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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE:  EMBRACE THE WILDERNESS

Most would say the wilderness is a place of temptation and trials. Things happen that test our faith and our strength. God will not allow us to be overtaken that is not the point of the wilderness.

It is a place we learn to trust, lean, and rely on God. It is a place we must through to the other side. We will be ready for the next level of glory and responsibility.  Things looked bad for Moses in Egypt, he fled to the wilderness to escape punishment in Egypt. While in the wilderness he learned skills he needed to be an effective leader.  He also learned survival skills and his way around the desert.

Then one day he had an intimate encounter with God. The creator of heaven and earth spoke to him from a burning bush. That experience changed him. In the process of the plagues, Moses learned to lean on God more and more. He learned how to survive in the wilderness from spending time as a shepherd tending his father in law’s flock.

God won’t stick us out in the wilderness without provision. He gave the Israelites whatever they needed. Manna, water, their clothing never wore out. Think about that, they travelled for forty years and their shoes and clothes never wore out.

The wilderness is a place of testing. Jesus was in the wilderness and was tempted of the devil after a long fast. We must trust God’s plan. Yes, the enemy may come on strong, but we can combat him the same way Jesus did and quote the word to him.

The wilderness is also a place of preparation. It was after Jesus was in the wilderness that he started his ministry. He began walking into the fullness of what God needed for him to accomplish on the earth.

The wilderness can be a place of refuge from a famine. God sent Elijah into the wilderness. There he sent ravens to feed him. Showing that God will take care of his people, even in the wilderness of life.

Elijah also fled from Jezabel after the miracle of him calling fire down from heaven to prove God to the Jewish people. It was in that wilderness that he found a cave and God provided him food and drink to strengthen him. Once he was stronger God showed him that he could also come in the form of a still small voice.

God sent Elijah to anoint Hazael as king over Syria or Aram. He sent him to mentor Elisha to be a prophet in his place.

We should not dread our time in the wilderness. Because, God is getting ready to show us something wonderful on the other side of our time in the wilderness.

Our time in the wilderness is a time that God strips us of our human arrogant complacency and self-righteousness. He humbles us to better rely on him. He always reveals himself in a new way to us. If we can get past our pity party and listen for his voice. We don’t like the wilderness because it is uncomfortable. Human beings are very much creatures of comfort.

Deut 8:15-16 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

Notice the last part of verse sixteen, that he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to do thee good at the latter end. God just wanted them to learn to love and trust him. Being in the wilderness is all about trusting in the Lord and resisting the trappings of the enemy.

If we can learn to do those two things in the wilderness, we will have a stronger faith walk. We will be a better light to the lost and broken. Instead of dreading the wilderness, we should try to embrace the lessons, God is trying to teach us.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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