Siendi (I Will Not Go)

And he said unto Him, If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? is it not in that Thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. (Exodus 33: 15, 16)

There is a chorus people love to sing. However, its context is so off that I cringe when it starts being sung. Yet it is sung as if from this verse (15).

People sing something similar to this.

Lord, I pray that you bless me and I am not leaving here until you bless me; and many other demands of that nature.

I am tempted to ask people after service how far their prayer has gone and why everybody is leaving the church without verifying whether God has responded to their threat. Yet you will hear some complaining of this or the other, even sharing prayer requests even after that threat.

A lot of the singing that we call gospel nowadays is meaningless. It is just an arrangement of words and music to make people feel good instead of being instructed and challenged toward godliness.

Yet why did Moses make that famous prayer?

Moses had been almost seven weeks on the mountain receiving God’s instructions for Israel as well as the Ten Commandments.

Israel had forgotten about God who had delivered them from Egypt and created alternative worship.

God had been angered that the Israelites had forgotten Him so quickly so that He decided to clear them off and restart Abraham’s promise with Moses.

But Moses pleads with God to pardon them and thus averts the judgment due them.

That is when God said that due to Israel’s propensity to depart from God He will just send and angel lest He is angered enough to destroy them at no notice (v3)

That is when Moses prayed that prayer.

Go with us. There is no need of leaving without Your presence.

In other words he was saying that he would rather be destroyed by the wrath of God than moving on without that presence. An angel was good, but for Moses God’s presence was the only thing he required. The protection and miracles an angel would be doing were not satisfactory for this man of God.

What were the implications of that prayer?

The first one is that God would be close to them. That meant that His power and revelation will be close at hand all the time. They would be walking in revelation because that is one reality of God’s presence.

But it also meant that his judgment would be close at hand. They would have no excuse for their disobedience, as He was threatening, He could clear them in a moment. Like He had warned His judgment would be arriving in an instant.

Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. (Numbers 16: 45 – 47)

Moses chose the hard part. I am sure most of Israel would have been content with an angel showing them the way and clearing it for them. That is the kind of prayer they made when God chose to speak to them one on one (Exodus 20: 19)

But not for Moses!

God had to walk with Him.

You realize that the answer to that prayer was the reason Moses was disqualified from crossing over to the Promised Land. You see, with God close at hand, no small infringement is excusable.

That was the same reason only two of the original army and population were able to cross the Jordan. God will not overlook sin when He walks amongst us.

How desirous are we of God’s presence? `

On the positive side, that presence Moses could stay without eating or drinking for forty days. God’s presence gives more and better satisfaction than physical food.          

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12)

And that was the reason his face glowed after dwelling in that presence. You see, God’s presence results in the manifestation of His glory.

God’s presence is what gives us peace amidst the storms. It is what gives us sleep when all around us is shaking. And it is that presence that sharpens our discretion and discernment.  It is that presence that converts all shades of grey into glaringly distinct blacks and whites.

God’s presence is ‘allergic’ to sin of any type, whether open or in the inward parts. That is why God’s presence is dreadful for someone not ready to take the plunge into the inner court.

Sadly, even many ministers are content to be accompanied by an angel. You see, the angel provides and fights for us without being stringent on our personal holiness. The ministry thrives even without any effort at personal pursuit of growth or holiness. They excel without needing to get directions from heaven. They appear insanely successful even as they exploit and oppress others. And of course they preach from a Bible they only open when they are looking for whatever they need to preach.

They are content with the guidance of an angel.

Sadly, an angel, though not responsible for judging or even rebuking, is answerable to God, the judge of all flesh. God also does not relinquish His deity to the angel. He will therefore hold us accountable for our lives.

And here comes my favorite rain on the parade passage.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7: 21 - 23)

Judgment will still come. Holiness is still a requirement for effective ministry. And success here does not necessarily count in heaven.

There is therefore a clear choice; choosing to take the straight and narrow in God’s presence or the popular route without much restriction.

