I Can Meet With God As Friend!

Whenever Moses went out to the tent of meeting, all the people would get up and stand in their tent entrances. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. Exodus 33:8-9.

The children of God would stand outside their tents watching Moses walk into the tent of meeting waiting as the tent closed in around him-of what God would say to him on their behalf! The Israelites had to worship outside away from the tent of meeting while Moses sat in the presents of God, enjoying His glory, and speaking with God as friend. In our own walk with God, we can feel distant as though worshipping Him outside the tent of meeting. In our struggles, we look longingly at those who are doing well and walking close with God as though they are in that "tent of meeting" with Moses while we are worshipping on the outside of that tent! But here is the good news. We don't have to have a special "tent of meeting" to meet with God, or have a special set of words to speak to God with. When we pray to Him where we are at any given moment in time, we are actually in the "tent of meeting!" Church is important to fellowship with God and other believers corporately yet, God is with us and for us when we call out to Him at any given time. When we cry out to the Lord in prayer, we are in the "tent of meeting!"

PRAYER IS NOT ARTFUL MONOLOGUE OF VOICE UPLIFTED FROM THE SOD; IT IS LOVE"S TENDER DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE SOUL AND GOD. John Richard Morland (1880-1947)

The Lord Will Keep Me Safe!

You can be sure of this: The Lord has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will answer when I call Him. …Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let the smile on Your Face shine on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest of grain and wine. I will lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:3, 6-8.

Many times-it’s hard to find and keep joy during difficult times! Our hearts can get heavy and our minds are pre-occupied with what to do next! David, in this Psalm, found praise and peace while being pursued by his enemies and sleeping in a cave. He even said while sleeping in that cave,…”I will lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. David somehow knew in the midst of his danger that God would “show up big” and deliver him even before his deliverance came about. David was weary in this moment, yet God gave him the faith to have more joy than those who had the abundance wine and harvest! This Psalm tells us that in the midst of “the cave,” we can call on our God for help-being honest with our feelings as we call out to Him, and He will answer. What is your heart-ache and struggle today? I know what mine is! So call on the One with me, who never slumbers nor sleeps, that when our eyes close at night, we are rest assured that His Eyes will remain wide open! May God grant us His peace today and always.

TALK TO HIM IN PRAYER OF ALL YOUR WANTS, YOUR TROUBLES, EVEN OF THE WEARINESS YOU FEEL IN SERVING HIM. YOU CANNOT SPEAK TOO FREELY, TOO TRUSTFULLY TO HIM. (Francois Fenelon)

God Will Come Again and Again!

When they came to Marah, they finally found water. But the people couldn't drink it because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah, which means "bitter.") Then the people turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded. Exodus 15:23-24 NLT.

The children of Israel saw the cloud and the pillar of fire linger close by in between their camp and the Egyptians who were chasing them. The cloud protected the Israelites by day and the fire gave them warmth and light at night while their enemies were left with no light at all! The Israelites would later look on with their own eyes and see God part the Red Sea for them while the water would come in on the Egyptians and drown them! But, when the children of God got thirsty in the desert they began to complain saying; "God has brought us out of Egypt only to "kill us" in the desert!" The problem the Israelites had at that time is the same problem we have today! They focused more on their immediate need than on the God Who has been faithful to deliver them time and time again! When we are in an tough and difficult place, we can take heart and be of good courage by calling forward all the ways God delivered us out of all of our troubles in the past. We can jot down the times when God brought us that miracle we've believed Him for! We can remind ourselves that sense God delivered me in the past! He will deliver me again, and again, and again! "Intervene Lord Jesus!" Amen!

IF WE HAVE NOTED THE LORD'S ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS AND THANKED HIM FOR WHAT WE HAVE RECIEVED OF HIM, THEN IT BECOMES EASIER FOR US, AND WE GET MORE COURAGE, TO PRAY FOR MORE. (Ole Hallesby)