BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

B V O V : 1 9 by Gloria Copeland This article was adapted from Gloria Copeland's New York Times bestseller, God's Master Plan for Your Life. This article was adapted from Gloria don't understand them. One thing of major importance is to know that whatever He directs will always agree with the written Word. This helps so much to keep us from going in the wrong direction or from being misled. That kind of step-by- step obedience will keep us constantly connected to the Master Plan. Failure to obey, on the other hand, will disconnect us. Sometimes, what even seem to be minor acts of disobedience can result in making major, long-term di erences in our lives. If you doubt that, consider Moses. Psalm 106 says that when the Israelites angered the Lord at the waters of Meribah, "it went ill with Moses for their sakes; for they provoked [Moses'] spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips" (verses 32- 33, Amplifi ed Bible, Classic Edition). One disobedient act brought great disappointment to Moses' life. He missed part of his destiny because, under tremendous pressure, he lost his temper and disobeyed the instructions of the Lord. If you read the scriptural account of what happened, it's easy to see why he did it. At the time, he was leading the Israelites through the wilderness. They were in desperate need of water, and there was none to be found. As the people cried out, blaming Moses and Aaron for their predicament, Moses surely must have fl ashed back to an earlier time when the same thing happened. On that fi rst occasion, Moses had cried to the Lord and said, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." And the Lord said to Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which you smote the river [Nile], and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at [Mount] Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (Exodus 17:5-6, AMPC). No doubt, the second time they ran out of water, Moses was remembering that initial incident. He was probably expecting God to instruct him, once again, to strike the rock. Perhaps he was even looking forward to venting some of his frustration by giving that rock a good, hard whack with his rod. His anger was surely beginning to boil as the Israelites, for whom he had laid down a good portion of his life, gathered together once again and contended with him and Aaron, saying: "'Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or fi gs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink'" The more you practice obeying God... the easier it will be to hear from Him about the details of His plan for your life. Your heart will be sensitive and ready to respond to the slightest divine leading." "

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