Moses, Me and Members of God's Kingdom

Not all members of the Kingdom of God have the same level of intimacy with God. Let's look at Moses, Miriam and Aaron. Moses did not just sense God in his spirit, Moses literally talked to a convincing manifestation of God face-to-face. Numbers 12:5-9 says Aaron and Miriam did not have this experience. Any talent or blessing comes about according to the will of God. God wills to have intimacy with you. God will show you His will, so that you can do His work. God talked to Moses face-to-face because God gave Moses a greater responsibility than Miriam and Aaron (Exodus 33:11).

I want to be like Moses to the extent that Moses was like Jesus Christ, and I want you to be like Moses too if God wills it, and like those members of the Kingdom of God who got the privilege of talking face-to-face with a convincing manifestation of God. I think of Joshua in the promise land, when God stopped the manna, and it was now time for the Israelites to take responsibility for allowing God to work through them instead of just for them. Joshua was standing outside of Jericho when he met a convincing manifestation of Jesus recorded in the book of Joshua chapter 5. Joshua asked Jesus if Jesus was for the Israelites and against their enemies. Jesus tells Joshua neither but to take off his shoes for he was on holy ground. I think of Paul in prison in Acts 23 on his way to Rome when Jesus stood beside Paul and spoke to Paul saying it's alright; Paul's adversity was part of Jesus' plan; and Paul would come out of the adversity and make it to Rome. Moses, Joshua and Paul had to talk to God face-to-face because they had a lot of responsibility in the kingdom of God. Moses, Joshua and Paul not only had responsibility during the time they lived, their responsibility extended throughout eternity through the books in the Bible that teach generations of Christians.

Do you want intimacy with God? Do not worry about it. Any godly desire that you have God has put it inside of you. God will find you. And even if you are not looking for Him, God will find you if that is His will. Moses was out in the desert tending to some sheep. Scripture does not say Moses was looking for God, but God found Moses. Some of us desire to be like Miriam. Some of us desire to be like Aaron. Some of us desire to be like Moses or some other godly, Biblical character. It's all good because God gave you that desire. Not everybody is going to be a Miriam. Not everybody is going to be an Aaron. Not everybody is going to be a Moses -- many members of the kingdom of God, but one body. This is the will of God. God is not a respecter of persons. God does not love Moses more than Miriam because God made them both. God gave Moses greater responsibility than Aaron and Miriam. This suited God's will. God is the potter. We are the clay. All members of the kingdom of God are needed and valued by God.

Intimacy with God may require a time of isolation with God and insulation by God. God has got to change you to make you usable for the kingdom of God. Moses was in the desert 40 years before the burning bush. Galatians 1:18 tells us that Paul was in Arabia preaching for three years before stepping out into his multi-nation, evangelistic ministry. Joshua was under Moses' training for many years before taking leadership of the nation of Israel. God is wise and loving enough not to release you to a wider sphere of influence when you have a lot of carnal characteristics that have not been burned off through trials.

When people hear the word "intimacy" they tend to think of one-on-one with God. This is true but an incomplete view of intimacy. Intimacy also means deep and thorough. The more you know God, the more you are going to be like Him. God is not just one-on-one; He is multiple; God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (1 X 1 X 1 = 1). Revelations 5:6 and Zechariah 4:9 also describe the Holy Spirit as sevenfold. What a complex God we serve. When Jesus marries His Bride the Church in heaven, His bride is multiple believers throughout the generations. The more intimate you are with God, the more intimate you will be with people. Moses and Joshua talked to God. They also talked to a nation of Israeli people. Paul talked to God. Paul also talked to multiplied believers spread throughout Europe and Asia. Relationship with God will inevitably involve not only yourself but others. Everybody is not going to talk to nations, but everybody has a sphere of influence beyond themselves.

That desire for intimacy with God is something God puts inside of us. He put this desire inside of all His children before they were born. The desire does not necessarily manifest itself in a desire to talk to God. It may manifest as a desire for purpose and meaning in life. We serve a God of purpose and meaning. I notice that when God speaks, He does not engage much in social chit-chat, and He certainly does not use idle, inoperative words. His words are often direct and mission-oriented. God talks to us, so that we can do something for Him. Intimacy may start with God putting a desire to do something inside of you. I see such a desire in Moses. God put the desire inside of Moses to lead the Israelites. Exodus 2 tells us that one day Moses decided to do something to help liberate the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. But Moses grew up in Egypt. He had too much of the will of Egypt in him. It was God's plan for Moses to get an Egyptian education. Egypt was a mighty nation at that time. Egypt may have even been the leading world nation -- nothing but the best for God's children. But the will of Egypt is not the will of God. Hence God had to get Moses out of Egypt, so that God could mold Moses into the leader that God had already placed in Moses' heart to become. Moses was a fighter. Scripture implies Moses killed an Egyptian with his hands. God wants fighters, but not the murdering kind. The type of fighting God wants Christians to engage in is peaceful resistance toward Satan and the kingdom of Satan. 1 Peter 5:9 tells us to resist Satan, and Satan will flee from us. This means be holy through the power of the Holy spirit. This means things like wield your Sword mentioned in Ephesians 6. The Sword is the Bible. Study the Bible, and let God teach you how to apply it to your everyday like. I heard a Christian say that she was considering getting someone to co-sign an auto loan for her. Know your Bible. Proverbs 11:15 says do not co-sign loans. Proverbs uses the word "surety" or "security" depending on the Biblical translation you read. "Surety" means taking responsibility for someone else's debts; don't do it. Christians are warriors of peace. We pray to God, and God will remove or overcome any obstacle in God's way. Christians resist evil with good through the power of the Holy Spirit. Holiness matters. Getting close to God means moving onto holy ground.

I've been using the statement "convincing manifestation of God" because John 1:18 says that no human being has seen the Father. The Father and Jesus are one. When Jesus shows up to us in a way that seems physical, Jesus is showing up in a way human beings can receive. Exodus 33:20 tells us human beings would be killed by a real view of God perhaps because God is so bright. Revelations 22:16 tells us that Jesus is called the Bright and Morning Star. I do not think this is just a figurative name. Revelations 21:23 tells us that the sun is not needed in the New Jerusalem because the presence of God lights up the New Jerusalem. Exodus 34:29-35 tells us that the convincing manifestation of God caused Moses face to literally shine.

Intimacy with God -- you probably thought I was going to talk about prayer. That is not the message God gave me today. I am talking to seasoned Christians. We ought to be beyond the elementary teachings of the Christian faith. Moses, Joshua and the Apostle Paul had all kinds of supernatural encounters with God. The supernatural encounter with God is not just to have an experience, it is to encourage you and embellish your fruits and gifts usable for the advancement of the kingdom of God. These encounters are to magnify the glory of God. However, you are not to give undue attention to these experiences. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul warns us not to boast of supernatural experiences. God may talk to you face-to-face, or He may give you the gift of tongues, or God may give you some other supernatural gift. God may even treat you like the Apostle Paul who had it all. Paul spoke to God face-to-face. Paul spoke in tongues. Paul healed the sick. Paul raised the dead, and Paul did many other mighty supernatural works through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Understand intimacy with God. Seek intimacy with God. Relationship has multiple purposes. As you grow closer to God, your purposes will manifest more and more and you will probably be involved with an ever increasing circle of people. Right from the beginning in Genesis 1 God told us to subdue the earth realm, that is take authority and influence over the realm God has placed you inside for God has not changed His mind or exempted any Christian from His will. Intimacy is for all Christians.