Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s conclude the lessons from our ear-jacking of Moses’ conversation with the LORD.

Today’s scripture, Exodus 33:10-14 (NLT) shares…
[10] When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. [11] Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. Lord [12] One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ [13] If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” [14] The LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

Consider…
Thus far this week we have explored today’s scripture and discovered…

• The conversation posture we should have when engaging God
• God wants to engage us as friends in conversations
• The importance of asking clarifying questions in faith to align ourselves with God’s plan and purpose.

Today we will conclude this passage by observing the loving affirmation of God. After Moses asked his clarifying questions in verses 12 & 13 above, we see God’s response in verse 14…
[14] The LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

This response is similar to Jesus’ promise in the Great Commission given in Matthew 28:20 (NLT)…
[20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Let me emphasize, our Lord and Savior said, “be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Both the LORD’s affirmation to Moses and Jesus’ promise to His disciples let us know that when we obey God, He will be with us!

Another scripture that bears witness to this truth is Joshua 1:9 (NLT), which says…
[9] This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing, God promises to be with us when we obey Him!

This makes me appreciate the fact that God isn’t a dispatcher or dictator sitting on His throne in Heaven just issuing of commands for us to follow. Indeed, God is more like the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24)

The Holy Spirit just showed me an affirming connection from the testimony of Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus. John 11:12-15 (NLT) shares…
[12] The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” [13] They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. [14] So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. [15] And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

The connection made by the Holy Spirit is that our Lord goes with us into impossible situations so that we can really believe that with Him all things are possible.

You see, if God just issued instructions and empowered us to fulfill them on our own, we may not reverently recognize His presence in our actions. On the other hand, if God just performed the miracle and didn’t allow us to witness, we might dismiss it to hearsay and not truly believe. It is by us witnessing God impose His SUPER over our natural (Supernatural), that we realize we can do all things through Him. (Philippians 4:13)

God goes with us because as the song says, He wants us…

Wrapped up, tied up, tangled up in Jesus.

Acts of the Apostles 17:28 (NLT) affirms it this way…
[28] For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

As I wrote that I heard Tasha Cobbs Leonard singing Zechariah 4:6…

Not by might, not by power
By Your spirit, God
Send Your spirit, God

You see God never intended for us to know Him from a distance. That fact is proven by scriptures like these…

• 1 John 4:13 (NLT)…[13] And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
• John 7:38-39 (NLT)…[38] Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” [39] (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)…[21] It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, [22] and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

The Holy Spirit, is lovingly letting us know that the Omnipresent God is with us everywhere all the time!

Speaking of God’s omnipresence, here’s something profound I heard Dr. Charles Stanley say….
Paraphrasing: God’s omnipresence is His vastness that everything exists in. It’s not that God is everywhere, it’s that everywhere is in God.

This helps me understand that when God affirms He will go with me, it’s really that He will let me reverently recognize His presence as I go.

This also gives me greater appreciation to Jesus saying in John 15:9-10 (KJV)…
[9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. [10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

God wants us to STAY in Him and His love!

The only way we can do this is by the help of the Holy Spirit, thus why Galatians 5:16, 25 (NLT) exhorts…
[16] So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
[25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

The last affirmation that God is guiding me to leave us with is, the fact that He is our finisher. He directed me to Philippians 1:6 (NLT), which affirms…
[6] And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

It’s important that we reverently recognize that God is working in and through us. Philippians 2:13 (NLT) explains…
[13] For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

This means, God is hands-on. In fact, God has always been hands-on with us. Remember Genesis 2:7 (NLT)…
[7] Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

The same God who formed us with His hands and breathed life into us, indwells us and is giving us new life. Romans 8:11 (NLT) affirms…
[11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Thus, we must agree with God’s affirmation and declare like the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 (NLT)…
[20] My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

That requires us to live according to Ephesians 4:23-24 (NLT)…
[23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

God is always by our side, but we must reverently recognize His presence and engage Him in our lives (words and actions).

So today, knowing that God is always with us, let’s obey Romans 12:2 (NLT) which exhorts…
[2] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Let God help you please Him!

Today’s song is…
Never Leave

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)