Emotions

Happy Sunday!

One of my daughters had to work today at 1pm, so we went to Pilgrim Rest East Campus service at 9:15am. It's so wonderful to have options. There is really no good reason for us to miss worship services.

Minister Joanne White preached about managing our emotions. She was following the theme that Bishop Alexis A. Thomas has been using.

In 2013 our goal is to be a W.E.L.L. church, Walking Examples of Liberated Lives. We are moving toward being well spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially.

Minister White used Exodus 17:4-6 and Numbers 20: as her reference scriptures. In Exodus 17:4-6, the Children of Israel were in the wilderness. They were thirsty, and they were murmuring and complaining. "Moses cried out in prayer to God, “What can I do with these people? Any minute now they’ll kill me!” God said to Moses, “Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. I’m going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did what he said..." (Message Translation)

Now read what Numbers 20:2-12 says happened on another occasion, "There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: “We wish we’d died when the rest of our brothers died before God. Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!” Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God. God spoke to Moses: “Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that’s right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink.” Moses took the staff away from God’s presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: “Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank. God said to Moses and Aaron,“Because you didn’t trust me, didn’t treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren’t going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them.” (Message Translation)
Did you get that? Moses let his emotions get the best of him. He did not obey God in front of the people and he missed out on entering the Promised Land!

What does that have to do with us? I'm glad you asked. Jesus told his followers, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (King James Version) What we do and how we live is extremely important. We are the only Bibles some people will ever read. Your co-workers, business contacts, in-laws, and neighbors may never enter the doors of a church. And they don't have to! When we live our lives the right way in front of them, the WORD says they will ask us what makes the difference. Paul and Silas were in jail. They had been beaten and mistreated, but they did not react in anger, bitterness, or resentment. While in the jail praising God, an earthquake shook the jail. The jailer assumed they had escaped and he would be killed for letting them escape. "Then he(jailer) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:29-30 (King James Translation)

Minister Joanne White reminded us that everything in the Bible is connected. Even in Genesis, there are scriptures that prophetically mention Jesus. There are hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament that tell of events that happened hundreds of years later in the New Testament. Our lives are designed by God! He has a great purpose and plan for each of us. Moses missed out on entering the promised land. What will we miss out on? What blessings have we forfeited because of our emotions and our responses?

Romans 5:18-19 says, "Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right." (Message Translation)

Each day is a new opportunity to get it right! The past is the past, get past it! Start fresh.

Have a wonderful week! Love and prayers, Cynthia