Welcome!
Passage: Deuteronomy 3 (NIV 84)
Today: Painful, yet gainful!
25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.” 26 But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. (Deuteronomy 3, NIV 84) emphasis added
After leading Israelites for forty long years, Moses wanted to take a look at the land God was taking them to; but God rejected his appeal. God told Moses “No”!
Also, God told them exactly who to fight and who not to fight; God gave them victory over those whom God had promised them, while they were told to leave the Moabites and such people alone; Israel did not fight with them!
Many a time, churches/leaders/individuals decide what, when, where, why and how to do things; in the end, there may be fight, fear, frustration and failure!
When we get those people/things which God doesn’t want us to get, it will become a headache later, even though it may look like a “plunder” in the beginning
Some people come to church for the wrong reasons; so discernment is a must!
Some “give big”, but they may also “take big” (advantage), in exchange; they gain!
The end of Moses was a sad one, in earthly terms; that was the result of a 40 year leadership. But later, Jesus testified about Moses; He is “big” in heaven!
5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him[b] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. (Deu 34, NIV 84)
God buried Moses; it is written clearly where he was buried, but that no one could find out that spot! That was a “deal” between God and Moses!
Heaven said “no” to Jesus, as Jesus prayed on the cross, to remove “the cup”; Paul prayed to remove his “thorn in the flesh”, but the answer was “no”!
In life and ministry, it is very important to ask God before me make any step; God will be more than willing to help us. We better follow the rules, to be successful!
May be we wasted many years because we did not seek “His counsel” in many things
But we can start doing it now; better late than never!
Moses yielded to God’s will, in the end; he had to “bury his will”, to accept God’s!
Many things in our life/ministry may not happen the way we want it; but if we will just follow the orders (of God), He will not just “dump” us!
People in many churches as well as nations suffer because of the wrong motives of the leadership; thousands die in many countries because of political games of the leadership; thousands spiritually die in the churches, for similar reasons
If we make “the best on earth” and loose heaven, then what is the use?
Have a blessed day; make the right choices!
BG
Prayer: Almighty God, thank you for loving me so much; most of the time, I did it “my way” and ended up paying big for it; open my eyes Lord, to see what you want me to see, and to make each step- small and big, as per your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen
“Pleasing God” is only for people close to God, because it may take displeasing ourselves and even people around us!