TODAY ON ANSWERS WITH BAYLESS CONLEY
THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY AS A HABIT OF LIFE, THEY WILL FORM YOUR PERSONAL WORLD THAT YOU
LIVE IN.
YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT IT.
IT IS SO TRUE.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS YOU ARE FACED WITH EVERY DAY.
WE ARE ALL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS THAT WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THESE ANSWERS MIGHT BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
GET READY TO DISCOVER ANSWERS IN THE BIBLE WITH BAYLESS CONLEY.
DO YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD; FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM TO BE MORE
REAL?
WELL THEN, YOU NEED TO PRAY.
I NEED TO PRAY.
BUT YOU KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE PRAY WE BE HONEST.
GOD LOVES HONESTY.
LISTEN: WHEN YOU TALK TO GOD, WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING IF YOU'RE AFRAID, TELL HIM.
IF YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED, TELL HIM.
IF YOU'RE MAD AT HIM, TELL HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT ANYWAY.
LET YOUR REQUEST BE MADE KNOWN, BUT BE YOURSELF AND BE HONEST BEFORE GOD.
GOD LOVES AN HONEST SOUL.
HERE'S BAYLESS CONLEY WITH PART TWO OF HIS CONTINUING MESSAGE FROM LAST WEEK.
ALRIGHT, LOOK AT ME IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS.
GOT A LITTLE GROUND TO COVER, NUMBERS CHAPTER 11.
NUMBERS 11 AND VERSE 4.
IT SAYS,
NOW THE MIXED MULTITUDE (THAT IS THOSE THAT CAME OUT OF EGYPT WITH THE ISRAELITES), THE
MIXED MULTITUDE (NUMBERS 11:4) WHO WERE AMONG THEM YIELDED TO INTENSE CRAVING; SO THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL ALSO WEPT AGAIN AND SAID: "WHO WILL GIVE US MEAT TO EAT?
WE REMEMBER THE FISH WHICH WE ATE FREELY IN EGYPT, THE CUCUMBERS, THE MELONS, THE LEEKS,
THE ONIONS, AND THE GARLIC; BUT NOW OUR WHOLE BEING IS DRIED UP; THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL
EXCEPT THIS MANNA BEFORE OUR EYES!"
ALL WE HAVE TO EAT IS ANGEL'S FOOD.
FRIEND, WHEN MANNA NO LONGER SATISFIES YOU, YOU'VE GOT A REAL PROBLEM.
AND IT SAID THAT THEY YIELDED TO INTENSE CRAVING THAT LITERALLY MEANS UNCONTROLLED RAVENOUS
LUST.
SO HERE'S THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING AGAIN, "OH, BACK IN EGYPT WE HAD GARLIC AND ONIONS, NOW
WE HAVE TO EAT ANGEL'S FOOD.
DOES MOSES GO INTO INTERCESSION FOR THEM ONCE AGAIN, DOES HE SAY, "GOD, BLOT ME OUT OF YOUR
BOOK"?
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.
GOD GETS MAD, AND MOSES GETS MAD.
MOSES SAID, "LOOK, DID I BRING THIS PEOPLE TO BIRTH?"
I CAN'T CARRY THEM ANYMORE.
GOD, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TREAT ME THIS WAY, JUST KILL ME."
THAT'S WHAT MOSES PRAYED.
AND I ACTUALLY LOVED THE PRAYER BECAUSE IT'S HONEST.
MOSES IS OVERWHELMED.
HE SAID, "I CAN'T CARRY THEM.
WHAT IS THIS?
SOME NURSING CHILD, I'M SUPPOSED TO CARRY AROUND?
GOD, I'M DONE WITH THEM AND IF IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE ON.
JUST TAKE ME HOME.
I'M THROUGH; I'M THROUGH, I'M THROUGH."
YOU KNOW KING DAVID SAID IN PSALM 142.
HE SAID, "I POURED OUT MY COMPLAINT BEFORE THE LORD."
AND THEN GOD GAVE HIM AN ANSWER.
GOD LOVES AN HONEST HEART.
WHEN YOUR HEART IS OVERWHELMED, TALK TO GOD ABOUT IT.
