Good morning, Family:

I pray that you are in a place of wanting the very best for your life, in God. I pray that our hearts would be in a position of praise, gratitude, love and obedience towards God. 

This morning, the Holy Spirit put an urgency in my heart regarding our obedience. God wants so much to bless us,  but he has to know that we will be responsible with the blessings he has prepared for us. God requires that we would be obedient with the steps and instructions he is giving us. 

Our scripture passage today is from Numbers 20. Moses has led the people of Israel out of captivity from Egypt and they are in the wilderness heading to the promised land. Aaron is the brother of Moses and is also helping Moses lead the prople, as God leads him. 

The Problem: The Israelites are getting tired, thirsty, and hungry. They complain to Moses and his brother Aaron, that they were better off in captivity, because at least they had the basic necessities, in slavery.

Needless to say, Moses is already frustrated and under stress. Moses goes to God for instructions.

The Solution: Now, read carefully what God tells Moses to do. 

The Curse: What Moses actually does.

This passage shows how we respond to God has a direct correlation to how God responds to us.  Ok, lets read…..

Numbers 20:1-13 

The Message (MSG)

Camp Kadesh

20 In the first month, the entire company of the People of Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Zin. The people stayed in Kadesh.

Miriam died there, and she was buried.

^2-5 There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: “We wish we’d died when the rest of our brothers died before God. Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!”

⁶ Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God.

^7-8 God spoke to Moses: “Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that’s right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink.”

^9-10 Moses took the staff away from God’s presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: “Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”

¹¹ With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank.

¹² God said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t trust me, didn’t treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren’t going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them.”

¹³ These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with God, and he revealed himself as holy.

Numbers 20:26-29

^23-26 God said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor at the border of Edom, “It’s time for Aaron to be gathered into the company of his ancestors. He will not enter the land I am giving to the People of Israel because you both rebelled against my orders at the Waters of Meribah. So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and lead them up Mount Hor. Remove Aaron’s clothes from him and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered there; Aaron will die.”

^27-29 Moses obeyed God’s command. They climbed Mount Hor as the whole congregation watched. Moses took off Aaron’s clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. The whole congregation, getting the news that Aaron had died, went into thirty days of mourning for him.

Family, dont allow your emotions to cause you to miss ALL that God has for you. Obey the Lord, in this season.

I love you with the amazing and everlasting love of Jesus Christ, our Wayshower and Redeemer . Amen.

Rev. Marcia Davis