Moses – CadreMen Press

Shall Surely Perish

Shall Surely Perish by Kirk Hunt

Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 8:19-20 NKJV

Moses the centenarian delivered a blunt, dour message: Worship only God or perish. As an individual. As a nation.

Israel had trudged through the desert for 40 years. The choices of disbelief and disobedience had condemned a generation to death outside of the land promised to them. Even Moses had become a victim of his choice to disobey God. In unflinching honesty and clarity, Moses reminded the nation of their opportunity to chose life through obedience to God. Or death in disobedience.

Your choice today is just that stark and mutually exclusive. You are a God-follower, or you are not. You choose life in God, or death in anything else.

Learn from the example of those who have gone before. The Canaanites were driven out of the land, by God, because of their sin. God would do the same thing with Israel, if they chose rebellion and wickedness.

Israel, God’s chosen people, lived in Canaan as long as they were obedient worshipers of God. When they chose sin and idolatry, they in turn were driven out. Israel perished from the land promised by God, because of their choices.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you are chosen and loved by God. You will live in His promise as long as you are an obedient and faithful worshiper of God. If you chose to worship false idols, you shall surely perish.

Think: If I follow God in truth and obedience I will live and not perish.

Pray: “Lord, help me to be a true and faithful worshiper of You.”

This devotional is a ministry of CadreMen Press.

Not My Own Will

Not My Own Will by Kirk Hunt

And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.

But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”

Numbers 16:28, 30 NKJV
Please also read Numbers 16:1-40

Moses declared God’s Will, before witnesses. The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram ended with an abrupt, final, and unappealable act of God. Moses understood the mutiny of these men was not against a human leader, but directed at the sovereign God of the universe.

As a man or woman of God, it is not supposed to be about your feelings, vision, or thoughts. You are an instrument of Father-God. From the first gasp through the last sigh, it is supposed to be God’s Will that commands and controls.

Do we, and they, sometimes forget who is supposed to be in charge of the universe, yet alone local affairs? To our shame and peril, we sometimes forget that God is big and we are small. Korah, and his co-conspirators, paid for their God-directed rebellion with their lives.

Make very sure you are performing God’s will and not your own. Your blessing and safety lay in Father-God’s will. And trust that God will address the mutineers at His convenience.

Think: Whose will am I trying to enact?

Pray: “Not my own will but Yours, Father-God.”

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press. You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

Respect Their Offering

Respect Their Offering by Kirk Hunt

Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”

Numbers 16:15 NKJV
Please also read Numbers 16:1-40

Leadership is a tricky business. A faithful leader works to benefit the followers and the organization. He or she must work for the good of everyone, yet not harming any of them (or themselves). If you have a good leader, respect their offering.

The rebellion (mutiny) of Korah and others against the leadership of Moses is a prime example of disrespect for a leader. Despite witnessing the plagues against Egypt, they rebelled. Despite witnessing the parting of the Red Sea, they challenged the leadership of Moses (and Aaron). Despite the miracle of God’s daily provision (manna) they were determined to take over for themselves.

Confident in his leadership and actions, Moses does not call out for God to smite them, only that God not respect or accept the rebels’ offering of incense. In the middle of peril and disrespect, Moses was thinking like a good leader. If only the mutineers had accepted Moses’ offering of service and God’s authority.

Will you face mutineers? Perhaps. Should you continue to offer your service and leadership to God? Yes, you should. If God respects your offering, He will see you through.

Think: Does God respect my offering of service? Does my leadership respect God?

Pray: “Lord, help me to give an offering that You will respect.”

Able Men And Women

Able Men And Women by Kirk Hunt

So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Exodus 18:24–25 NKJV

Despite his superior abilities and extraordinary accomplishments, Moses could not do it all alone. Given excellent advice from a trusted advisor, Moses selected able men to help him lead. Moses demonstrated that strong leaders seek out and make use of other strong leaders.

Whatever your calling or mission for the Kingdom of God, you still have human limits. You can only be in one place at a time. You are limited to 24 hours in a single day. You require sleep, food and exercise.

What is far too much for one can be spread among a group of capable folk. All it takes is for the executive leader to properly delegate tasks or responsibilities, then follow-up. While proper delegation is also work, it allows results far beyond the capabilities of a single soul. And rest for the weary executive.

Moses lived to the age of 120. And his displeasure could still scare folk. Moses lived and led so long because he enabled others to help him with the work. His good health, right to the end, was at least in part, because he did not have to it all alone.

Look around and identify the able men and women around you. Give them part of your Kingdom work. If Moses could, so can you.

Think: Am I making good use of capable men and women for the Kingdom?

Pray: “Lord, help me to share the load with Your capable men and women.”

Too Much For Even You

Too Much For Even You by Kirk Hunt

So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

Exodus 18:17–18 NKJV

Moses had been a busy man: He had led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Sinai desert. Through God’s power he had inflicted plagues on the Egyptians, parted the Red Sea for Israel and closed the Red Sea on the Egyptian army. And leading Israel was still too much for Moses.

Human beings have limits. Even great prophets and apostles are mere mortals, and therefore have performance and endurance maximums. You, my brother or sister, cannot do it all.

Proper nutrition and water, regular exercise and adequate sleep help. Still, there comes a point where you need to hand off some of the work. If Moses’ anointing and calling had limits, so will yours.

Look around you. There are men and women who can and will help you. Use your wisdom, discipline and humility to match the right tasks with the right workers.

Your workers will make mistakes. You will make mistakes as well. The work completed will not be done exactly the way you want it done. In many cases, that is an extremely good thing.

Kingdom work is too much for even the greatest of us. It is not a surprise that it is too much even for you. Share the load with your Gospel coworkers.

Think: God’s greatest men and women have limits. How will I deal with mine?

Pray: “Lord, help me to share the load and expand Your Kingdom.”