AND SO GOD, ACTUALLY TELLS MOSES TO GATHER THE 70 ELDERS AND GIVES THEM AN ANSWER AND
PUTS SOME OF HIS SPIRIT UPON THEM AND THEN GOD SENDS A WIND TO BRING QUAIL INTO THE CAMP
OF THE ISRAELITES.
SO MANY QUAIL THAT IT TAKES TWO DAYS AND ONE NIGHT OF CONSTANT WORK WITHOUT CESSATION TO
GATHER ALL OF THE QUAIL THAT GOD HAD BROUGHT TO THEM.
BUT THE BIBLE SAYS, AND YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO READ THIS IN TANDEM WITH PSALM 78 BECAUSE
THE STORY IS TOLD THERE AS WELL.
EVEN THOUGH GOD MIRACULOUSLY SUPPLIES, THEIR LUST IS NOT ABATED.
AND JUDGMENT CAME, AND THE GUILTY PARTIES DIE, AND THEY'RE BURIED.
AND MOSES NAMES THE PLACE THE GRAVES OF LUST.
NOT JUST BECAUSE THE INSTIGATORS WERE BURIED THERE, BUT HE WAS HOPING TO BURY THIS PROBLEM
OF LUST AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE ONCE AND FOR ALL.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.
FOR THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO CROP UP AS THEY TRAVELED ON AND LET'S LOOK.
HERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM CAME RIGHT AWAY IN NUMBERS 12.
HOW MANY APPRECIATE MOSES A LITTLE MORE TONIGHT?
OH, MAN, AND WE'RE NOT DONE.
12 AND VERSE 1:
THEN MIRIAM AND AARON SPOKE AGAINST MOSES BECAUSE OF THE ETHIOPIAN WOMAN WHOM HE HAD
MARRIED; FOR HE HAD MARRIED AN ETHIOPIAN WOMAN.
SO THEY SAID, "HAS THE LORD INDEED SPOKEN ONLY THROUGH MOSES?
HAS HE NOT SPOKEN THROUGH US ALSO?"
AND THE LORD HEARD IT.
EVERYBODY SAY UH-OH.
NOW, WHETHER THIS WAS RACIALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE HE MARRIED AN ETHIOPIAN WOMAN OR CULTURALLY
MOTIVATED OR JUST PLAIN JEALOUSY BECAUSE THEY SAID, "HEY, MOSES ISN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT
GOD USES, GOD SPEAKS THROUGH US AS WELL."
THE LORD CALLS ALL THREE OF THEM OUT, SAYS, "WHY WEREN'T YOU AFRAID TO TALK TO MY SERVANT,
MOSES?
I LIKE TO SPEAK TO HIM FACE TO FACE LIKE NO ONE ELSE."
THE BIBLE SAYS, GOD'S PRESENCE LIFTED, AND THEY LOOKED AT MIRIAM WHO APPARENTLY SHE WAS
THE ELDEST OF THE THREE.
APPARENTLY SHE WAS THE ONE THAT HAD ORCHESTRATED THE THING BETWEEN HER AND HER BROTHER.
MIRIAM BECAME LEPROUS.
FRIEND, LISTEN.
YOU DON'T WANT GOD'S PRESENCE TO LIFT FROM YOU.
YOU'RE IN THE DANGER ZONE WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
YOU DON'T WANT GOD'S PROTECTING HAND TO LIFT FROM YOU. AND SO THERE'S MIRIAM.
SHE'S A LEPER WHITE AS SNOW AND MOSES PRAYS THE PRAYER OF HEALING.
ARE YOU READY?
VERSE 13.
IT SAYS,
SO MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD, SAYING, "PLEASE HEAL HER, O GOD, I PRAY!"
SEVEN WORDS, "PLEASE HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY."
THIS IS WHAT MOSES DIDN'T DO, "LORD, YOU KNOW MIRIAM REALLY HAS A GOOD HEART.
LORD, WHEN I WAS A BABY IN THE BULRUSHES, SHE WAS THE ONE THAT WENT AND SPOKE TO PHARAOH'S
DAUGHTER.
LORD, SHE'S BEEN A GOOD SISTER.
YOU KNOW THAT SHE MEANS WELL.
WHEN WE CROSS THE RED SEA, LORD, SHE LED THE WOMEN IN SINGING THE SONGS AND PLAYING THE
TAMBOURINES.
LORD, YOU KNOW SHE REALLY DOES HAVE A GIFT ON HER LIFE.
