IT MATTERS HOW YOU GOT IT!
TEXT:
"And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also" (Numbers chapter 20 verse 11, King James Version).
Apparently, one would count this as success; after all, there was a miracle and the congregation's quest for water was met! But a closer look inward reveals sin (disobedience). Moses struck the Rock whereas God told him to to speak to it (Numbers 20 verse 8). On a previous occasion, in Exodus 17 verses 5 to 6, God's instruction to Moses was to smite the Rock, which he did and there was a miracle. But on this latter occasion, God's Word to Moses was to speak to the Rock for the miracle (Numbers 20 verse 8). Instead, he struck it, and twice he did!
Never take success for the same thing as result! There's a big difference between them. Success is far better than result, as the latter may be cheap and may come without regards to established norms. To many people, the end justifies the means. But to the child of God, it's the other way around, the means justifies the end. Many people do not understand that how you get a thing matters! Nowadays, there's so much disregard for due process. This is utterly unacceptable! Can you please pause for a moment and ask yourself whether what you are planning to do is pleasing to God? Will Jesus, for instance, consent to it being done the way you are planning to do it? In other words, after all said and done, could you stand before God's congregation to testify stating all that transpired without hiding the shady part of the transaction? Many do not understand that it matters how you get a thing.
In the case under consideration, the people rejoiced over the miracle; yet God chided Moses for disobedience. "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which l have given them" (Numbers 20 verse 12). God said "Because ye believe Me not ...". It's sad that the word "believe" has been watered down merely to acknowledge that Someone (God) is in existence; but in truth, the word "believe" connotes in addition "obedience"! In simple and clear terms, God had allowed Moses to perform a miracle, though in disobedience; but it resulted in God's displeasure, costing him entry to the Promised Land.
This is a very dangerous path for servants or children of God to tread in. Today, too many people rejoice over results, miracles, signs and wonders without taking a look at how they came about them. As a minister of the gospel, can you take a break to assess yourself and see whether you have all along treaded the path of sin or disobedience? How did you get to the office you currently occupy? Did you get there in a manner that's repugnant to God's Way? As a child of God, can you re-examine what you call results in life's affairs to see if there are traces of sin or disobedience in the process?
Remember, in the case of Moses and Aaron, it cost them entry into the Promised Land (Numbers 20 verse 12). How sad it will be when Jesus will say to some who were greatly used to do signs, wonders and miracles: "depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity"
(Luke 13 verse 27)
May it never be so with us in Jesus name! But let's examine our ways to ensure that God approves of what we do in life.
PRAYER:
Dearest Heavenly Father, may I never be caught in the web of sin and disobedience, in Jesus name.