#chasinggod

Thank you Lord for a great meeting of PCM Church (Philippine Christian Ministry Church) as we started our study of Genesis. May God be glorified. Happy Sunday.

By the time we arrive at this passage, Moses had already experienced God in powerful and unique ways. He knew God and he knew the manifest presence of God like no one else. He had seen God in the burning bush. He had seen God work the 10 plagues in Egypt. He had seen God open the sea, provide water from a rock, manna from heaven, and birds miraculously appear overnight. He had seen the finger of God write on the stone tablets, the earth shake, the mountain burn, and the cloud descend right before his very eyes. He had heard the voice of God speaking to him in the Tent of Meeting. He was no stranger to the presence of God. In fact, verse 9-11 tell us that God spoke with Moses face to face “as a man speaks with his friend.” Yet, despite this, Moses was not satisfied. He wanted more. He didn’t just want the presence of God, or the fingers of God, or the miracles of God. He wanted God. All of God. He wanted God’s glory. The glory of God is His face. There was a hunger in Moses that just kept growing. The more of God he experienced, the more he needed more. It was like an addiction. He just couldn’t get enough. And it wasn’t about seeing God doing miraculous things. It was about being with God. God told Moses, “I’m sending My presence with you.” And Moses responded, “That’s great, but I want you. Show me your glory.” Many times, we ask for more of God because we want to see Him work and perform. We want His anointing, what He can give us. But not often do we just want God. If He doesn’t give us anything, do we still want Him? In fact, if He takes everything away, do we still want Him? What if, like Job, he took away everything we had? What if, like Abraham, He asked us to sacrifice that thing that is most important to us? Would we still want Him no matter what? Would we still want to hear His voice? That’s the point that Moses had reached. He didn’t care anymore if everything was taken from him. He didn’t care about the promised land. He just wanted God. That’s why he said, “If you don’t go with us, we are not going anywhere.” In other words, “I’d rather have you than the promise. I don’t need the promised land as long as I have you, God!” But God said no. God told Moses he couldn’t have more, he couldn’t see his glory. Only dead people see God. And Moses still had too much flesh. He was still too alive. God told him he would have to settle for his backside. He explained that He would pass by and cover the eyes of Moses until after He had passed. Then, God would allow Moses to look upon the residue of His glory, what was left behind after God had passed. This was so powerful that Moses received a “download” of history that enabled him to write the book of Genesis. He had seen the “history” of God, what God left behind as He passed. Moses saw the footprints of God. How often we ask for God’s glory and then settle when he gives us a glimpse of historical power. He lets us see a little of what He left behind at Wales, Azusa, Argentina, Brownsville, Toronto. He allows us to learn about historical events like the Great Awakenings, the Reformation. And we get excited saying, “Yes! Look at the glory of God!” All the while, not realizing that we are only seeing traces of His glory. This was not enough for Moses. He understood God, but after he died, his prayer lived on until Jesus invited three young men up the mountain with him. As Peter, James, and John sleepily followed Jesus, he was suddenly transfigured right before their eyes and the Bible says that Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus (Matthew 17.1-5). It may have taken a few years, but Moses got to see the glory of God in full splendor! God remembered his prayer and answered it. Peter saw a little bit and responded like we do, “Lord, this is so good! Let us stay here with you, build you a house so that you would stay.” But Peter only caught a glimpse before the cloud covered Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. It was as if God was saying, “Peter, you’re not ready to see me in full splendor yet. You’re still living! But Moses can see me now.” The cloud that Moses was so familiar with now enveloped him as he looked upon the face of the living God! Too often we settle for the gifts of God, but we don’t want the Giver! Too often we want the hands of God, what He can give us, and not His face. We are like little children whose father returns home after a trip. As soon as he walks through the door, they jump on him and yell, “Daddy!” excited that he’s finally arrived. But after a few moments of hugs and kisses, they quickly ask, “What did you bring me?” The father, of course, gives them the gifts he brought expecting and hoping that they will appreciate him and spend time with him, but instead they run off to play with their new toys forgetting all about how much they missed him while he was gone. We do the same thing with God. We are so “desperate” for Him, but when He arrives, we suddenly want only the “anointing” and the “gifts” He gives us and run off to focus on those things rather than spending time with Him. We need to hunger for God. Not revival, not anointing… God. Just God. This yearning hunger is one of the biggest keys to real revival. As long as we want revival, we don’t want God, but once we don’t care about anything else and all we desire is God, then revival can come. If the anointing is like the hands of God, then the glory is the face of God. Salvation doesn’t cost a thing, but the glory of God will cost us everything. Like Peter, we often want to experience God’s glory without paying the price. You see, Moses had already died, but Peter had not yet died. Peter was trying to get in on Moses’ sacrifice. We have to pay our own price. We can’t see the glory of God on the coattails of someone else’s sacrifices. Whitefield and Finney paid the price. Parham and Seymour paid the price. We might be able to “inherit” some of their anointings, but we won’t see the glory of God without paying the price ourselves. That price is death. We must die to our flesh, just like Paul said, “I die daily.” We must do the same if we want God. Our culture is obsessed with speed. From microwave dinners to “Fast and the Furious” we want everything quickly. When our “fast food” orders take longer than 5 minutes, we get upset. But we can’t have “fast food” glory. We don’t get “microwave” presence. There are no shortcuts. The path to the glory of God is the path of death to self and there is no alternative route. GPS (God’s Positioning System) will not “recalculate” when we take a turn we weren’t supposed to take. There’s only one way and it is the way of the cross. That’s why Jesus said, “Whoever will follow me must deny himself and take up his own cross and follow me.” Only burnt sacrifices attract the presence of God. That’s why Paul wrote that we must be “living sacrifices.” We constantly pray and ask God to change our cities and our nation, but God says, “That’s why I put you there.” We want God to work in some miraculous way, but He placed us where we are to carry His glory. As we carry His glory, we will change our cities. We want to change our cities with our votes, our policies, our influence, but all we need is His glory. I leave you with this question: Are you willing to give up everything you have for God? Would you seek God if He decided not to bless you or give you anything? Would you still hunger for God if he took everything away from you? Are you willing to pay the price for His glory? I am. Lord, show me your glory!