I dare say that the difference will be the same for most observers. It is only with the most discriminating that the difference can be seen, and then as broad as daylight. It will even be visible when someone leaves the straight and narrow and discards the presence.

A sermon can give away the preacher’s prayer.

By the way I am not even touching on visible sin. There is something God’s presence does to a person so that the same joke brings out different responses depending on the presence or absence of that Presence.

Both David and Saul had armies. Why was it that people always comforted David with the fact that he was fighting God’s battles? Why was it that Joseph and the four Hebrew boys were said to be having the spirit of the holy gods?

They pursued that presence at great cost.

And it would be wise for us to pursue Him the same way. Then He will manifest Himself to us in a way that will draw the attention of our generation to the same Holy God.

You see, allowing His presence to run our affairs does not, like the shallow believers say, kill our fun. It transposes us to another level that makes the fun base and hollow. He then offers us the real fun of getting to know Him and walking with Him.

The best thing is that that presence does not leave us even in death. Remember God hiding Moses’ grave? Remember Elisha’s bones resurrecting a dead man?

And even beyond that, our memory becomes precious.

The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. (Proverbs 10:7)

Whoever is remembered for partying hard beyond his generation? Yet the one who sought God deeply will be on people’s memories for many generations.

A simple recollection would be useful here.

Remember those irresistible books that people hid under the desk to read when the lesson was in progress? Remember those books that were a must read, almost as proof that one had gone to school? Remember those books that made a Christian youth be recognized as a believer if he carried them.

Where are they now? Who even remembers them?

Yet I will get a sixteenth and seventeenth century book that is still current because it came from a person who walked with God.

Remember those movies and TV programs that made people leave work early to watch? Can you remember them now?

Yet we are talking about ten, twenty, thirty years.

Think of popular music just five years ago. How much of it rocks today? And I am not talking about secular music.

Yet we have songs that are as uplifting as they were when they were composed five hundred years ago. Many times you will realize the depth of the commitment of the composer to Christ. Many times the sacrifice required before the song came out meant that there could not have been any half measures in their faith.

We must immerse ourselves in God’s word to understand how we can walk with that presence.

God’s presence is the difference between the normal and the exceptional. And it appears exceptional to the one who decided that the angel was a better deal, a more accommodating proposition.

God’s presence demands radical obedience. It most time needs one to stand alone against the whole world.

I will choose like Moses to live a shorter life and have God take care of my remains (heritage) than enjoy a long life apart from His manifest presence though God’s presence is many times the best insurance for a long and full life.

Do you choose God to walk with you or would you rather He sends His angel to understand and sympathize with your weaknesses?

Situational versus Permanent

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1Corinthians 13: 9 – 11)

I want us to look at one aspect of our Christian life that makes it absolutely crucial for each believer to be reading the Bible consistently and in whole.

But I want us to look at a few things.

Elijah introduced God powerfully and in an incontrovertibly compelling manner.

Why was it that the nation did not return to God completely? Why was that revival so short-lived?

Look also at the time of Moses.

These characters have seen miracle after another, from the plagues in Egypt to the miracles in the wilderness. They are actually walking on the miracles on a daily basis as they ate manna. And they had the cloud of His presence over the tabernacle by day and by night.

How do they all of a sudden want to go back to Egypt with God so close to them? Why does the existence of giants make them give up so easily?

And I need to mention something here. At the time of the rebellion they had only been two years from deliverance. We are therefore talking of a very short time as even a child could remember the miracles, from Egyptian plagues to miraculous provision and victories along the way. Forty years were meant for them to reap from their rebellion.

The human mind has a very selective memory. We choose what we want to believe and pursue. And self-interest and comfort play a very key part in that. That is why we choose what to feed our minds and hearts on. It explains why in law ignorance can never be used as an excuse because we choose what we will know.

