GOD SELF

Saturday, February 09, 2002

 

Dear Family:

 

I have been reading and studying in Exodus and as is always the case there are things there that I never saw before. It is so phenomenal that a book written so long ago would be so current today. No other book in the world provides this attribute. Read it today and then read it again tomorrow and find a new thought, blessing or promise. Daniel Steel can't begin to write one like that.

 

When Eve was tempted in the garden, the temptation she was faced with is one each of us face daily. Satan said if you eat of the fruit of this tree of knowledge, you will be like a god. He did not point out that the tree would give her the knowledge of good and evil.  He just left that part out. The implication is that Eve assumed he was talking about knowledge; and, knowledge was assumed to be good because evil did not exist at that time except of course in the mind, personality and deeds of Satan.

 

Eve was suddenly faced with a choice to make. The choice was to be like the creator or to remain the created. Her choice, as we all know, was to become like the creator. Not only did she choose incorrectly but she used her influence to encourage her husband to do the same. Adam was now faced with a choice. He could fulfill God's charge to him which was to take dominion over and rule over all that God had created or not. Although it is politically incorrect to say today, it included having dominion over his wife. It meant that Adam could and should have said no to Eve. History would have been much different.

 

Instead, Adam remained silent. There are times to be silent and there are times to speak out. When Adam failed to say "no," he set into motion an attitude of perfection or god-likes. Unfortunately, many of us fall into this trap in our personal lives. We grow old, get wrinkles, suffer frustration, have nervous breakdowns and suffer depression because our god-self cannot control the world and the creatures in it. There are those times when we are to be god-likes but not in every situation. When we choose to determine that we know better than anyone else what is right or best, we had best consider whether it is I or I am generating the thoughts.

 

God told Moses to go to his brethren and speak to them for Him. Moses doubted his ability to do this so God said use your brother to speak for you but you will be like God to him. He did not say Moses was to rule over his brother but rather to be a conduit for God's instructions going to the people through his brother. What is the difference here? When you stop and think about it, there is a big difference. One is subservient and the other is dictatorial. One of the best examples I can think of to draw a visible picture of the difference is in appointment setting. When I say to someone I will meet you at 10:00 a.m. while in my mind I say I will show up at 10:05 so I don't have to wait, I have just decided that my god-self is more important than theirs and my time is more important than theirs. I have just assumed the role of god in this situation. I am seeking to be in control of someone else rather than of myself.

 

We all remember the days when we sought to control our children and for the most part failed, as much as our parents failed to control us. The bible says, "train up a child in the way they should go and they will never depart from it." It did not say control up a child. It takes far greater talent and imagination to train rather than to control. Control is restrictive whereas training is liberating. Our duty is to liberate our child or student so they can learn to reach their maximum potential by themselves, not models of our dictation or our image for them.

 

Moses was to point the children of Israel to God not to be their god. He was to lead the children to the promised land, not drive them. He was their leader not their dictator. There is a big difference.

Exod 4:10-16

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.(KJV)

Notice when God told Moses he was to go to the Children of Israel and speak to them that Moses came up with every excuse why he could not speak. He told God, I'm not eloquent, I'm slow of speech, I'm not this and I'm not that. Have you ever been there? In your heart of hearts you knew you should have said something but for whatever reason you remained silent. If it is a God glorifying word it should be said. On the other hand, if it glorifies you or me it should be squelched. It is for the Christian to point to Christ and glorify God, none other.

Matt 10:19-20 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. (KJV)

Luke 21:14-15 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. (KJV)

Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (KJV)

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (KJV)

We have the promise that God through the Holy Spirit will give us the word to say at that moment. We need not search our heart and mind for those words of eloquence because God will speak for us when our heart is fixed on him. Paul said, "to make known the mystery of the gospel." The mystery of the gospel is so big but comes to us in small bite-size portions.  In this way, we can give it to others. What a mystery that the God and creator  loves me and gives me all the attention  just as if I were the only person in the entire universe. I find that just absolutely incredible. What a wonderful mystery! How could it be that He could love me so much?

 

You have the privilege of getting just a glimpse of that love when you are blessed by being able to conceive a child. To feel it grow in the womb, and to imagine the delivery of that beautiful baby. The thought that a living being could come from you and then grow and develop into an adult is unbelievable. The love you feel for that infant as you care and nurture him or her through those periods of total dependency on you for life, comfort and love. Even though God has millions of children, each one of us is as though we are the only one. That is a mystery. Before the child can speak it can only cry out and we respond to the need just as God responds to us when we cry out with our need.

 

God told Moses he would be God to Aaron, his brother and we are God to our children until the day they know him personally for themselves. Oh God, if I am my children's only glimpse of you today, what do they think you are like?

Ps 25:4-5 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. (KJV)

Love ya,

 

Dad, Dad2, Mr. T and Chuck

 

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