In Luke 7, Jesus had been invited to a Pharisee’s house. He was the guest of honor. This was a place where a bunch of church folk were “fellowshipping.” But then a woman showed up… One of those. A “sinful” woman. The disciples got nervous and immediately went into protective mode just in case they needed to take her outside. Simon, the host, became judgmental. “If he were really a prophet, he’d know what kind of woman that is. He would not let her touch him.” But this woman did not even open her mouth. She didn’t say a word. All she did was worship. She fell at His feet and began to weep. She was most likely weeping because she knew she was a sinner and did not deserve to be near Jesus. But there is another possibility. Perhaps, she wept because she saw how they were treating Him. She noticed that they were not giving Him the attention He deserved. After all, Jesus was still wearing His sandals. Nobody washed His feet as per the cultural norms of the day. She noticed that His feet were still dirty, and she thought, why hasn’t He been taken care of? Perhaps her heart broke when she realized that Jesus, the Lord, was surrounded by church folk that were not paying attention to Him. You see, in those days, when a special guest arrived at your house, you immediately took off their sandals and washed their feet. In most homes, they had the lowliest servant wash the feet. This is because there were no paved roads like there are today. And back then, there were no cars. People got around on horses, and camels, and mules. Today our vehicles emit fumes we call exhaust. Their “vehicles” released a different type of “exhaust” that was often stepped in and the host did not want that all over the house, along with the aroma of the day’s travel. Often, when a special guest arrived, the host would greet them with a kiss. Yet, none of this took place at Simon’s house. It was as if he wanted Jesus there, but did not want to honor Him as a special guest. We seem to have a similar problem in our churches today. We want God, but we don’t want to deter our programs and agendas. We want Him to visit us, but only between 10 and 10.30 on Sunday morning. The rest of the time is ours. And when He does show up, we get upset because He’s messing up our schedules! Oh, the hypocrisy of Simon judging the woman for her sins, all the while, ignoring the Savior! Is it possible that we are just like Simon? Jesus quickly set the record straight and told Simon, “Leave her alone! Don’t judge her. She’s doing what you were supposed to do!” So many times we get jealous of others that encounter the Lord instead of breaking our own boxes of self-righteous “alabaster.” We have lost the art of adoration. We no longer worship God just for the sake of being with Him. We worship to get something back. Like the child that quickly learns that cuddling Daddy will get them a gift of some sort. We no longer cuddle Daddy just to cuddle. Just out of pure love. We may spend time with Him, but out of duty, responsibility, or discipline. We pray because we have to, not because we want to. We read the Bible as a chore, memorizing trivia, but not in a relationship with the author. We go to church to be blessed and ministered to, but we no longer “bless the Lord” or “minister unto the Lord.” We seek revival, but not the Reviver. It is time for us to be like the sinful woman and break our alabaster boxes at His feet. Our brokenness is a sweet-smelling aroma to God. This woman undid her hair to wash the feet of Jesus. The Bible says that a woman’s hair is her glory. She dismantled her own glory to wash the dirty feet of the Messiah. She took upon herself the job of the lowliest servant to serve the Lord Most High. We need to stop being Simon and start being this woman who did not care what anybody thought of her and poured onto Jesus extravagant worship. We often want God’s presents but we need His presence. We act like the crowds that followed Jesus for His miracles like He was some sort of magician. We chase God for His tricks. Even as disciples we sometimes miss the moment. The disciples of Jesus quickly fell into the trap of stopping the woman. They were trying to do ministry just like we do. We get so caught up in the busyness of ministry that we quickly forget that He doesn’t actually need us. He is the Creator of the universe. He wants us, but He doesn’t need us. We want to be anointed, but we don’t want to anoint Him! We need to break the box and lavish Him with our love. If we really want to see His face, there are no shortcuts. Brokenness is the path to His glory.

