Not Another Word! Learning to Accept God’s Final Answer
Today’s Passage – Deuteronomy 3 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 13 – 16; Proverbs 2; Psalms 6 – 10
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – SSPsalm 92:1 – 4
Read the “0302 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
When we were kids, we used to drive our parents crazy asking for things. We would keep asking over and over again until they finally acquiesced to our request, or until they got angry and said, “enough is enough – not another word!”
Moses’ Plea and God’s Final “No”
“23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, 24 O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? 25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.“ (Deut 3:23–26)
In our passage today we have Moses asking the Lord to change His mind about letting him enter into the land. Moses had been leading the nation for over 40 years, delivering them up to the border of the Promised Land. He had put up with all of their problems and complaints. You would think that God would have cut Moses some slack, and let him see what he had been working toward for a good portion of his life. But God had already told Moses “no”. God is not like us, either: when He says “no” He means no. God told Moses, “Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.” He basically told Moses to quit asking. He wanted Moses to be content with God’s will, whether or not it seemed fair.
Paul’s Thorn and God’s Sufficient Grace
“7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12:7–9)
Paul had a similar situation in the New Testament. He had a thorn in the flesh that He wanted God to take away from him. He asked God three times to remove it. God finally told Paul to stop asking. He wanted Paul to be content with the thorn, which for some reason was the will of God. He told Him that He would give him grace to go with the thorn, and that He should be content with that because it is sufficient.
When to Stop Asking – Biblical Balance
I think it is just human nature for us to keep asking for things. By the way, there is nothing wrong with asking, and God even wants us to keep asking over and over again for the same thing. Persistent prayer honors God (Luke 18:1–8), yet submission to His revealed will is equally vital (James 4:15). But eventually there will come a point when He will answer. He will either grant you the desire, or He will tell you “no.”
Another biblical example that comes to mind is when David begged God with prayer and fasting not to let his child die. God said “no” to that request as well. David’s response was worship:
“16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. … 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.” (2 Sam 12:16, 19–20)
Application: Embracing Contentment Today
When He tells you “no,” quit asking, and then be content with His will coupled with His grace. If you really needed what you were asking for, He would have given it to you (Phil 4:19). Be satisfied with what you do get, and know that God knows what is best. Perhaps someday we will understand a little better why God answered the way He did, but for now, just trust Him.
In my years at Jersey Shore Baptist Church, I’ve counseled many who struggled with unanswered prayers, and I’ve had many of my own. Every once in a while I dream about doing something else besides pastoring. Or, I think about moving to a new area, maybe out west in the mountains (I love the mountains). However, God always reminds me that He called my wife and I to Jersey Shore Baptist to pastor this church and He will let me know when He wants me to do something else.
Have you experienced God’s “no” that later proved His grace was sufficient? Share in the comments below—your story may encourage someone else!
“Lord, help me accept Your answers—even the ‘no’s’—with trust in Your perfect plan. What request have I been clinging to that I need to surrender today? Amen.”
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Deuteronomy and tagged 2 Corinthians 12, 2 Samuel 12, Accepting God's No, Biblical Submission, contentment, Contentment in Christ, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 3, God's will, Moses' Death, Paul's Thorn in the Flesh, prayer, Submission to God, Sufficient Grace, trusting God, Unanswered Prayer by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
My Journey with Numbers 31: God Knows Why
Today’s Passage – Numbers 30 – 31 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Romans 13 – 16; Proverbs 26; Psalms 131 – 135)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Isaiah 51:11
Read the “0226 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Have you ever read a Bible passage that made you uncomfortable or even angry? I have—especially when it involves God’s judgment on entire groups of people.
“And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.” (Numbers 31:15-17)
Numbers 31 is a very somber passage of Scripture. Moses is commanded by the Lord to perform one last task before he dies, which was to “avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.” You will recall from Numbers 25, the Midianites, after being advised by Balaam, send their women into the camp of Israel to seduce the men into immorality and idolatry. This resulted in a plague sent by God that killed 24,000 Israelites. God desired to “avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites,” but did He have to be so harsh in the way that He went about it?
