Wandering Is Humbling — Steve Mays

The Wilderness Generation and the Need to Move Forward

Shall we open our Bible today to the book of Numbers? I got to tell you that Leviticus was a fun book because it had to deal with pastors and Worship and holiness and all that stuff, but I'm thinking now that maybe numbers might be the one I really need more than anything else and you think well, why would you say that?

Well, when you find out during this study, you're gonna realize that we probably are in the book of Numbers right now 39 years of going nowhere. Around and around in circles and not making one inch of progress in the Lord.

That probably is where most of the country is today. We need to begin to move out. We need to begin to live by faith. We need to quit feeling sorry for ourself and we need to understand we're not in this thing by ourself.

We have a great God that is with us. So when you say to me, hey pastor Steve, I'm in the wilderness I'm gonna correct you. I'm gonna say to you with God in the wilderness. You're never gonna be apart from God.

He's always gonna be with you no matter where you go. He's gonna be there and so you can't say I'm in the wilderness. No, you have to say that God is with me in the wilderness. And by the way. It was in that wilderness that God fed him the manna and it was in that wilderness that God opened the Red Sea and God Opened the seas and the waters and marsh and so on and that God did tremendous works and they saw the pillar of fire.

And they saw the cloud that covered them and yet they did not trust God and that is a tragic thing. So when I look at this book, I begin to realize there are two groups that we're really talking about the old generation.

That is going to perish. Those will be the old wineskins that will not understand anything and then a whole new generation. That God's beginning to rise up or raise up right now the generation of the kids and we see that.

Those are probably 20 year olds and now we begin to understand what God's doing in our country. Oftentimes we're too old to change. Well, that shouldn't be it and we say well, we're kind of used to this wilderness.

No, God can break the wilderness. And by the way, the Bible says that his grace will speak to you in your wilderness. So you might be in the wilderness but Jeremiah said my grace is sufficient for thee in that wilderness and then you remember the Bible says also in the book of Psalms that he'll break the cedar and he'll Speak in his voice and break the wilderness completely.

In other words God can bring you out of that. But even like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. They did not want to come out of the fire and the reason why is they saw Jesus Christ in the fire. They went in bound and they came out loose and the reason why was because in that fire and God was there.

Nebuchadnezzar threw them in and Nebuchadnezzar looked in and said we I thought we threw three in. Why do I see fourth and he looks like the Son of Man? Because God was with them in that fire and God released them in that fire and they came out of that fire.

Brand new and sometimes a wilderness experience can really set you on fire for Jesus Christ. It can give you a new hunger a new heart a new desire. And so you look at Leviticus you look at numbers you think man, what am I gonna learn?

Scripture’s Usefulness for Hope and Spiritual Maturity

Well Timothy? Understood from Paul. Paul you remember said to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 14. But continue thou in the things which thou has learned and has been assured of knowing whom thou has learned them.

And from a child thou has known the Holy Scripture which are able to make you wise into salvation. Through faith, which is in Christ Jesus now check it out verse 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for number one doctrine number two reprove number three correction and number four instruction in righteousness and Reason why that the man of God may be perfect or complete or absolute mature?

Thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And so what Paul is telling Timothy is listen. You need to stay in the word and you need to know that every single book. Every single word is God's witness to us that God is speaking to man.

So when you look at Leviticus and says I'm gonna pass over don't. Because God will speak to you even in that book in the book of Numbers the very same way and one of the great verses I think in Romans chapter 15 verse 4.

It says for whatsoever things were written aforetime in other words. What was written back then the history? Were written for my learning that through patience and comfort of the scripture we might find hope.

That's a great verse. It says that the things that were written aforetime or written. So I would learn that through my patience and the comfort of the Holy Scripture. That God is going to give me hope and that's where we need.

We need a hope right now where we are and I can look to situations. I can go with emotion, but I need God to heal my heart. And so the book of Numbers is really not a good name. It's an English name, but the Hebrew name is in the wilderness.

So it talks about you being in the wilderness for 39 years the book of Leviticus. It was one month. The whole book was only one month long now. We're into here once again the wilderness and it kind of does make sense and Genesis through Deuteronomy.

We know them to be the Pentateuch's and they were written by Moses. So Genesis would be in the beginning or the creation of God where God elected you and God has predestined you. And then we come to the book of Exodus.