What is God’s favorite fragrance? What attracts God? Paul writes that “…God uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” He goes on, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved…” Can that be said about you? I want it to be said about me! I want to smell like Jesus!

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! —Isaiah 26:3 

CHASING GOD Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you: your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. Isaiah 26:8-9 Today I read these words and I’m reminded of the need to seek God first thing in the morning with my very first breaths. I’m not a morning person by nature, but my new home is filled with the dawn’s glow, inviting me to slow mornings in the Light. So many things vie for my attention. My soul longs after many things. Yet there is One alone who sees the true desires of my heart and fills me with peace and settledness. I want to celebrate each new morning – delighting in the gifts of daylight, lingering in the sunset, overflowing with a grateful heart at night to my God who is with me always. Fully alive. Fully present in the moments. To live this one life chasing God with all my heart, soul, mind and spirit. And the best part? The chasing is done in resting and stillness. Slow time. PRAYER: Thank you Lord for a brand new day. Help me slow down and live to honor You, noticing Your Presence with me always, living in Your perfect peace. MOMENT OF STILLNESS: Step outside and whisper this prayer: You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 #chasingGod #slowmornings #thedailystill #devotional #franklintn #Light #daylight #peace #perfectpeace

I am courageous. I am unstoppable. I am victorious. I am loved. I am blessed. I am gifted. I am anointed. I am sucessful. I am healed. I am healthy. I am beautiful. I am whole. I am confident. I am forgiving. I am grateful. I am generous. I am strong. I am fovored. I am able. I am powerful. I am fruitful. I am GODS MASTERPIECE!

Billy Graham