The King Rides A Donkey!

It happened on the Sunday before Good Friday.  Jesus sends His disciples to go unloose a donkey and bring it back.  Jesus knows that this event begins the journey toward Jerusalem, and the cross.  The disciples don't understand what is happening.  The people don't understand.  Many come and cry out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!.  Hosanna in the highest!"  Their cry comes from Ps. 118:25,26.  Hosanna means, "Save us."  Some of them want Jesus to save them from the cruelty of the Roman oppression.  But this King doesn't fit the picture of a conquering King!  He is riding a donkey.  A king would be expected to ride in on a great horse, showing his strength  for the people.  But this King rides on a donkey.  It is a donkey on which no one has ever sat before.  This is a miracle, showing a picture of of meekness.  Here is the King, who has all authority in heaven and earth, riding on a donkey.  Meekness is defined as 'power under control'.  This was a true picture of meekness.  Matt. 21:5 says, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, our King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey."  This is a fulfilment of Zach. 9:9.  He comes lowly, with gentleness, meekness, and humility.  Isa. 42:2,3 says, "He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth."  He invites us to come and learn from Him, for He says, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."   Matt. 11:29,30.  He is the One who made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.  He did not demand to be treated as God.  He did not judge anyone, nor did He lord it over anyone.  He was the humble King.  Yet, the next time He rides into Jerusalem, it will not be on a donkey.  John saw Him on a white horse, with eyes like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns.  He will take His rightful place as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  Because of his humility, He has been given a name which is above every name.  By humility He won the battle for our souls, and purchased our right to become sons and daughters of God.  Through humility we will conquer every temptation, and fulfil the destiny God has for our lives. 

Are you walking in humility today?

Not By Bread Alone

Israel's journey through the wilderness is filled with lessons for us to learn.  Deut. 8:3 says, "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord."  In everything that Israel went through.  God was wanting them to learn this one thing, that they were not to live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  They were to come to realize that they were not to live for those things that would satisfy their flesh, but for the things of the Spirit which came from God.  We are called to live for more than satisfying our flesh.  We are called to live by every word from God.  Our lives are to be shaped by the word from God.  Israel was to remember the word of God, and talk of it in their homes, and when they walked by the way, and when they rose up, and laid down.  They were to teach the word diligently to their children, and write it on their doorposts, and on their gates.  Their world was to be shaped by the word.  But so often, Israel did not learn this, and settled for the satisfying of their flesh.  They had a living example of the word before them everyday through the manna.  The manna was their daily portion of bread from God.  In John 6:31, the people said to Jesus, "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven."  Jesus is the bread of life.  When we receive from Him, we are receiving that bread from heaven.  It is this true bread from heaven that we are to live by.  To live by bread alone is to live only for the physical, fleshly needs of life.  To live by the bread from heaven is to live in a place where the spiritual realm is our sustenance, and our food.  Jesus quoted this verse when tempted by the devil to command the stones to be made bread.  Matt. 4:4, "But He answered and said, 'It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "  Jesus would not stoop to the devil's temptation to live for bread alone.  He would live by the word that proceeded from the mouth of God. 

Are you living by the word that proceeds from the mouth of God?

Three Levels of Spiritual Growth

1 Sam. 30:6 says, "...But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."  While David and his men were away from Ziklag, the Amalekites came into David's camp and burned it with fire, and took all the women and children captive.  David's men were greatly disturbed, so much that they spoke of stoning David.  In great distress, David turned to the Lord, and encouraged himself in the Lord.  David had no one else to turn to.  Everyone was discouraged.  Learning to encourage ourselves in the Lord shows a high level of spiritual maturity.  We don't start out this way in the Christian life.  We start as babes in Christ, and need to desire the pure milk of the word, 1 Pet. 2:2.   We can look at growth in our walk with God on three levels:  babies, children, and adults.  Babies need to be spoon fed.  They don't know how to feed themselves.  As new Christians we need to be fed by others.  We don't know what to read, what to pray, or what to do.  Babies sometimes spit out food they are not accustomed to.  As new Christians, we will hear things that we have never heard before, and we may reject things we don't understand.  But God wants us to grow through the babyhood stage, to become children.  Children can feed themselves, but they don't do the cooking.  The food has to be set out for them, and then they will eat.  As spiritual children, we need direction in our growth.  We need discipleship courses, and plans to follow so we can stay on track in our growth.  Children can be very picky when it comes to eating, and may complain a lot about the food.  As spiritual children, we may not like everything we hear from the word of God.  We may be very picky  in what we like to hear, and read.  We may not be ready for the meat of the word, 1 Cor. 3:2.  But God wants us to grow through the childhood stage, and into adulthood.  A responsible adult can both cook, and eat what he cooked.  He doesn't need someone to feed him everyday.  He can feed himself.  Likewise God wants us to learn to feed ourselves by reading, praying, and encouraging ourselves, even through the tough times.  A growing Christian can read the word, and pray, and hear God speaking to him, and find out for himself the will of God for his life.  This doesn't mean we don't need anyone else in our lives.  It means we have grown spiritually, so we can encourage ourselves, and we can encourage others.