I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING HERE.
LORD, SHE AND MY BROTHER, AARON, THEY'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN ALONG WELL.
NO, PLEASE HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY."
SHORT, HOT, PRAYER.
I PRAY WITH SOMEONE, AND I KNOW EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, BUT IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE, "OH,
GOD, MIRIAM WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
AND I REMEMBER WE USED TO SWING ON THE SWING SETS TOGETHER.
AND GOD, I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN THIRD GRADE, LORD, SHE PRAYED THIS PRAYER.
YOU LOSE ME AT ABOUT 45 SECONDS, AND I TRY AND HANG IN THERE.
HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY," PERIOD, AND THE LORD HEALED HER.
NOW, SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN CHEATED IF THEY GET A, "HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY"
PRAYER.
I HAD A FRIEND IN NEED OF HEALING.
HE ACTUALLY TRAVELED A VERY LONG DISTANCE TO BE IN THE MEETING OF A HEALING EVANGELIST.
A GUY THAT REALLY HAS THE GIFTS OF HEALING OPERATING IN HIS LIFE.
AND I THINK IN THE PRAYER LINE OR WHATEVER STAGE IT WAS IN THE MEETING, THIS IS ALL HE
GOT WAS A DECLARATION.
HANDS WERE LAID ON HIM.
"BE HEALED IN JESUS NAME."
I THINK IT'S FIVE WORDS, "BE HEALED IN JESUS NAME."
YEAH, FIVE.
I TALKED TO HIM LATER.
HE WAS SO MAD.
HE SAID, "BAYLESS, I DROVE TWO HOURS TO GET TO THIS MEETING, AND I GET A FIVE-WORD DECLARATION."
HE MOVES ON TO THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE.
HE WAS STILL OFFENDED WHEN HE WAS TALKING TO ME.
NOW, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU; HE WENT AWAY WITHOUT HIS NEEDS BEING MET.
CAN YOU SAY THIS WITH ME?
HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY.
CAN WE DO THAT?
HEAL HER, O, GOD, I PRAY.
PRETTY SIMPLE, HUH?
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ELABORATE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL GOD A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF HE ALREADY KNOWS.
NOW, BE YOURSELF.
SOME PEOPLE THAT'S JUST YOU.
BUT SOME PEOPLE, THEY THINK THEY'LL BE HEARD FOR THEIR MUCH SPEAKING, AND THAT DOES NOT
IMPRESS GOD.
ALL RIGHT.
A COUPLE MORE THINGS.
WE'LL LOOK BACK THERE AT NUMBERS 14.
I TOLD YOU WE'RE GOING TO COVER A LOT OF GROUND, BUT I'M GOING TO GO TO WHEN I'M DONE.
SO, NUMBERS 14.
THEY SEND THE 12 SPIES INTO THE PROMISED LAND.
THEY GO IN AND SAY EVERYTHING GOD SAID.
IT'S FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.
THEY BRING BACK SOME OF THE FRUIT OF THE LAND, BUT 10 OF THE SPIES SAID, "LOOK, WE CAN'T
DO IT.
WE KNOW GOD SAYS WE CAN, GOD SAYS EVERY PLACE THE SOLE OF YOUR FEET TREADS I'VE GIVEN IT
TO YOU BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT GOD SAYS, WE CAN'T DO IT.
THERE'S GIANTS IN THERE; THERE'S WALLED CITIES.
WE CAN'T!
GOD IS WRONG."
EXCEPT FOR TWO OF THE SPIES, JOSHUA AND CALEB, SAID, "GUYS, SHUT UP.
WE CAN.
THEY'RE BREAD FOR US.
THEIR DEFENSE HAS DEPARTED FROM THEM, AND THE LORD IS WITH US.
DON'T BE AFRAID."
BUT ALL OF ISRAEL SIDES WITH THE TEN SPIES AND THE WHOLE NATION GOES AT IT AGAIN.
"WOULD THAT, GOD, WE DIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT.
WOULD THAT, GOD, WE DIED IN THE WILDERNESS.
YOU BROUGHT US OUT HERE TO KILL US."
