Cravings
Cravings are a part of being human. I often crave chocolate, steak, or an ice cold beer. I also crave things, especially gadgets, and I crave positions, like being a lead minister. Giving in to cravings on occasion isn’t a bad or evil thing. Always giving into them and even to the point of excusing your behavior on the basis of your craving is fueled by sin.
In the Old Testament in the book of Numbers we come face to face with what cravings can do when they consume us and turn into language that reveals a heart that not only flees God but spits in His face. It’s the language of entitlement that likes to use words like “deserve.”
The Israelites, freed from slavery, find themselves in the wilderness prior to their first encounter with the Promised Land. In seemingly a short amount of time they begin to grumble about the fact that manna is their ONLY source of nourishment.
“4Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed.5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.
6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”” (Numbers 11)
When the Israelites long for Egypt and crave the things of their life of slavery it is always a really bad sign. God in effect gives them what they want, and in the process sends a plague along with quail and it seems to only kill those who “craved meat from Egypt” (verse 33-34).
I’ve often confused my cravings with God’s desire for me. I’ve often cried out, “What is taking so long?” I’ve often acted on cravings and excused them with “I deserve,” and today I am convicted that it is all Egypt and I am reminded, I’ve been freed from Egypt and have power over my cravings.
What is it you deserve? What cravings are you excusing? Where might you need the grace of God to redeem you and remind you that you have been made free?
Do You Know Joseph Kony?
He is the Adolf Hitler of our day and yet you don’t even know who he is.
There are two reasons Uganda has an orphan crisis. One is AIDS and other health related issues. The other is Joseph Kony. In the Northern part of Uganda, southern Sudan, and north-eastern Congo Joseph Kony has been kidnapping children and forcing them to kill their parents and then join his army. If you are a girl your role may be to provide sex. If you are a boy you will be called upon to intimidate, mutilate, and kill in the name of Joseph Kony. 30,000 children have been kidnapped in Uganda alone. His behavior has led to him being listed as the #1 most dangerous man on the planet according to the Interantional Criminal Court at The Hague in The Netherlands. Muammar Gaddafi, recently deposed dictator of Libya was #22.
Governements supported the overthrow of Gaddafi’s government simply because of oil. Joseph Kony doesn’t have any oil, but he has hands stained by the blood of thousands of innocent people. In 2012 the agency Invisible Children has made the capture of Joseph Kony an absolute must.
I encourage you to watch the following video, share it with anyone and everyone, talk about it with your children and friends, and churches and then join me to make Joseph Kony famous.
Tornadoes, Storms, and Weather Prediction
All it takes is one guy on a weather channel to create an algorithm that predicts bad weather and the next thing you know schools are dismissing early, work grinds to a halt, evening plans get cancelled, and life moves to the basement.
When God adopted you and I as His kids we become that guy. We proclaim that based upon the algorithm that is God’s Word that unless you repent then Hell, which is far worse than death by tornado, is your destiny. And regardless of whether or not we stay there for eternity or just overnight my guess is a moment is too long.
So how are you doing at predicting the weather? Is anyone heeding your warning?