the global economic crisis systematically impacting every nation on the planet as though it were a tsunami, as believers we somehow must maintain a sure and confident trust that our God is still in control. And with that confidence comes the requirement to express our trust through our actions. And believe me, as a ministry that relies on the generous and sacrificial giving of others, that is way easier to say than it is to do day in and day out.

Our FAITH is EVIDENCED by our ACTIONS
Speaking of faith, we are reminded in James chapter two; "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. .... You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."

As the economic crisis continues to unravel the world, our faith in God must be evidenced in our actions that prove we know Who it is we believe. - Even with everything going on.... He is still God! And we are thankful for the wonderful friends who express their faith through their generous actions of love, support and encouragement.

Come and Suffer

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. … that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." – Philippians 3:7, 10

The Apostle Paul wrote these thoughts in his letter to the Philippian believers after first reconciling in his own life the value of his personal accomplishments and pedigree (see Philippians 3:3-6). As far as wealth, status, position, education… and anything else the world could offer, he was DOA (Dead On Arrival). And he didn't only arrive at this conclusion simply by spiritual exercise, for in verse seven it states that he "counted" or in another translation, "considered" carefully the value and benefit of all of his options. In this context, both words, "counted" and "considered" are rooted in accounting terminology meaning to reconcile, to think through carefully or to reflect on.

Essentially Paul consciously worked through a process of evaluation and comparison between those things offered by the world and a system of institutional religion (he was formerly a Pharisee), against what he had been given in the opportunity and experience of knowing Christ. And as a result, with completely no doubt whatsoever, he eagerly flung those things into the loss column. For the Apostle Paul, he in effect arrived at a point in his life where nothing else mattered. Having and knowing Christ as his Savior and Lord greatly surpassed anything that he could ever own, experience or know through his former life in organized religion. The box was no longer capable of containing his passionate desire to live and die for a cause and a purpose greater than himself. The comparisons would never, even through eternity, balance out or become equal.

"…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to this death." – Paul already knew Christ as his Savior. But now he wanted to know Him more intimately as his Lord. "To know" means to know by experience.

This craving and desperate longing in Paul's life would never be satisfied through the mere attendance of religious services or the adherence to prescribed social, cultural or pious behaviors and norms… he was way beyond any of those things. He was way past the point of return in his devotion and commitment to serving and knowing Christ. In essence, the Apostle Paul's personal mission statement could very well have read; "I want to do something with my life that will cost me something in the way of personal sacrifice. For I cannot and will not live to merely exist."

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." – Philippians 1:21

Finding the “emotional” override button

(Especially for Pr. Josh, Bruce, Margaret, Janel, Jamie and Yinka)

"We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These disciples prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem." – Acts 21:4

The phrase "through the Spirit" actually means that the disciples knew through the Spirit that Paul would suffer when he returned to Jerusalem; therefore as a result being (emotionally) concerned for his safety they tried to dissuade him from going. – It's a frustrating reality to admit that difficult and challenging experiences in life are always being processed (non-stop) and filtered through our emotional sensors, which directly affects our ability to engage and activate faith and obedience. Lots of fun, huh?

I've seen this way too often even in my own life. It isn't helped by the fact that we live in a religious culture with incredibly low thresholds for difficulty. Strap on its twin, "the prosperity movement", and we get a zero tolerance for any degree of difficulty. As a result, at the first sign of trouble every possible measure to avoid difficulty is engaged, except of course for being still, realizing that God is still.... God.

We all have that normal tendency to refuse to believe God could or even would allow such things to occur in a person's life. No way! Most "believers" have never heard of such a thing before…. certainly not at church. But if that's true, how then can we account for Romans 5:3 where the Apostle Paul tells us that we can glory in our tribulations?

Obviously there is an upside to our emotions that play greatly in our day to day relationships, i.e. marriage, family, birth, death, loved ones, etc. Our emotions being created by God, are essential to our day to day living, but when it's not very much fun, the apparent "OVERRIDE" factor comes from our ability to directly hear the voice of God speaking to our hearts.

The OVERRIDE Button

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." – Philippians 4:7 clearly indicates that our feelings (emotions) are subject (subordinate) to the Spirit of God living within us, but also to the will of God. – Now having said all of that, the entire process for obtaining visas is beyond frustrating. Emotionally it is incredibly draining finding ways to keep young people who believe they trust and are following God from becoming emotionally overwhelmed and end up quitting. It has already happened more than I care to re-visit.

At moments my own emotions encourage me, "Quit! Forget it! It's not going to happen!", but then I see them working hard to hear God's voice, to activate real expressions of faith and obedience and they are convinced that God has spoken to their hearts as they continue to stand strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. – Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is totally not possible to please God, and that God rewards those people who are diligently seeking Him. As for my crew that is still waiting for the visas, my question to God is, "Are they not diligently seeking You?" - I've just pressed my "emotional" override button!