It therefore means that given the choice I would rather eat than fast. That I would rather relax than work. I would rather watch a TV or movie than read a book. I would rather listen to a sermon (preferably motivational) than pray to hear directly from God. I would rather read a book that excites my ego than the one that challenges my values. I would rather be amused than muse. That is why comedy is a powerful preoccupation of many in our generation. Also the reason we have so many bedside and couch church members who choose to be spiritual in the comfort of their homes. Incidentally some are very faithful tithers and givers to their TV pastors. Of course the same pastors enjoy that as they evade accountability provided they churn out those entertaining morsels of spiritual truth, whatever that means.

The bulk of what many believers do is rooted in self-interest and comfort, from what we call worship to missions. We simply do them to gratify self-interest hoping that God will reward us because we are doing them in His name.

And the devil knows that.

You see, reading an engaging book for most induces sleep better than actual sleeping pills. What then about reading a book with the potential to completely alter everything I believe in and practice? The devil just adds a little boost to our lazy bone.

He therefore manipulates our feelings to convince us that the Bible is impossible to read, let alone understand. And our lazy bone gladly agrees with him.

One of the easiest tools the devil uses is the gifts God gives. He just stretches them beyond their usefulness. He convinces us that what is seasonal and temporal is permanent and therefore completely dependable. He therefore twists our minds to consider temporal reality as eternal. By doing so, we discard revelation for transient solutions.

What do I mean?

A lot of the things we value and elevate as believers are there for a season and a particular purpose. They are situational.

Incidentally, only one thing is permanent and immovable, God’s word, the Bible. All the rest, though from God, are situational. That is what Christ taught.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)

It is the only thing we can confidently place our trust on.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)

Let us look at a few things that are situational.

The first one is prophecy, and by this I mean true prophecy; prophecy from God.

Prophecy is situational. What I mean is that it is normally aimed at a particular time, season, environment, etc.

All prophets had an object and a message for the times they prophesied. That is why even the prophetic books stand out for the times they ministered. And I believe that is the reason very prominent prophets left no writing behind. Or have you not like me wondered why Elijah, Elisha, even Nathan never wrote anything for our instruction? And there were many other prophets we read in the Bible who had very prominent ministries in the Bible narrative who left no written record.

Even the prophetic books owe their ‘eternal’ aspect to God’s eternal nature of revelation. He showed the prophet things way beyond his perspective so that his message may reach beyond the constraints of his immediate context. And it is because God is the one who engineers events that will make such a prophecy stretch beyond its immediate context. Of course He can also show His prophet things so far in the future that they will only make sense in their fulfillment.

As an example He shows John a single army with two hundred million soldiers when I doubt the entire earth’s population had reached that point. Or the modern weapons that he had problems describing as he had not only no words but even context. You see, it is difficult to describe something you do not understand.

Let me give you an example.

A mad man saw someone speaking on the cellphone with a Bluetooth headset with enough gesturing. Incidentally I wonder why we gesture, smile and even make growls when the other person can’t see us. Of course a Bluetooth headset is a small thing that can’t be seen easily. He wondered to people nearby.

People call me insane and I do not dispute it. What then will they make of this fellow speaking so animatedly to himself as he crosses the road?

I believe that is the kind of time warp some prophets were in when they were shown things that would happen long after their times.

But the point here is that prophecy is situational. What I mean is that prophecy addresses people in situations, offering God’s view of those situations. As such, it can’t be timeless. In fact, only God takes prophecy and translates it to other situations through His inspiration. And many times it is the prophecy that He allowed to be recorded in His word, not just any prophecy.

Another situational thing is the gift. And it is explained by the purpose of the said gift. God gives a gift for an assignment. At the end of the assignment, the gift still remains but another gift or set of gifts are released for the new assignment.

We fail many times when we forget that fact. In fact we may end up frustrated, even depressed when God moves on and leaves us pursuing a gift whose assignment is complete.

Let me use my example.