Which is really the book of Jesus Christ about God's redemption that through the blood of Jesus Christ He will bring you into that promised life. And the book of Leviticus is really the work of the Holy Spirit.

He will make you holy and he'll sanctify you and then you come to the book of Numbers and it has to do with what? Man numbering men and what is the issue of that failure all the time? So you have God the Father in the book of Genesis?

Creating you have the Son who's dying for the sins of the world. You have the Holy Spirit that is sanctifying and redeeming and then you have us man. Who is a typical failure because we will not look to God and what was to be?

11 days through the wilderness ended up being 39 years. Why. Because 10 spies came back with an evil report all they could see is the Giants. They couldn't see really what God said. Caleb and Joshua said hey we can do it.

But everyone else said no there are Giants in the land. Well tell you what there are Giants in our land and there are walls that we have to conquer and there's Jericho's that we need To bring down, but God has to do it and if God says do it.

We need to go and yet we realize I think I'll stay right where I'm at and that's the wilderness experience. We've been in this place too long. We've been going around and around too long. It's time to change the marriage.

It's time to change the relationship with the kids. It's time to grow up and begin to realize what God's doing and that means a step of faith. And that means coming out of that danger area and so the name of the book.

They numbered the people twice. The theme of the book is just murmuring and complaining and sadness. I know that's not us, but it's in chapter 11 people are complaining about the food foods. No good this and that I mean in the third world they have no food.

But boy, I tell you what if we're not happy with it. What do we do we complain big-time and Aaron and Miriam. They were complaining about Moses getting married and who gave you the authority in chapter 12.

And so guess what God dealt with those two so I know that we don't Criticize or we don't judge authority, and we don't think people can do the right thing all the time. That's okay, and then Cora and the company you remember they attacked Moses.

They came after Moses and they came against Moses and of course they died and we don't do that. We don't come against people. We don't gossip. You know not us. No, and we're not doubting and we're not disobeying, but I tell you what we are definitely wondering in humility.

What in the world's going on in our life? This is a great book because I think that we can learn something very powerfully in this book. They numbered the people twice at the very beginning and at the very end and they came up with 605 Thousand soldiers between the age of 20 and 50 that were willing to fight so they were now becoming a very strong Army.

Moses is the author and the date is around 1405 and the audience two groups I've mentioned to you and really that's probably all we really need to know but four things I want to show you four incredible truths to show you what can happen in your wilderness.

Manna in the Wilderness: Christ as the Bread of Life

Well Steve I'm right there. I'm kind of dry kind of empty not hearing from God. I'm emotionally wrapped up. Well, I have a great word for you this morning number one manna in the wilderness. He is the bread of life.

Turn with me to numbers chapter 11 verse 8 and 9. Numbers chapter 11 verse 8 and 9. Jesus is that bread of life and that's what Moses said he said here in numbers 11 verse 8 and 9 and the people went about and gathered it and That would be manna and ground it in mill and beat it into mortar.

Baked it in the pan make cakes of it and a taste it was as the taste of fresh oil. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it. And so that's what happened. God provided for people in the wilderness.

So number one God is providing for you doesn't make a difference where you're at God's gonna provide. God's doing a work. God's blessing and yet the people have changed the taste of it. They had the taste of a sweetness.

It was like honey until they complained and then God turned the taste into oil. It was kind of yeah, and I think sometimes because we challenge God we fight with God. We hassle with God we complain so much when we finally get ready to do what we have to do we do it.

It's obedient, but it's not sweet. There's not a sweetness in our Christian walk. We just do what we have to do because we don't want to go to hell. Well, that's a terrible way to live. You should be as sweet as honey the things of your life should be really sweet.

There should be a joy in your marriage a sweetness in your marriage. Not because you have to not because you're married to the bum. But because you actually love the bum and you understand the bum. I mean he's a bum, but you are bum, too.

You're a bum. He's a bum. You're all a bum. You're all saved under the grace of God and because of that you're thinking thank God there's not another bum I gotta live with. I've worked in this guy long enough.

He's okay, and so he can become sweet and it's fun and you can kind of understand each other. He does one thing you do another and that's the way it is. And so you want to feed the ducks? He wants to shoot the ducks you want to have a dog and she wants a little midget.

Yeah, I don't you know, that's the way marriage is. God doesn't. God just does it. God makes one strong one weak one doesn't cry one cries all the time. God puts them together. To balance things out so you can grow and I can grow and she can grow and things begin to become very sweet in a Relationship and when the sweetness is gone, it's over and I know I'm in that wilderness of life.

So number one I realized the manna was given but notice what John said in John chapter 6 verse 57 as the By the fathers, so he that eats me even he shall live by me. This is the bread which came down from heaven.

Not as your father did eat manna and are dead. He that eats the bread shall live forever. These things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. Do you catch it? He's saying I'm the bread of life.

I came down if you eat of me, you're gonna live now check it out. You're in a wilderness. No one understands what you're going through. God is speaking, but you're not hearing it. God's Word is there but you're not listening and sometimes we say God.

You don't care. God does care. He'll never leave you nor forsake you cast your burdens upon him. He's gonna minister to your heart. But you're not listening because you're wrapped up in the storm or you're wrapped up in the situation.

Or you're wrapped up in everything else. But God is shouting and the moment you stop and begin to say now wait a second. You're telling me that God's voice is here. I'm telling you God wants you out of the wilderness and God is gonna give you a voice.

He's gonna speak to you. He's gonna provide for you and he's gonna be your God. He's gonna be right there. He's never left you and the moment you calm down and begin to listen you're gonna hear God and it's gonna be a powerful voice and God's gonna minister to your heart and That is the bread of life.

You begin to eat that bread. It becomes a great thing and we see that there's a hunger and when there's a hunger for God, that's a wonderful thing. He said the very same thing in on the sea. In other words before that storm could leave Jesus stood and spoke his word.

Jesus wanted them to hear his word in the storm and then to open their eyes to see who he was. So God will give you the bread of life. God will speak to you his word and that's a profound thing when I come to realize what God wants me to do.

So here it is. I'm bummed out. So I don't want to get in the word. No, no, the Bible says I'm gonna eat his bread under the enemy. In other words, I'm gonna enjoy the Word of God under the camp of the enemy.

He gives his word and it's gonna be in my life. Don't run away. I don't want to get in the word. You need to get in the word. I'm bummed out doesn't make a difference get in the word. You need to hear God's voice.

You hear my voice. You hear your spouse's voice. You hear your boss's voice. You need to hear God's voice. What is God saying and the moment you hear that voice your hearts gonna burn and it's gonna shout and you're gonna begin to realize things are beginning to crack open because now you found the answer to life the bread of life, it's gonna set you free and Secondly not only the bread is mentioned here, but the water of life notice in Numbers chapter 20 verse 11 Moses is speaking again about Jesus Christ.

He says Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he smote the rock twice and water came out abundantly and the Congregation drank and their beast also. I kind of like that word the beast also because sometimes we just want water for me.

But what about your spouse she needs it too and when you start drinking guess what she gets to drink and when God works in your life other people get blessed and if you're Happy your animals are happy if you're bummed your animals to get bummed.

So you have to understand that things happen to you for a reason. But here is that River of God right underneath your feet. It's been there all the time and all you have to do is dig down a little bit.

The manna has been there. It's on the tree. You just have to go get it. Well, I'm kind of bummed. I don't want to go get it. You have to go get it. Well, I don't want to be filled you have to dig down.

There's a point in your life that you have to understand. It's gonna take a little bit of energy from your part to want the things of God. So if I really want the Word of God, it's right here. Go get it.

He humanly gave it to you. Now. I mean he divinely gave it to you. Now you have to humanly gather it or if I need the Spirit of God. You might have to hit your knees and begin to dig that water. But there's a spring underneath of you that's ready to go out.

The Water of Life and the Work of the Holy Spirit

You remember the woman at the well and John chapter 4 powerful verse. Jesus came to her that day at 12 o 'clock. It must have been a hundred and twenty degrees out in Syria and here this woman's coming by herself with a bucket.

She had no business being there at that time except she was despised by the city. She must have been something that people did not respect because people would come early in the morning not at that time.

But Jesus was waiting for her and when all of a sudden Jesus was there. He said to her so you're getting water and she said where's your bucket? Oh, I don't have a bucket. Well, how are you gonna get water?

I am the living water and then he began to speak to her. You've been married five times and the husband you're with now. You're not even married to she took off she left her bucket kind of interesting.

She did not need what she came for what she needed was a spiritual feeling not a physical feeling. She went back into town. She told everybody come meet the man that told me everything about myself. This city came out and when they came out Jesus said if you drink of her bucket or drink of this.

Well, you're gonna thirst again. But if you drink of me, you're never gonna thirst again. In other words I'm gonna satisfy the inner means and sometimes what happens in the wilderness is we pat somebody on the back.

It's like dust. It's like they've been walking like a mummy for 25 years. You know and you just pat him and their arm falls off or eyes falls out, you know. And you want to love a brother, but you you pat him and they're dust and you make you cough and what happened to you?

Well, I'll tell you what needs to be done. You need to be soaking in the Holy Spirit they need to take you like that clay when it's hard and crusty and Dump you into that bucket of water and let you soak and you're gonna get soft and tender and pliable and you're gonna be able To be molded and God's gonna mold you with his fingers, which are the circumstances of your life.

So you have a George here a Bill Hill. You got a job here. You got this you got that and God molds you and when all of a sudden you're fighting with the clay and you're messing with the Maker, he'll just put you all together and throw you back in a bucket.

I can't work with this clay. It's too stubborn and all of a sudden bubbles come up. Help help help and so he reaches down and picks you up and puts you back down. You're nice and slimy. He begins to mold you you get all the way up.

I'm perfect and God says all your prideful pushes you all the way back down. So this Potter is moving the wheel. He is the one who's spinning the wheel too many things are happening in my life. Who's doing that God and who has the vision God and who has the hands God?

What is the clay talking back to the Potter go back in the water? Until you behave yourself when you come back out and all of a sudden you get all done. Praise God. I'm done. Are you really really. Then he picks you up and takes you over and puts you in an oven shuts the door at 1 ,500 degrees and smiles at you through the door and You're screaming at God.

What are you doing? And God says I'm right here. I don't care. Open the door and that's what my cookies come in cookies 350 12 minutes great chocolate chip cookies. What do I do? Open the door shut the door open the door shut the door.

45 minutes later cookies aren't done. Why? Because I do exactly what I do with God. I stop God. I start God. I stop God. I start God. I won't let God work in my life. And so the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said the very same thing if any man thirst after me. Let him come unto me and out of his bellies shall come forth torrents of living water and listen to what Paul said in 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4 did all drink the same spiritual drink.

They drank from that spiritual rock that followed them that rock is Christ. So two things right off the bat I'm in this wilderness. Let me ask you a question. Have you heard God? No, are you sensing God?

No, then something's wrong. Your heart's not right because in that wilderness God is trying to teach you something and God is trying to work in your heart. You have to yield to the work of his Holy Spirit and so so important.

The Serpent on the Pole and Healing by Faith

But number three, there's a serpent in the wilderness too. And he's the healing of life kind of interesting and Numbers chapter 21 verse 9. It says Moses made a serpent of brass put it upon the pole. That's where you get the medical thing and it came to pass that if the serpent had bitten any man When he had beheld the serpent brass, he was healed and lived.

That's exactly what happened. They had sinned 23 ,000 have died and the bites were happening and people were bitten by a serpent and Moses made this Serpent stuck it up and said as many as look to this will be healed.

Well, you're sitting next to a guy. Maybe he's been bitten. Maybe I got bit and Rob sat next to me and he's saying Steve look to God. Why he bit me. Why should I look to God? It's just a stick. It's just Moses doesn't make any sense.

I need medical attention right now. No look to God. No, I need medical suck this blood out Rob right now. Hurry up. No look to God. I don't do it. I'm dead. It takes a step of faith. Exactly same thing happens in our life.

We think we can do it, but we don't look to God. I can handle it you need to look to God in a very powerful way look at what John said and John chapter 3 verse 14 as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up and Whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

So there it comes a moment of faith in your life. God is speaking. He has the water to once again work in and through your life, but you're gonna have to believe. You're gonna have to come to a point in your life that no matter how much pain and hurt and agony there is God is good and that God is faithful and God is always right and you're always wrong and God is going to Help you, but if you don't listen, there's no reason to be in this wilderness one day longer than you need to be.

Yes, you got to get through but not 39 years not around a mountain for 39 years. Not in rebellion and not growing one inch in 39 years. That is stupidity. That is a person that says listen. I don't want to live by faith.

I want nothing to do. I'll tell you what happens you have no concept of God. Your life is dry and I tell you what when God says look to me you don't do it. Why. Because you get used to this kind of glory you get used to the rivers opening up you get used to the river.

Turning into water good like marsh you get used to the things going around. Why do I need any more in my life because you're in the wilderness? God is gonna be faithful to you, but there's an abundant life and That brings me to the very last point and probably one.