AND SO THEY VOTE TO GET RID OF MOSES, CHOOSE A NEW LEADER AND MARCH BACK TO EGYPT AND OFFER
THEMSELVES FOR SLAVERY TO THE EGYPTIAN'S ONCE AGAIN.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE COULD PULL OUT OF THE STORY, BUT THERE'S ONE THAT I WANT
YOU TO SEE, AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT ME IN VERSE 20 IF YOU WOULD OF CHAPTER 14.
MOSES IS TALKING WITH THE LORD.
AGAIN HE ACTS AS INTERCESSOR, STANDS IN BETWEEN.
VERSE 20,
THEN THE LORD SAID: "I HAVE PARDONED, ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD;
ALL RIGHT, MOSES.
I FORGIVE THEM, BUT … EVERYONE SAY 'BUT'…
BUT TRULY, AS I LIVE, ALL THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE GLORY OF THE LORD— BECAUSE
ALL THESE MEN WHO HAVE SEEN MY GLORY AND THE SIGNS WHICH I DID IN EGYPT AND IN THE WILDERNESS,
AND HAVE PUT ME TO THE TEST NOW THESE TEN TIMES, AND HAVE NOT HEEDED MY VOICE,
EVERYBODY SAY 'TEN TIMES.'
THEY DID THIS OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER.
VERSE 23,
23 THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT SEE THE LAND OF WHICH I SWORE TO THEIR FATHERS, NOR SHALL
ANY OF THOSE WHO REJECTED ME SEE IT.
VERSE 28,
SAY TO THEM, 'AS I LIVE,' SAYS THE LORD, 'JUST AS YOU HAVE SPOKEN IN MY HEARING,
SO I WILL DO TO YOU: THE CARCASSES OF YOU WHO HAVE COMPLAINED AGAINST ME SHALL FALL
IN THIS WILDERNESS, ALL OF YOU WHO WERE NUMBERED, ACCORDING TO YOUR ENTIRE NUMBER, FROM TWENTY
YEARS OLD AND ABOVE.
THE ONES THAT WERE TWENTY AND LESS, GOD DIDN'T HOLD ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT THE OTHER ONES, THEY GOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID.
NOW, I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO ME LOOK UP HERE.
THIS IS WORTH YOUR WHOLE PRICE OF THE TICKET GETTING IN HERE TONIGHT.
MOSES INTERCEDED ON THEIR BEHALF, AND GOD SAID, "OKAY.
I FORGIVE THEM, BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO GET JUST WHAT THEY SAID.
THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN SAYING AS A HABIT OF LIFE, THAT IS WHAT THEY'LL PARTAKE OF."
THEY SAID AGAIN, "WOULD THAT, GOD, WE DIED IN THE WILDERNESS.
WOULD THAT, GOD, WE DIED IN EGYPT."
YOU BROUGHT US OUT HERE TO KILL US.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE.
WOULD THAT, GOD, WE'RE ALL DEAD.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE OF THIRST.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE OF HUNGER.
YOU JUST BROUGHT US OUT HERE TO KILL US, DIDN'T YOU?
WE'RE GOING TO DIE.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE."
THEY SAID IT AS A HABIT OF LIFE AND LISTEN.
NO AMOUNT OF INTERCESSION WOULD CHANGE THEM EATING THE FRUIT OF THEIR OWN WORDS, THE THING
THAT THEY SPEAK IT AS A HABIT OF LIFE.
FRIEND, SOMEONE CAN STAND IN THE GAP, MOSES HIMSELF, AND PRAY FOR YOU AND YOU CAN BE CLEANSED
BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, CLEANSED AND READY FOR HEAVEN.
BUT YOU WILL STILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY AS A HABIT OF LIFE, THEY WILL FORM YOUR PERSONAL WORLD THAT YOU
LIVE IN.
YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT IT.
IT IS SO TRUE.
MOSES PRAYED, GOD FORGAVE, BUT GOD SAID THEY'RE STILL GOING TO GET WHAT THEY'VE SAID NOT ONCE,
NOT TWICE, NOT THREE TIMES, NOT FOUR TIMES, NOT FIVE TIMES.
THEY'VE REFUSED TO HEAR, MY VOICE.
THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN TO MY WORD OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER.
THEY HAVE SPOKEN CONTRARY TO MY WORD, SO THEY'RE GOING TO GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE SPOKEN.
