Patience is not my strongest virtue. But there are areas in which church leaders cannot afford to be impatient. When it comes to knowing when it is time to begin a new building program, hire a staff member, launch a new ministry, and a hundred other decisions, we need to have the peace of God before moving forward. Especially, we need the presence of God on that part of the journey.
In this growth points video, I point out three provisions we miss without the presence of God.
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As I was recently reading in Exodus, I noticed Moses’ insistence on the presence of God in the wilderness journey. Before the building of the Tabernacle, before the progression of the journey, Moses insisted on God’s personal presence.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.—Exodus 33:15
Moses’ attitude should be ours as we move forward in ministry. With Moses, we should say, “Lord, if You’re not in it, if You’re not with me, and if You’re not directing me, I don’t want to move forward.”
I’m sure you could testify, as I can, of the tough lessons learned during those times when we’ve moved ahead of God. Our ideas were great, and our hearts may have been pure—but sometimes we just need to wait on the Lord.
Without the Lord’s presence, we miss the provisions we need most:
- God’s grace: “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people” (Exodus 33:13).
- Rest: “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14).
- Supernatural provision: “For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders…” (Exodus 34:24).
Yes, we need God’s presence before we take one step forward.
I don’t know what decision you may be facing today, but whatever it is, I challenge you: Wait to move until you are sure God is with you.
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