Twelve thousand men from Israel went out and attacked a much greater number of Midianites and were able to conquer them completely without losing one of their own men. Of course, the Midianites were not so fortunate; they ended up losing everything with all the adult males being immediately slain. At first, the women and small male children were all spared. However, when the victors returned to camp with the spoils and the captives, Moses commanded that all the small male children, as well as all the adult women would also have to be slaughtered. Only the small girls were spared.
I must confess that Bible passages such as this are not the ones I look forward to reading. Later, in 1 Samuel 15, God would once again order the annihilation of an entire nation of people (the Amalekites), including all the women, children, and even the livestock. I have often wondered why God would command such a thing. I have examined these Scriptures carefully in the past and have even preached messages from them. I have explained to people some of the reasons why God would need to be so severe, but I was always left with more questions in my own mind. Wasn’t there any other way? Couldn’t God have spared even just the children? How do we reconcile this Old Testament God of vengeance with the New Testament God of love and mercy? My human reasoning cannot fully comprehend the answers to all these questions regarding what God was thinking when He chose such drastic courses of action.
I still don’t have all the individual answers to these and many other questions, but I have come to a place in my faith that has helped me tremendously. I no longer question God. There are a lot of things about God that make absolutely no sense to my finite brain, but I trust that He knows what He is doing, and He does not have to offer me any explanation.
Why did God kill all the Midianites? Why did He destroy the entire world with a flood? Why did He kill the Amalekites? Why did God allow the Towers to come down on 9/11? Why does He permit the pain and suffering of millions of people today? I know why, and yet I don’t know why. I mean, I may understand partially, but I can’t comprehend fully; but I do know God, and I trust Him that He knows why, and that’s good enough for me. I know God loves me, and I know He loves the world and all the people in it, and I know that God does everything right, even when I can’t see any right in it.
“8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8–9)
“33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Rom 11:33–36)
“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deut 32:4)
What hard passage or life circumstance are you struggling to trust God with today?
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Numbers and tagged Amalekites, Balaam, Deuteronomy 32:4, Difficult Bible Passages, Faith in Hard Times, Faith Journey, God's Justice, Isaiah 55:8-9, Midianites, Numbers, Numbers 31, Romans 11:33-36, trusting God, Trusting God in Suffering by Phil Erickson with 8 comments.
Stop Murmuring!
Listen to today’s passage – Exodus 13 – 15
Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Exodus 13
Second Milers also read – Luke 3 – 4; Proverbs 24; Psalms 116 – 120
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Isaiah 51:11
Read the “0124 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by Charles Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “Moving Forward,” and “He Brought Us This Far.”
“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” – (Exodus 15:1)
“And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” – (Exodus 15:24)
From Praising to Complaining
Exodus 15 is an amazing chapter of Scripture which demonstrates the fickle nature of God’s children. The first 21 verses, which comprises more than three-fourths of the chapter, is the record of God’s people singing, dancing, and praising Him for the great miracle that He had done in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. Specifically, they are praising God and thanking Him for parting the Red Sea so that they could pass through on dry ground. You will recall that the Egyptians tried to follow them and that same sea closed upon them and drowned them. The people of God were thrilled that God took away the water so that they could travel to the other side. Now at the end of the chapter, they are complaining that there is no water. First, they wanted the water to go away, and then they wanted it back again. You just can’t make these Israelites happy, can you? I am kidding, of course; but I do want to point out the tendency that Israel had (and we have today) to forget about all of God’s past blessings by griping about some apparent injustice that they felt to be taking place in the present. Here, they think that God delivered them from Egypt only to kill them with dehydration in the wilderness. Absurd! That big God that they were worshipping in the beginning of the chapter suddenly became smaller when the people got a little thirsty.
God’s Character Does Not Change
God’s people are no different today. We sometimes see God do wonderful things in our lives, and from that mountaintop we offer up to Him praise and worship. But then when God allows a little testing to come our way, our attitude changes completely. Our view of God seems to be based solely upon what He does for us recently. When we are getting popcorn, bubble gum, and ice cream, God is good; but when God says that we should eat a little broccoli because it’s what we need at the time, God becomes some mean ogre. We act like little children in the nursery, don’t we? Let’s grow up! Let’s mature in our faith to the point where we trust God completely. God is good when the circumstances in life are great; but God is also good when things are not going as we would like them to.