God called me when I was a musician, purely Christian music. At that time I thought I could not do ministry if music was absent. From composing songs to singing to playing instruments to singing in and teaching choirs, I was all music. Any other ministry I did was either as part of music or music directly opened the doors.

As a preacher, a teacher, an evangelist and missionary, music was key to a lot of the ministry I was involved in. Of course discipleship was the foundation of how I did things.

When God asked me to leave employment for ministry, I knew that music was part of the ministry I would be involved in, though not as a musician but as a door opener as had happened through most of my ministry till then. I even bought an accordion in preparation.

Like I have written elsewhere, I had assumed that God was going to continue using me in missions to the unreached people group I was enjoying the fruit of my ministry in. I think that closed my ears to any other command from God.

He therefore literally plucked me from the mission field, meaning that I left everything.

My guitar got lost in the process. Then somehow I lost the interest in playing the accordion.

Then God started opening other ministry doors that had no relation at all to music.

By the time I was called to Nairobi, music was a faint memory. But I thought that I just needed to get a guitar and everything would change.

When I got the guitar, I realized that music is not part of the ministry God had for me in the dispensation. I didn’t lose the skill. But it was clear that God did not intend to use me as He had in the past. And the gap was just a few years.

God had closed my season of music. Of course He had opened another season. And that is not the only season He has closed over the years as I have sought to walk in obedience.

Now suppose I had behaved like most and decided that music was my core calling/ ministry? I could have been walking at cross purposes with God.

One reason ministers fall into sin and disappointment is moving with a season God has closed because they do not want to pursue new uncharted paths, even in obedience.

Imagine with me what I always say. God led you to start a small church that really grows into a mega church under your leadership.

Then God reminds you that His call is for you to be starting churches and not pastoring them.

Moving with God will mean leaving all those perks you were enjoying into an uncertain future, bearing in mind that your children are getting into college. What will you do?

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7: 21 – 23)

That is what most have done; continuing when God had moved on.

Another situational thing is anointing. God’s anointing is for a purpose. And I am not talking about the anointing that is the preserve of all believers in Christ.

As with gifting, God’s anointing is for a purpose, an assignment.

The clearest example is Samson.

He was a normal man until his anointing was required, then he became superhuman. It was his assignment that released his anointing.

Your anointing as an evangelist does not lead you to become a pastor unless the assignment has changed. And it is the same with music and any other gift or anointing.

Many Christian leaders took their anointing to lead the church as an opening to become political leaders and messed up big time because anointing isn’t transferable.

Only one thing is permanent. And it is God’s word. It is relevant across the whole spectrum of human endeavor. 

Our pursuit in the reading and study of God’s word is what will make our ministry timely and of course pleasing to God.

That is why I am always challenging and offering materials to assist believers to read the Bible consistently. It is because God’s word is eternal. And God gives life to the word we read to transfer it from being logos to becoming rhema for us.

Is there a danger of running on the situational?

The name itself tells us so. Situations change.

Many have burnt their fingers when they thought their anointing would take care of their sin tendencies. They therefore overstretched their mandate beyond their body limits and discovered too late that their body is not subject to the anointing.

I remember the pastors I heard of who out of curiosity visited the red light district in a foreign land convinced they could bring in the sheaves. Most of them died of the AIDS they contracted as they spread their anointing. I believe that is what befell Samson.

That is how gifts and anointing are abused and even traded in.

What is the solution?

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (Psalm 19: 7 – 13)

We simply love God’s word and spend adequate and quality times with and in it. Like Joshua 1:8 says, it then becomes the thing that we are regurgitating from our mouths in speech.

Like Jesus said the mouth gives an overflow of what is in the heart.

And I am not talking about scripture memory, useful as memorizing is. I am talking about constant reading of God’s word so that it becomes the one shaping my worldview, and not through reference but more through spiritual instinct (or something like it).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)

And it can’t dwell unless it is constantly being fed on.

Taking God at His Word

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.(Psalm 119: 89 – 91)

How many of you establish that a public vehicle is insured before boarding it? How many ensure that it has a spare wheel? How many make sure that the driver is licensed before allowing him to carry you?

How many will look for the reporter before reading a newspaper to ensure that you share values? Whoever wanted to verify the source before watching the news?

Why then do we have issues believing what God says about the Bible? Why do we look for reasons not to read the Bible yet are not ashamed to say that we love its author? Why don’t we read the Bible as thoroughly and consistently as we read books and newspapers?

Ever heard people praying for journey mercies? You will hear them confessing that they are travelling with gadgets made by the hands of men (meaning unreliably) and therefore pleading for God’s hand which is sure protection.

Yet we still trust those gadgets more than the God we are asking to override their undependability.

What do I mean?

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

That command (yes, command) directly implies a continuous and consistent reading of the book so that our minds and hearts are saturated with it. Then we will naturally be vomiting it as our overflow (excuse my unsavory language).

It does not mean reading a verse here and a chapter there when you have some free time.

And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. (Deuteronomy 32: 46, 47)

God’s word is life. Yet we trust other things than we trust that word enough to read it.

Or maybe we fear it. We know just about enough about God to realize that knowing His word will open us up to His control. In other words, we fear having God running our affairs. But we do not want to confess, even acknowledge that.

Let me give another analogy.

Do you require a breakdown of the nutritional content when you are offered food at a restaurant? Do you ask how many vitamins, fiber, fat etc. the food contains? I need 200 mg of starch, 50 g of cholesterol, 100 g of fiber…

Why then must you break down the Bible before you read it?

I need a verse to handle depression. I need a verse when under pressure. I need a verse to give me psych before tackling an assignment. I need a verse when my boss is on my case.

Is the Bible an apothecary?

Why do we use illogical logic when the Bible is the subject? Why do we use standards that would otherwise hold no water when dealing with God’s word?

I don’t know how many believers know that the Bible is a unit and not fragments. And many preachers are not any better as they treat the Bible so. What with the customized messages they preach to keep their members as contributing members of their kiosk, sorry, church?

Do you realize that Deuteronomy was recited on one day? Just read it and you will realize so.

It simply means that it really should be read in one sitting since that is the way it was spoken.

And many other books are of that nature. They were written to be read at one sitting.

That was the reason the Sabbaths were for the reading of the scriptures. Even the three annual festivals were for the same purpose.

During Josiah’s time, ALL the words were read from the Bible that had been retrieved from the temple, many times. In other words, they read through the whole book every time they met.

During Ezra’s time, we see them dedicating from morning till noon every day ONLY for the reading of the scriptures. And it was not once a week or during a festival. It was daily for several weeks.

Unlike today, preachers in the Bible quoted the Bible extensively. The preacher used his words to string Bible passages together not like today’s preachers that use a verse as punctuation.

Read Peter’s sermon at Pentecost. Or Stephen’s sermon before he was stoned.

It is no wonder those messages had to have a response.

You see God watches over His word to fulfill it, not the preacher’s creativity.

I believe the same applies with social media posts. There are posts that are liked and others that are dreaded. And I dare say it is the place of the word that determines it. Posts that are saturated with God’s word are unpopular as they hold one to account. Doses of ‘encouragement’ and motivation are enjoyable to the flesh and therefore garner adequate likes. You see, they do not challenge people to God’s standard.

But you realize that we can only vomit what we have ingested. If we take in the scriptures as tablets, there is very little actual scripture coming out of our mouths, making us really struggle to speak wholesome doctrine.

Will we believe God enough to read His word in sizeable chunks consistently?

Why do we read the whole newspaper, magazine or novel yet need a lot of plodding to read four chapters of the Bible daily yet we know that reading that will make us finish reading through the Bible in ten months? Why is it so difficult to read a Bible book at one sitting?

Or are we scared of the transformation that will occur when the Bible starts being a sizeable part of what will be coming from our mouths?

Let me remind you that we still offer reading plans to help the beginner to read through the Bible in one year.