The body raises the temperature in order to destroy viruses, and protect the body.
We need to raise the temperature. It burns off the viruses and troubles of our lives.
Eg: Shadrach/Mesach and Abegnigo in the fire
Temperature builders
- Prayer
- Intimacy
- Unity
In Exodus 32 the covenant and agreement between God and Israel has been broken. Israel has failed it’s part of the agreement and built a golden calf. Within 40 days of the Mosaic law given, the people in their insecurity have asked Aaron to create a golden calf. Their insecurity and the lack of leadership combined created the perfect opportunity to forsake God.
There will be times this where when the perfect combination of insecurity and delays in leadership at work or home or church will tempt you to abandon your trust and make something else more important than Jesus.
The result of this failure is the breaking of the agreement God had with his people. He said I’ll always go with you, if you put me first.
The result is that God withdraws his presence and decided he will no longer go with them.
Exodus 33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angelbefore you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
So what does Moses do. He is the innocent victim of other people’s insecurity, but what does he do. He raises the temperature by going into deep conversation with God.
Exodus 33 12Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” 19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
NOW SHOW ME YOUR GLORY IS AN UNASHAMED GRAB FOR MORE.
Why ‘more’ should be your pursuit in 2017.
What God offered him was his presence, but what Moses wanted was the pattern.
The justice system of a nation was revealed to Moses during the glory. The sanitation system. The sacrificial system. He was getting insight into how to build, how to create, how to execute, how to create a nation with rules and laws and principles from a group of slaves who had been told for 430 years what to do.
God wants you to go from being told what to do by the world’s system to creating and designing.
The bible is filled in the New Testament with scriptures about more
Ephesians 3;20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
Rom 5:15 how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16
Romans 8 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
James 4:6 But he gives us more grace.
John 15: 8 that you bear more fruit, and prove to be my disciples.
The reason someone will ask for more
- When you are in need and realize you are missing something.
- When you’ve tasted something you like
- When you’re addicted to something.
- When you are offered something and you realize it’s valuable
Wanting more is a sign of moving forward
But here’s the rub and heres the challenge for 2017. If you want more, you’ll need more.
- More blueprints from God require more skill to build.
- More miracles requires more faith
- More faith requires more prayer
- More victories means more battles
- More fruitfulfness means more pruning and planting
- More schools for our church to reach hurting kids requires more workers.
- More workers requires more compelling communication of the vision.
- More successful marriages requires more skill and commitment.
MORE REQUIRES MORE
- More promotions require more leadership
- Reaching more people means everyone asking more
- Planting 200 campuses will require more pastors and leaders
- Raising 10000 leaders will require a lot more leadership schools and development.
Luke 12: 48 From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
CHALLENGE
Write down what you need more of from God.
Write down what that more will need more of from you.