Exodus 16:4-5,17-19 NLT ~ “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. [5] On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” [17] So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. [18] 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. [19] Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.”
How often do miss how God guides and provides for you? God knows what you need before you need it. God wants you to simply trust Him, and to go to Him with your needs without doubting His love, power, and provision. He promised to take care of you, you just need faith, James 1:5-8. For with faith, all things are possible Mark 9:23.
Have you or do you know anyone that has dealt with short term memory? The Israelites hadn’t been gone away from Egypt a whole month yet and they were already crying and accusing Moses and Aaron of leading them into the wilderness to kill them and to let them die. I guess they had forgotten about how God parted the Red Sea, not long ago for them and to get out of bondage!
Here they are complaining about being hungry with nothing to eat, as if God had not just provided a way out for them; so surely, He was going to feed them; but their lack of faith had given them short memory, of what had just happened last month! Their discontent had changed their perspective, and they were frustrated, they started reminiscing on what they had in Egypt, they had food, shelter and clothing, but they had forgotten at what cost, they were slaves in bondage! They complained about everything, no faith, they were selfish, and they let their flesh win over their minds and hearts. Have you ever felt like this, no matter what God did, it wasn’t enough, no faith, no trust!
They could not believe that God could satisfy their hunger in the wilderness, even after He had just delivered them from the hand of their enemy! Where is your faith that you speak of? God had already made the provision for the journey before they started! Now I’m telling you the exact same thing, God has already prepared the provision, promises and plan for your journey, you just need to keep it moving forward. The need and desire for the bread was already there, it was to help God’s people with an opportunity to understand and Him and to trust Him in all things!
God has prepared the way before you, including the provision that you will require. You just need to remember that is your provider! He is Jehovah Jireh, He always has a ram in the bush for His faithful servants, He just needs to know that you trust Him. Genesis 22:13-19. God will set up a moment for you to learn this lesson on purpose. God will also teach you a lesson when you try to act as your own provider, especially when He has given you precise instructions on what to do and what not to do! He’s already told you what supplies you will need and when you need them. Stop being so reckless and rebellious, it’s not a good look on you!
Listen to what God was saying, I will test you to see whether or not you will follow my instructions! This is very important for you to understand, there is no short cuts to obeying God, be it Old or New Testament, obedience is better than sacrifice every time; 1 Samuel 15:22! Ask God to give you some wisdom and with your wisdom get an understanding; Proverbs 4:7! God will test you, but you will have a testimony when you finish!
Don’t turn and run away from God and what He has prepared for you just because it does not look like what you expected it to be, Joshua 6; for Naaman almost made this mistake and it was going to cost him his very life and health; 2 Kin. 5:8-14! When you disobey God, there can be some dire consequences that you may face, even death, all because you did not follow His instructions. (Stop thinking that you know more than God, because you are all educated and experienced, you don’t know anything, as a matter of fact, God’s ways are higher than yours, you can’t even comprehend what He’s thinking next; Isaiah 55:8-9!
Today, God wants you to focus on your own spiritual and eternal needs so that you will learn to trust Him in all things and for all things, Isiah 48:18! Even when God delays His answers to you, His instructions remain the same, you are to keep praying Psalm 27:14 and trusting; Psalm 37: 3-5 and waiting on Him, Isaiah 40:31. He knows when you are ready for the next and the new! He just wants you to trust Him at every turn that you will make in life this life. Your prayers are an act of faith because when you pray, you are saying, Lord, You know all things that I need Your wisdom, peace, and the ability to keep moving without failing, and this is when God will answer you when you call to Him!
Follow God’s instructions, just like He gives them to you, don’t try to modify or go ahead of Him! For these are lessons that you get to relearn over and over again and the sooner you learn it, the sooner you will get to where God has provided for you! God is your path leader and provider, the more you listen the more He can do in you and for you and the more effectively you can live.
There is so much peace and joy when you are journeying with God, and when you let Him have His way by following His steps, directions and instructions, you can expect, to be led in the right way, and to end up in the right place at the right time. For wherever God guides, He provides also, you can trust this 100%! God will show you the way to go! And as you go, don’t be greedy and/or worried about what you need next or what you are going to eat, or where you are going to sleep, everything is already there in place! No Hoarding allowed! Just take and use what you need! For if you disobey and take more than you need, you will not be blessed and the more will be turned into naught!
Always remember what your next step is, now and always, it is to hear, follow and obey God. So, when you hear what God wants you to do and where He wants you to go, just follow and obey and know that the promise and provision has already been provided in advance, He’s got what you need all along the way. He knows your best work and He has your helpers in place, just like He gave Moses, Aaron, and his father-in-law to help him. God has your village; He has a team of capable warriors who are ready to work and war with you to expand His work here on earth! Because of what God put in place Moses was empowered and he was a better leader! God is doing the same thing for you too! God’s guidance and provision is there, just follow the instructions; Exodus 18!
Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Thank You for providing the way and for keeping me safe as I traveled on this journey! Father, show me the way that I should go, for to you I lift up my soul, Psalm 143:8. Father, I am listening to You and Your still quiet voice, I will hear and obey Your instructions and I’m going to trust You all the way! Father, Thank You for going ahead of me and making every crooked place straight, Thank You for taking care of my feet as I walked on all of these different and difficult paths, to get to my land of milk and honey! Father, I am confident in this one thing, You are who You say You are! For I am sure that where You are leading me, You have already made the provision for what I will need! Father, I know that the good and perfect gifts that come to me have come from! Father I choose to walk close with You as You keep me close to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean
