Exodus 7 - Signs from God

Moses while speaking to God at the burning bush was given two signs he could use before Pharaoh to prove he was speaking from God. He was to throw down his staff and it would become a snake. He was to hold his staff over the Nile river and it would turn to blood. If anyone did that in front of me, it would make me sit up and take notice. 

But notice in this chapter, Pharaoh's magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic, so Pharaoh's heart became hard toward the word of God. Now not only were the Israelites suffering at Pharaoh's hand, so were the Egyptians. 

There is a fellow who attends church and each Sunday when you ask him how he is he will say, "I'm counting my blessings".  He means that too. He is walking in fellowship with God and looking for Him to move in his life. I know the greatest blessing he counts is his salvation from sin and the hope of Heaven so in good times and bad he can count his blessings. 

Many Christians look for "blessings" from God in the form of abundance, health, freedom from conflict as evidences of God's approval of their lives. I have seen people attend healing services looking for a blessing from God. Poverty, poor health, disability, relational conflicts are seen as curses or coming from the hand of the enemy. 

In truth, the enemy is very powerful. Look back to Exodus 7 and notice how the enemy was able to replicate the miracles God provided. These replications caused Pharaoh to increase his hardness toward God. I think this happens so much today.  When we are living pain and stress free with all the abundance we need, we may thank God, but we don't live in the momentary dependence on Him as we do when hardship comes our way. 

Since the enemy can reproduce the miracles from God it would seem abundance is just the state that would allow God's people to become complacent in their faith. I believe it is why in the United States, we have such wealth, such abundance and such bland churches going through the rituals of worship but never entering into full faith and trust in God. It is why many in our nation have turned their backs completely on God and are walking in the ways that seem right to them. 

Some people chase miracles as if they are little pieces of manna from Heaven. They stand amazed at every healing, every unexpected windfall as evidence from God that He has his hand on their lives. There is grave danger in chasing miracles like thIs. I do believe God does miracles and He answers our prayers. But when we make this the center of our faith, we are on very thin ice. Our faith rests on God proving himself over and over again to us - which is no faith at all. 

Since the enemy can reproduce miracles,  it would seem likely that he would rather see us chase after blessings and live in abundance than to afflict us. Pain would then become evidence of God's absence and isn't that just what the enemy wants from us - to doubt God like Pharaoh?

Signs are evidences for and unbeliever to come to faith in God and to know He is real - for those who need evidence beyond creation itself. (See 1 Corinthians 14:22). We who are of the faith do not need special manifestations of God to know that He is. Yet our faith is increased when we see God sustain us on hardship and to bring us through times of trials. Our faith is increased not because we avoided hardship but because we were sustained and strengthened through it. 

In our stewardship, we must also live in dependence on God. He does bless some with great wealth that they may be beacons to the wealthy and minister Christ's love to them. But more often he gives us what we need day by day. This not only keeps us looking upward for our provision but also allows us to minister to the suffering with a special compassion. 

The next time you see a special miracle, look for the source and keep your walk close with The Lord. What might be considered a curse in our estimation may be the very thing God uses to draw us into a deeper faith and dependence on Him. 

At God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.