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Can God Get Glory from My Life?

    by Dominique Henderson

Have You Gathered Jesus Today?--Part 2
Date Posted: January 31, 2010

Trust

They also received a lesson in “Trusting God-101” as they were told the following:

The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. Exodus 16:4b,19,20

As in any large group of people you always have those that just do not pay attention or obey. But more than that I think the motives of the heart really reveal what is going on here. The thinking may have been, “how will I know there will be manna tomorrow?”, “what if I don’t collect enough?” All these questions show the lack of faith in what God said he would do. God knew that some would gather enough to be “left over” as if they thought there might not be enough or any the next day provided. I believe it follows that spending time in the presence of God increases the faith of an individual. As the Israelites went through the discipline of waking up every morning to gather their daily provision of manna after time they wouldn’t have a problem believing God would deliver on his promise for the next day. It follows with us today. If we make a discipline of seeking God first every morning and spending time in his presence, then over the course of time this will increase our confidence in his ability to perform exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20). It is only through the lack of time spent with Jesus that we begin to view our situations as too big and daunting for God to handle (as did Peter when he got out of the boat to come to Jesus in Matthew 14:25-32). This lesson in trust with the Israelites is so paramount to me because they acted in doubt by gathering more than was needed or saving some of their provision all while God was providing for them! Moreover, it was a picture of how our own mind can look past what God is currently doing (and has done) for us. This is why Jesus told his disciples in Matthew:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34

We must realize the Enemy’s #1 job is to deceive us into thinking that God has not done anything for us lately and he is incapable of providing for us in the future. But in my experience, I notice this only happens to me when I compare what I have to what others have. The Israelites were guilty of this also:

The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." Exodus 16:3

When we resolve to make it our discipline to “gather Jesus” and trust God in the process we open ourselves up to the endless bounty God has for us in the abundant life Christ died to give us. There are no limits to the influence we can have for the kingdom of God. There are no limits to the favor God will bestow on us to win souls for him. I challenge you today to make it your #1 priority to overcome any obstacle that stands in your way of seeking God’s presence with the first part of your day. He is faithful to provide you with the grace to do so.

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Biography Information:
Dominique Henderson is a believer in the one and only Son of God - Jesus Christ.  After being a believer for many years, he didn't begin to realize the purpose God had for him until the age of 30.  He has a passion for fellow musicians and worship leaders that have allowed Satan to distract them from their God-given gifts.  He now lives day by day following the lead of the Holy Spirit--not perfectly but diligently. He enjoys writing and spending time with his wife, Briana, and their three children.