NOW, THE ONLY TWO THAT GOT INTO THE PROMISED LAND WERE JOSHUA AND CALEB.
ISRAEL WANDERS IN THE WILDERNESS DOING LAPS AROUND MT.
SINAI FOR 40 YEARS UNTIL ALL OF THOSE 20 YEARS AND OLDER DIE.
THEN JOSHUA AND CALEB LEAD THE NEXT GENERATION IN THE PROMISED LAND.
THEY'RE THE ONLY TWO WHOSE HEART AND LIPS AGREED WITH GOD'S WORD.
THEY SAW THE SAME GIANTS, THEY SAW THE SAME WALLED CITIES, THEY SAW EVERYTHING THE OTHER
10 SPIES SAW BUT THEY SAID, "WHAT GOD SAYS IS RIGHT EVEN IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO
US, EVEN IF OUR VISION TELLS US SOMETHING ELSE, EVEN IF THE MAJORITY REPORT IS DIFFERENT,
WE ARE GOING TO SAY WHAT GOD SAYS."
AND THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT EXPERIENCE IN THEIR LIFE THE PROMISE OF GOD.
SO INTERCESSION AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS, NO AMOUNT OF IT IS GOING TO CHANGE YOU PARTAKING
OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SPEAK AS A HABIT OF LIFE.
YOU WILL GET WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR MOUTH.
YOU SAY IT OVER AND OVER.
YOU WILL EAT THE FRUIT OF IT.
ALRIGHT, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE NEXT ONE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO END WITH ONE.
YOU CAN READ THIS LATER IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 21 THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAPTER.
IT'S AN AMAZING STORY.
THE ISRAELITES ARE AT IT AGAIN.
NOW, THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE LAND OF EDOM BECAUSE THE EDOMITES SAID, "YOU CAN'T
COME THROUGH OUR PROPERTY."
SO THEIR ARRIVAL TIME TO THE PROMISED LAND HAS BEEN DELAYED, AND THEY BEGIN TO GRUMBLE
AND COMPLAIN.
SAYS, "YOU BROUGHT US OUT HERE TO KILL US.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR US TO DIE IN EGYPT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR US…"
I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN.
SAME THING.
THEY HAVEN'T LEARNED YET.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE WOULD HAVE JUST DIED OUT HERE AND THEN SUDDENLY SERPENTS
CAME IN TO BEGIN TO BITE THE PEOPLE.
MANY OF THE ISRAELITES DIED.
AND THEY CAME TO MOSES AND SAID, "MOSES, WE'VE SINNED.
WE DID IT AGAIN.
WE SINNED AGAINST GOD; WE SINNED AGAINST YOU, WE'VE SPOKEN AGAINST GOD, AGAINST YOU.
PLEASE ASK THE LORD TO GET RID OF THE SERPENTS."
SO MOSES GOES, INTERCESSOR.
GOD SAYS, "OKAY, MOSES THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.
MAKE A SERPENT OF BRONZE, PUT IT ON A POLE.
IT'LL COME TO PASS TO EVERYONE THAT SEES IT," IN THE HEBREW, SAYS, 'EVERYONE THAT LOOKS
AT IT WITH A STEADY AND ABSORBING GAZE, THEY'LL LIVE.'"
AND HE DID, MAKES THIS BRONZE SERPENT, PUTS IT ON THE POLE.
EVERYONE THAT LOOKS AT IT, THEY'RE HEALED, AND THEY LIVE.
THEY DIDN'T DIE OF THEIR SNAKEBITES.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S A TYPE OF CHRIST BECAUSE JESUS SAID IN JOHN, I BELIEVE IT'S CHAPTER
3 VERSE 14.
AND AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE
LIFTED UP,
IT WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST.
NOW YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
HOW CAN A SERPENT, ON A POLE BE A TYPE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS?
HOW CAN A SERPENT BE A TYPE OF CHRIST?
A SERPENT REPRESENTS THE ENEMY.
A SERPENT REPRESENTS THE WORK OF THE ENEMY.
IN FACT, DO YOU REMEMBER IN PHARAOH'S COURT?
MOSES THREW HIS ROD DOWN?
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS ROD?
IT TURNED INTO A SERPENT, DIDN'T IT?
PHARAOH'S MAGICIANS, THEY THREW THEIR RODS DOWN.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR RODS?