Choose Gratitude Over Griping
God is always good. He loves us. He said that He will never leave us and never forsake us. He has our very best interests at heart. Trust Him even when you don’t understand; and whatever you do, don’t gripe. Griping is one of the most frequent triggers of divine judgment in the Old Testament. I am not saying that you should not bring your concerns and burdens to Him. There is a big difference between a prayer request and a complaint. Let’s get to the point in our Christian walk where we can praise Him even in the dark days. Remember, there are others out there that have it worse than you. God is not just good, He is awesome. Learn to wait on Him. He will deliver you if you simply trust Him, obey, and be patient.
Be a Problem Solver
Look, we are all good at spotting problems, but instead of murmuring, why don’t we try becoming part of a solution. We can pray and we can work to make the situation better. Anybody can complain, and they often do; but it takes a person of true character to make a difference.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” – (Philippians 2:14)
Questions for Reflection
We all are guilty at times of viewing life pessimistically through the lens of a half-empty cup, but when your negative spirit brings you to the point of opening your mouth and discouraging others, you are sinning against God.
- When has God done something amazing in your life, only for you to complain shortly afterward?
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What’s one situation right now where you could choose praise instead of murmuring?
Today, let’s commit to catching ourselves before we murmur and turning it into praise.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Exodus and tagged Bitter Water, Complaining, Exodus 15, Gratitude, Marah, Moses, Murmuring, Philippians 2:14, Praising God, Praising Instead of Complaining, Praying Instead of Complaining, Solving Problems, Thankfulness, trusting God by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Wait… What!? – Three Surprising Lessons from Moses’ Call in Exodus 4–6
Listen to today’s passage – Exodus 4 – 6
Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Exodus 4
(Second Milers also read – Mark 13 – 14; Proverbs 21; Psalms 101 – 105
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 4:7 & 8
Read previous posts from this passage – “Expect Opposition,“ and “What’s Your Excuse?”
Read the “0121 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by Charles Spurgeon.
I don’t know how many times I have said those words to myself while reading this book. Exodus is fascinating. It is full of unbelievable stories played out by some very interesting characters. If you read the Book of Exodus like a novel that you’re interested in, and not just out of good Christian duty, it really brings the stories and characters to life.
The main character of Exodus is Moses, and the first few chapters really give an insight into God developing him first as a believer, then as a leader.
In Chapter 3, God tells Moses that He is going to do something big, and that Moses is the man He has chosen to do it through. This came as a shock to Moses. By this time, Moses was already getting up there in years, and was probably pretty set in his ways with a good life. What God was asking him to do now was going to change everything.
In Chapter 4, God begins to teach Moses some things that I believe we can learn from:
- If God asks you to do something for Him, He will give you everything you need.
“And he said, Certainly I will be with thee…” (Exodus 3:12a)
“And the LORD said unto him, What is in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent;…” (Exodus 4:2 – 3a)
“Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:12)
2. Sometimes, He will ask you to do something that scares you.
“And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail…” (Exodus 4:3 – 4)
Wait…what!? Moses was my kind of guy! It says that when he saw the snake, he fled! And if you know anything about snakes, you know that you don’t try to catch them by the tail. This was something that scared Moses. But God was teaching him to just trust Him. It might scare you, and it might not make sense, but if God is asking you to do it, trust Him.
3. Sometimes, He will ask you to do something that might be painful.
“And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.” (Exodus 4:6)
Wait…what!? Leprosy was a horrible, painful disease that would cause people to have to separate from their friends and family.
Can you imagine being Moses in this moment? Going about, minding your own business, then God shows up and things go crazy. God would continue to have to teach Moses many more lessons on trusting Him. Moses was not yet convinced, and came up with excuse after excuse about why God has chosen the wrong man. But Moses was God’s man, and God would use him in a mighty way. Moses’ life had many ups and downs. Happy times and great victories, and sad times and regrets. But that was Moses life, and that is your life. There will be many times in your Christian life where you scratch your head and say, “wait…what!?” And God is saying, “Just trust Me.” None of us know what all God has in store for our lives, but we can know that He knows, and that He loves us. Sometimes it will scare us, sometimes it will hurt. But He will always give us exactly what we need, when we need it. We just need to trust Him.
