When the people complained God provided - this shows His mercy and grace toward sinful people.
It's important to consider what God provided and how they were to go about getting it:
WHAT - Numbers 11:7-8 says it was a seed-like substance where people would grind it, crush it, and work it into something they could bake. God's provision becomes our nourishment through WORK!
WHERE - God would drop it outside the camp - they had to go gather it! It didn't drop into their tents as a nice hot loaf of bread - it required work on their part. They had to go get it.
WHEN - They had to get it in the morning cuz it was gone by noon. Isaiah 55:6 says, "Seek Me while I may be found." If we want God's nourishment then we need to get out of our place of comfort early in the morning and find Him!
HOW - They were to gather it daily, not hording anything for tomorrow. In this way God would teach them to live by faith and to trust Him for their "daily" bread. God was also teaching them that He was their provider, because when they grumbled against Moses they said "he" brought them out of Egypt, but God was now showing that it was GOD that brought them out.
WHO - God's people got it. Not the Egyptians or any surrounding countries. Those who choose to follow the Lord will find nourishment in the midst of a dessert!
Working in the Wilderness
How God used manna to teach people to work
February 5, 2014 • Benham Brothers
GOALS 101
January 2, 2019 • Benham Brothers
A dream written down is a goal. A goal broken down is a plan. A plan acted upon leads to profit (Proverbs 16:9). You cannot accomplish your goals apart from discipline and diligence. You cannot maintain discipline without knowing WHY you have the goal in the first place. Seven Keys to creating goals: 1) Establish Long Term and Short Term Goals - a long term goal is what you want to accomplish or become in 5 years, 10 years, lifetime. Short term goals are the ones that are measurable and include more of your day-to-day activities. 2) KISS - keep it simple stupid! When you start thinking of all the things you want to accomplish you'll end up writing a book. Refine this down to one or two points for each category. 3) Categorize - you can split them up however you want. Financial, Personal, Business, Spiritual, etc (you can have one or two sub-categories under these as well). It doesn't matter what categories you use - just do something that helps you keep track. 4) Write them down - that's what your Memo App is for! Put it on your PDA and carry them with you everywhere. 5) Measure them - every quarter take inventory and then write a date beside the ones you've accomplished. You have to put goals that can be measured - don't just put "Become a better husband." Instead, put "One date night a week" or something like that. 6) Refine - take inventory to see if you need to change a goal. There's nothing wrong with that. We plan our way but God determines our course, so sometimes you'll end up on a different course which makes your previous goal moot. 7) Pray over them daily - at the bottom of my goals list I put Proverbs 16:3 - "Commit your way to the Lord and your plans will succeed." The beauty of this is that when you're walking with the Lord He will give you the plans He wants you to follow - so just make a plan and stick to it. He'll change them when/if He sees fit. Either way, your/His plans will succeed.
Understanding the Times
January 22, 2015 • Benham Brothers
We know about the men of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12) but we rarely think about the man Issachar. Jacob pronounced a blessing on him that gives us insight into who he was and the people who descended from him. They were workers, like donkies - always working, never complaining, but always working "for" someone. They would be hardworking people who earned an honest living. They would find their rest in their work. Only a labouring man can know what rest truly is. The men of Issachar were those men who were being faithful in the work God had called them to do, no matter what it was. All through Scripture we find people gainfully employed in an honest trade when God taps them on the shoulder. When the people of God clashed with their culture it was these faithful workers who knew what Israel should do. When Israel needed a solution the men of Issachar came up with it. All we have to do is be faithful right where God has placed us. Our faithfulness in our work will prove our fitfulness in God's kingdom.