Are you growing spiritually?

Eleven Days

"It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea."  Deut. 1:2.  Horeb, also known as Mt. Sinai, is located in the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula.  Going up from there to the top of the Red Sea is Mt. Seir, and then a little further north is Kadesh Barnea, which is very close to the border of Canaan.  This journey would normally take eleven days.  When Moses was recounting the journey of the children of Israel in Deut. 2:14, he said it had taken thirty eight years to make the journey.  Thirty eight years for an eleven day journey!  What were they doing for thirty eight years?  Deut. 2:3 says, "You have skirted this mountain long enough, turn northward."  They were walking around the mountain!  They were wandering in the wilderness.  God doesn't want us to wander around in our wilderness for 38 years!  He wants to bring us into our promised land, and it doesn't have to take thirty eight years!  If they had believed God, and moved in faith, they could have gone into their promised land.  Twelve spies had been sent out to spy the land and bring back a report.  Only Joshua and Caleb brought back a report of faith, while the other ten brought back a report of unbelief and defeat.  The people sided with the ten, and so they wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and died there just as they said they would.  Our challenge is to believe God's Word, and agree with it, no matter what the circumstances look like.  The giants were big, but our God is bigger!  The walls are high, but our God is higher!  The obstacles may look insurmountable, but we believe that our God is greater!  Believe God's Word, and speak God's Word, in spite of the circumstances.  This is where we must walk by faith, and not by what we see.  The Word is full of examples of people who overcame their challenges by faith.  Heb. 11 is a record of heroes who stood firm on their faith, and reaped their rewards.  Some were rewarded immediately, and others received their rewards later.  Believing God is always the right path to take.  Trust Him with all your heart, leaning not on your own understanding/.  You don't need forty years for an eleven day journey.  Ask God for the wisdom and ability to accomplish His will for your life, and enter into your promised land.

What are you believing God for today?  

Very Discouraged!

Numbers 21:4 "...and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way."  Israel's journey out of Egypt and into the promised land had been filled with trials and hardship.  They had not trusted God and had suffered greatly for their unbelief and hardness of heart.  Now as they are very near the promised land, they requested permission to pass through the land of Edom, which would be a great short cut for them.  They went a message to the Edomites, politely asking permission to pass through.  The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother.  They were cousins, they were family.  The Edomites replied that they would not allow Israel to pass through.  So Moses asks a second time, saying they would stay on the Highway, and if any livestock drank any of the water, they would pay for it.  But still Edom said no, and they came out against Israel with many men.  Israel was forced to go around the land of Edom, which was very discouraging!  They lost perspective on their journey, and began complaining.  They were tired of the manna, and called it worthless bread.  This manna had kept them alive for almost 40 years, yet they were not thankful.  The Lord allowed serpents to come in and bite the people.  Moses was instructed to make a serpent of bronze, set it on a pole, and tell the people that everyone who looked at the bronze serpent would be healed.  Discouragement can come against any of God's people.  It is a weapon meant to defeat us, and cause us to stop our journey with God.  When discouraged, we need to stop and spend time with God to hear His Word and gain new perspective.  God will bring new courage into our lives while we wait on Him.  He will speak through His Word, through prayer, and through other people.  He will renew our strength as we wait on Him.  Ps. 42-43 tells of a time when Israel was very discouraged.  Three times the writer spoke to his own soul saying, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, for the help of His countenance."  Take time to let God speak to you and encourage you.  Pour out your heart to God, and He will comfort you with His lovingkindness, and He will give you a new song.

What do you do in times of discouragement?

Misunderstood!

The first chapter of 1 Sam. tells us of the trials of Hannah's life.  The other wife, Penninah, had sons and daughters, but Hannah could not have children.  1 Sam. 1:6,7  says, "And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.  So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her, therefore she wept and did not eat."  Elkanah tried to comfort Hannah, and said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep?  Why do you not eat?  And why is your heart grieved?  Am I not better to you than ten sons?"  Elkanah misunderstood the needs of Hannah's life.  Her cry was to have a male child.  Elkanah's attempt to comfort her failed, because Hannah needed a miracle from God.  There are some things in our lives that only God can do.  The marriage relationship is a beautiful design from God, but we will find ourselves disappointed if we rely only on our spouses to provide every need in our lives.  Husbands and wives must come to realize that there are some needs that only God can fulfil.  When both the husband and wife have a relationship with God, they will experience the very best that marriage can offer.  Hannah took her needs to the Lord in prayer.  Eli the priest was watching her, and saw her lips move, though he heard no voice.  He misunderstood Hannah, and thought she was drunk..  He said to her, "How long will you be drunk?  Put your wine away from you!"  But Hannah had not been drinking, she had poured out her heart to the Lord.  Both her husband and her priest misunderstood her.  We can be greatly comforted to know that God does not misunderstand us! He know exactly what we are thinking and what we are feeling.  Ps. 139 says, "You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways."  We have a High Priest that can sympathize with us, because He was tempted in every way that we are.  He understands us, and knows what we are going through.  We can come to Him in confidence that He hears, and will give us help and grace in our time of need. 

Your High Priest knows you, and understands you completely!