Has God ever given you a ‘Wait… What!?’ assignment that scared you or felt painful at first? Share below—I’d love to hear your story!
Phil Erickson Jr. and his wife, Katelyn, serve the Lord at the First Baptist Church of Cottondale, TX. They have four sons – Jaxon, Caleb, Philip III, and Kade.
Posted in Devotions, Guest Posts, Thoughts from Exodus and tagged Burning Bush, Christian Growth, Daily Devotion, Exodus, Exodus 4, Faith in Trials, God's Call, Moses, Overcoming Fear, Phil Erickson Jr., Suffering for Christ, trusting God by Phil Erickson Jr. with 9 comments.
Full Disclosure
Today’s Passage – Genesis 10 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 7 – 8; Proverbs 4; Psalms 16 – 20)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89:1
Read the 0104 Evening and Morning devotion for today by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Finding, Obeying, and Staying in the Place of God’s Will;” “Don’t Move Unless God Moves You;“ “The Beginning of Globalism; ” “The Land Belongs to Israel;” and “The Earth was Divided.”
Have you ever lied to get yourself out of some type of trouble. In our text, Abram (Abraham) lied to Pharaoh by telling him that Sarai (Sarah) was his sister:
“10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. 17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.” (Gen 12:10-20)
Technically speaking, Abraham was accurate when he said that Sarai was his sister because she was his half-sister, the daughter of his father Terah. However, he was leaving out a big part of his relationship with Sarai and was not being completely truthful. The half-truth that Abraham told here and again in Genesis 20, this time to Abimelech, was the cause of many problems for Abraham’s family and for the people that he was lying to. Really, it represented a lack of faith on the part of Abraham to trust God to deliver his family from difficult situations even when he fully disclosed his relationship with Sarai.
I have a few thoughts about this passage:
A Legitimate Fear
Abraham was right to be concerned about his family’s welfare in Egypt. Egypt was a dangerous place, and it certainly was a possibility that the Pharaoh would kill Abraham to steal his wife.
Have you ever faced a legitimate fear that tested your trust in God’s provision?
A Questionable Decision: Leaving Canaan
Abraham should not have gone to Egypt in the first place. He had just been told by God that Canaan was the land that God was going to give Abraham. When the famine came, however, Abraham’s faith in God’s ability to feed him through the famine was tested, and Abraham followed his own human wisdom instead and went into Egypt where food was more plentiful.
The Dangers Involved in Abraham’s Plan
Abraham premeditated and colluded with Sarai to not disclose to anybody in Egypt that Sarai was his wife. I wonder if Abraham would have allowed other men to sleep with his wife if he felt that was necessary for his own protection?
The Better Way: Trusting God’s Protection
- Abraham did not have to volunteer any information regarding his relationship with Sarai, but when he was asked, he should have fully disclosed that she was his wife. God would have protected and blessed him anyway. God is more powerful than any earthly king.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Pro 3:5-6)
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” (Pro 21:1)
It used to be when people were summoned to be a witness in a court of law, they had to swear to “tell the whole truth.” They had to give a full disclosure of whatever they were called upon to be a witness to. It has been my observation that in our society there is a lack of transparency in most people. They are hiding things about themselves because they are afraid of the negative outcome that might be produced if people were to find out. I have discovered that it is best to be completely honest with people; to let them see the real you, even with all the flaws and warts. However, the good news is, even when our faith falters (and it will), God’s faithfulness doesn’t—He protected Abraham and Sarai despite the half-truth, just as He covers us in our weakness.
Have you ever been tempted to withhold part of the truth out of fear? What happened when you chose full honesty instead? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Share this post with someone who needs encouragement to trust God fully.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis and tagged Abraham, Abram, faith vs. fear, full disclosure, Genesis, Genesis 12, half-truths, honesty, lies, Sarah, transparency, trusting God by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.