Jesus Christ as the Star in the Wilderness

I really enjoy the most it says here number four. He is the star in the wilderness not you. You're not a star in the wilderness. Christ is that star and look at here in a very profound way the star of Jacob in Numbers chapter 24 verse 17 He says I shall see him, but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a star out of Jacob a Scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corner of Moab and destroy all the children of Seth.

In other words There is a ruler coming named Jesus Christ, and what I believe this is talking about is the most important thing of your life. Hope because if God takes you and begins to speak his word to your heart.

It's a great day, and when the Spirit of God begins to fill your heart. It's a wonderful day, and when you begin to live by faith man. That is where it's at, but here is where it stops, but that's it because I've blown it I'm no good.

I can't do it. I'm just a crybaby. I'm just this. I'm just that no stop. Where is the new ambition? Where is the new man in Christ the new woman in Christ? Where do things begin to explode again, and now you begin to realize you're being revived.

This is a brand new day in your life. And you're gonna take all the pain and put it together and you're gonna be used for the glory of God. In other words. This is where God restores the vision the hope and the dreams of your life.

And he says this there's a start coming. It's Jesus Christ. That's a great thing to think about and what happens in my life is I get bummed I go through it, and then I lose heart. I don't want to do it no more and then God says Steve What's wrong with you?

Well? You know I just don't hear your word. Well. Why well? I just haven't been looking at your word. I'm don't feel your spirit. Why. I'm still so dry. You know I'm in the hospital Steven do you have any faith.

Not much Steven? What about the people. I just want to Go to bed. That's a pathetic thing Steven I know and God begins to show me your heart is wrong and boy I turn my heart. It's like Jeremiah your heart begins to burn you get you get me out of hospital.

I want to preach. I want to go for it. And then we read here in Luke 1 7 8 through the tender mercy of a God whereby The day spring from on high has visited us. Who is that Jesus Christ? Coming in a form of a baby who's going to come to Mary.

Peter said it this way in 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Where to you do well that you take heed as unto the light that shines in darkness. Until the day dawn and the day star rises in your heart.

What does that saying. God's gonna light the fire in your heart again? He's gonna put the passion for your husband in your heart again. It can never happen it can't happen. He can make it a torch. He can make it to the point that he opens the door and there you are.

Grabbing him and just kissing him. What happened to you. I got lit. I'm gonna light you right now. You know so all of a sudden things up. Or you call your kids come home, and they're waiting for you to lecture them, and you love them.

What happened dad. I got filled with the Spirit of God the light went on and I realized that God made you in his image. And God's responsible for you. I just want to thank God that you're okay things change.

And it says here not only that in Revelation chapter 2 verse 28. I will give him the morning star. He's saying to the church. I'll give you the morning star, but here's the best one in Revelation chapter 22 verse 16 I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches.

I am the root and the offspring of David and The bright and morning star in other words what God is saying to you. And I in a very profound way is there's no reason to be in this wilderness right now.

You've been here long enough. It's time for God to light your heart on fire. How does it work? Well? I'm the bread of life. Are you willing to go gather it? I am. Is It there it is. You mean I need to get up and go grab it grab it okay?

I can do that and God speaks to your heart and All of a sudden you want that spirit you're hungry for the spiritual things of life. And you're not getting it from anywhere. Are you willing to dig a little bit willing to dig down and hit the stream?

That's underneath of you and all of a sudden that spirit just fills your heart and takes the old Wineskins and makes it a brand new tender thing and makes you pliable and flexible and and Begins to fill your heart, and you begin to bubble over and people see it.

And they're affected and then all of a sudden faith comes back into your life. You think you know maybe I can do this. Maybe I can look to God. Maybe God can heal our family. Maybe God can put things back together.

Maybe God can heal the country. Maybe God could do a great work. He can and All of a sudden the most exciting thing happens. He lights your light. And he makes you a flame and he gives you ambition and dream.

And you finally realize this whole thing has been to get me to this moment of my life. You know why because God's never left you. You talk about him not being in your wilderness. He's all over your life.

You're just stubborn and won't look to him. You got to turn to God and let God fill you and bless you and anoint you and use you. Don't give up on God. People can't give you what you want. There's too much pain and agony in this world.

Let the Spirit of God break your heart and fill your heart and use your heart and push you out. Because it's never too late.