THEY TURNED INTO SERPENTS.
BUT WHAT DID MOSES' ROD THAT HAD TURNED INTO A SERPENT DO TO ALL THEIR RODS TURNED INTO
A SERPENT?
IT ATE UP ALL THEIR SERPENTS.
WELL YOU KNOW THERE'S A PROPHECY IN ISAIAH 11:1 SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS AS A ROD WILL COME
OUT OF JESSIE.
MY FRIEND, ON CALVARY'S TREE, JESUS SO IDENTIFIED WITH THE CURSE.
HE SWALLOWED UP EVERYTHING THAT THE DEVIL HAD THROWN AT THE HUMAN RACE.
HE SWALLOWED UP SICKNESS.
HE SWALLOWED UP GRIEF; HE SWALLOWED UP BROKEN-HEARTEDNESS.
HE SWALLOWED UP SIN.
HE SWALLOWED UP EVERYTHING THAT HAS GONE WRONG WITH HUMANITY, TOOK IT ALL INTO HIMSELF AND
DIED.
HE WHO KNEW NO SIN WAS MADE TO SIN FOR US.
CURSED IS ANYONE THAT HANGS ON A TREE SO THAT WE MIGHT GO FREE.
AND ANYONE THAT BEHOLDS GOD'S SACRIFICE ON CALVARY'S TREE, NOT JUST SOME QUICK GLANCE
BUT WITH A STEADY AN ABSORBING GAZE AND REALIZES WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR THEM, THEY CAN LIVE,
THEY CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
ONE FINAL PRAYER.
YOU READY FOR IT?
THIS PRAYER, GOD DID NOT ANSWER.
THIS IS THE ONE PRAYER OF MOSES THAT GOD REFUSED TO ANSWER.
NOW, WE'VE SEEN THE TYPE OF CALVARY WHEN THE TREE WAS THROWN INTO THE BITTER WATERS, AND
THEY'RE TURNED SWEET, THE SERPENT ON THE POLE, THE TYPE OF CALVARY OF CHRIST BECOMING A CURSE
FOR US BUT THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER TYPE OF CHRIST THAT WE READ ABOUT IN MOSES' LIFE IS
WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE THIRSTY AND GOD SAID, "BRING THE ELDERS.
TAKE YOUR ROD, HIT THE ROCK AND WATERS WOULD COME OUT."
THE NEW TESTAMENT TELLS US IN PARTICULAR IN FIRST CORINTHIANS 10 AND 4 THAT THAT ROCK
WAS CHRIST.
IT'S A TYPE OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE COME TO NUMBERS 20, AND AGAIN, THE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING, AND THEY'RE ACCUSING, "WOULD
THAT, GOD, WE DIED.
THERE'S NOTHING TO DRINK OUT HERE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT OUT HERE.
WHY DID YOU BRING US OUT HERE MOSES?"
I MEAN THIS WAS NONSTOP DURING THE ENTIRE WILDERNESS JOURNEY.
MOSES FALLS ON HIS FACE TO PRAY, AND IT'S WORTH US TO READ THESE VERSES, CHAPTER 20
IN VERSE 7,
THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING, "TAKE THE ROD; YOU AND YOUR BROTHER AARON GATHER
THE CONGREGATION TOGETHER.
SPEAK TO THE ROCK BEFORE THEIR EYES,
EVERYONE SAY: SPEAK TO THE ROCK.
AND IT WILL YIELD ITS WATER; THUS YOU SHALL BRING WATER FOR THEM OUT OF THE ROCK, AND
GIVE DRINK TO THE CONGREGATION AND THEIR ANIMALS."
9 SO MOSES TOOK THE ROD FROM BEFORE THE LORD AS HE COMMANDED HIM.
AND MOSES AND AARON GATHERED THE ASSEMBLY TOGETHER BEFORE THE ROCK; AND HE SAID TO THEM,
"HEAR NOW, YOU REBELS!
MUST WE BRING WATER FOR YOU OUT OF THIS ROCK?"
THEN MOSES LIFTED HIS HAND AND STRUCK THE ROCK TWICE WITH HIS ROD; AND WATER CAME OUT
ABUNDANTLY, AND THE CONGREGATION AND THEIR ANIMALS DRANK.
THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES AND AARON, "BECAUSE YOU DID NOT BELIEVE ME, TO HALLOW ME IN THE
EYES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEREFORE YOU SHALL NOT BRING THIS ASSEMBLY INTO THE
LAND WHICH I HAVE GIVEN THEM."
IT SEEMS PRETTY HARSH, HUH?
"MOSES, YOU'RE NOT GETTING INTO THE PROMISED LAND.
ONE LAST PLACE, THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 3, MOSES IS RELATING TO THE PEOPLE, WHAT WENT
ON. AND HE TELLS THEM ABOUT A PRAYER HE PRAYED TO THE LORD AT THIS TIME, DEUTERONOMY 3, VERSE
23,
"THEN I PLEADED WITH THE LORD AT THAT TIME, SAYING: 'O LORD GOD, YOU HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW
YOUR SERVANT YOUR GREATNESS AND YOUR MIGHTY HAND, FOR WHAT GOD IS THERE IN HEAVEN OR ON
EARTH WHO CAN DO ANYTHING LIKE YOUR WORKS AND YOUR MIGHTY DEEDS?
I PRAY, LET ME CROSS OVER AND SEE THE GOOD LAND BEYOND THE JORDAN, THOSE PLEASANT MOUNTAINS,
AND LEBANON.'
"BUT THE LORD WAS ANGRY WITH ME ON YOUR ACCOUNT, AND WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME.
SO THE LORD SAID TO ME: 'ENOUGH OF THAT!
SPEAK NO MORE TO ME OF THIS MATTER.
GO UP TO THE TOP OF PISGAH, AND LIFT YOUR EYES TOWARD THE WEST, THE NORTH, THE SOUTH,
AND THE EAST; BEHOLD IT WITH YOUR EYES, FOR YOU SHALL NOT CROSS OVER THIS JORDAN.
WHY?
WHY SO HARSH.
THIS IS MOSES THAT STOOD IN THE GAP AND SAID, "GOD, BLOT ME OUT OF YOUR BOOK.
FORGIVE THEM AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN."
HE STOOD FOR THE PEOPLE.
HE SAID, "GOD, HAVE MERCY ON THEM, PLEASE.
THE REASON GOD WAS SO HARSH IS BECAUSE THIS WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST.
MOSES IN HIS ANGER RUINED THE TYPE AND SHADOW.
PREVIOUSLY, HE HAD HIT THE ROCK ONCE AND OUT CAME THE LIVING WATERS.
AND NOW, GOD SAYS, YOU JUST NEED TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK, AND THE WATERS WILL COME OUT.
BUT MOSES IN HIS ANGER TOOK HIS ROD, AND HE HIT THE ROCK SEVERAL MORE TIMES.
FRIEND, JESUS ONLY NEEDED TO BE SMITTEN ONCE UPON CALVARY'S TREE.
AND THEN FROM THAT POINT ON ANYONE THAT SPEAKS TO HIM AND CONFESSES HIM AS LORD, OUTFLOW
RIVERS OF LIVING WATER AND CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIVES.
HE DIDN'T NEED TO BE SMITTEN AGAIN AND AGAIN.
IT WAS ONE SACRIFICE FOR ALL TIME, PAID FOR ALL THE SINS OF ALL OF MANKIND IN EVERY GENERATION,
THERE IS NO MORE SACRIFICE.
JESUS IS IT.
HE DIED ONCE FOR ALL. AND IT WAS SO SERIOUS.
GOD IS LOOKING AT THE MULTIPLIED BILLIONS OF PEOPLE HANGING IN THE BALANCE AND REALIZING
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS TYPE AND SHADOW.
MOSES, THERE'S ETERNAL SOULS HANGING IN THE BALANCE, PEOPLE THAT WILL SPEND AN ETERNITY
WITH ME OR SEPARATED FROM ME AND YOU RUINED THAT WHICH POINTS TO MY SON, THE ONE AND ONLY
WAY OF SALVATION.
SO, NO MOSES, YOU WON'T GET IN.
YOU UNDERSTAND IT WHEN YOU THINK OF THE GRAVITY FROM GOD'S POINT OF VIEW.
JUST NOW IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, CLOSE YOUR EYES, BOW YOUR HEADS JUST FOR A MOMENT.
HAVE YOU MADE JESUS CHRIST THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE?
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED GOD'S ONE AND ONLY SACRIFICE?
THE ONE WHO WHEN HIS WORK ON CALVARY IS APPLIED TO OUR LIVES, IT TURNS THE BITTER WATERS OF
LIFE, SWEET.
THE ONE WHO BECAME A CURSE THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE BLESSING OF GOD IN OUR LIFE.
THE ONE WHO KNEW NO SIN BUT WAS MADE TO BE SIN FOR US THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE RIGHT WITH
GOD.
THE ONE THAT WAS SMITTEN.
THE RIGHTEOUS, AND THE HOLY, AND THE INNOCENT ONE THAT WAS JUDGED FOR OUR SIN BECAUSE OF
HIS SACRIFICE, NOW FREELY RIVERS OF LIVING WATER POUR OUT TO ANYONE THAT WILL DRINK.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE, WHERE YOU'VE BEEN, HOW FAR YOU STRAYED, MY FRIEND
GOD LOVES YOU, AND IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO COME HOME.
I WANT YOU TO RIGHT NOW, EVERY HEAD BOWED, EVERY EYE CLOSED.
I'M GOING TO LEAD YOU IN A SIMPLE PRAYER.
IF YOU'LL GET SERIOUS WITH GOD AND SAY THESE WORDS TO HIM, GOD WILL MEET YOU, MY FRIEND.
JUST TAKE A MOMENT.
PRAY WITH ME.
SAY IT OUT LOUD:
GOD, I COME TO YOU.
I BELIEVE YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ME.
HE TOOK AWAY MY SIN. AND HE OFFERS ME HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
JESUS, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.
BUT YOU DID, AND I AM SO THANKFUL.
I ACCEPT YOUR GRACE, YOUR GOODNESS, AND YOUR MERCY.
WASH ME CLEAN.
GIVE ME A NEW LIFE, I PRAY.
I PUT MY TRUST IN YOU JESUS.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
AND FROM THIS MOMENT ONWARD MY LIFE IS YOURS.
IT'S IN YOUR NAME I PRAY.
AMEN.
AWESOME.
STAY TUNED AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM TODAY FOR A SPECIAL INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT FROM BAYLESS.
I HOPE THAT YOU FOUND SOMETHING IN THE MESSAGE TODAY THAT HELPED YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO
ENCOURAGE YOU, DO SOMETHING WITH WHAT YOU HEARD.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WORD OF GOD THAT WE TRULY KNOW IS THE WORD THAT WE PUT INTO PRACTICE.
SO, MAYBE EVEN SET YOUR ALARM TEN MINUTES EARLIER AND SPEND FIVE MINUTES WHEN YOU GET
UP IN THE MORNING; GIVE GOD THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF YOUR DAY, IF THAT'S A STARTING
POINT.
BUT DO SOMETHING.
TAKE SOME TIME; TALK TO GOD DAILY.
AND NOW HERE'S BAYLESS WITH AN INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT YOU CAN APPLY TODAY.
YOU KNOW, MOSES PRAYED ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND PRAYERS IN ALL THE BIBLE WHEN HE SAID, "GOD,
SHOW ME YOUR GLORY."
THAT WORD GLORY, THE HEBREW WORD MEANS WEIGHT, MASS, OR SUBSTANCE.
MOSES WAS SAYING: GOD, I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE; SHOW ME WHO YOU ARE ON THE INSIDE.
AND GOD SAID: I'M GOING TO MAKE ALL OF MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE YOU.
BECAUSE FRIEND, HE IS GOOD.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PRAYER TO PRAY: THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR GOD TO MEET OUR
NEEDS; WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR HELP IN SOME CRITICAL SITUATION; BUT, WE'RE PRAYING:
GOD, SHOW ME YOUR GLORY.
DRAW ME CLOSER TO YOU.
HELP ME TO KNOW YOU BETTER.
NOT MANY PEOPLE PRAY THOSE KIND OF PRAYERS.
IN FACT, MOST OF THE TIME OUR PRAYERS TEND TO BE CRISIS-DRIVEN.
WHY NOT TAKE SOME TIME AND SAY, "GOD, SHOW ME WHO YOU ARE.
OPEN THE EYES OF MY UNDERSTANDING.
I WANT TO KNOW YOU BETTER."
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION VISIT ANSWERSBC.ORG.
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