In the Wilderness Part 1

"So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water." -Exodus 15:22 (KJV)


The Children of Israel had just been delivered from the bondage of Egypt by God, who used Moses to free them. They also witnessed the power of God when He split the Red Sea in half and they walked on dry ground and watched the Pharaoh's Army drown. Now, Moses had lead them into the wilderness, where they found no water for 3 days. However, this text is an encouragement to the people of God who are going through. There are 3 points that will be made 1) What the wilderness represents 2) Why they were in the wilderness and 3) What was their attitude in the wilderness

Before we go any further, we must understand what the word "wilderness" means and no, it is different from the desert. According to Webster, a wilderness is "an uncultivated or uninhabited area" What does this mean? The wilderness is a place of isolation. (Look at picture above). Yeah, doesn't look too promising. However, there is a benefit to the wilderness. The Children of Israel had JUST WITNESSED God's Power at the Red Sea, and now were in a place of isolation.
In our walk with Christ, God will bring us to a place of isolation also known as "the wilderness". However, this place of isolation is a training ground for our calling. Both John (Luke 1:80) and Jesus (Matthew 4:1) were in the wilderness before their public ministry. God brings us into the wilderness to train us and to isolate us from distractions.

Now, many people have probably wondered "Why would they follow Moses into the wilderness?" Easy, God had demonstrated that He was with Moses and that Moses was their chosen leader. Many times in life, GOD not the devil or man leads us into the wilderness. Notice how the scripture says "went out into the wilderness..." to help you better understand this, the word "out" means "Beyond the limit of existence, continuance, or supply; completely" So in other words, God had lead them into COMPLETE seclusion where all they had was Moses, and themselves. When God brings us into our wilderness, He is bringing us to a place of complete seclusion. There are no distractions, and our only Source is God. God will not allow STRANGERS to lead you into the wilderness (The Holy Spirit lead Jesus, Moses lead Israel), but will use someone that you know. Now, to be clear I'm not talking about a physical wilderness, but spiritual wilderness. He may use your husband, family, friend, boyfriend, etc to bring you to a point of seclusion. However, He will do it AFTER you witness His Power. Right after the Red Sea closed back up, Moses lead them into the wilderness so they had just witnessed His Power.

Now, what was their attitude in the wilderness? Read what the last part of scripture says "and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water." Israel was looking for water in the wilderness (which is normal). However, they found NO WATER. This is important because they did not find something that was SUPPOSED to be there. When God brings us into our "wilderness", the first thing we want is a way out. For example, if your phone gets caught off, the FIRST thing you'll do is try to find money to pay it. Why? because you're supposed to pay your bill. Israel was thirsty and wanted a way out of the wilderness and they needed water but couldn't find it. This affected their attitude because they thought since God had delivered them from the hand of Egypt that surely He would provide water, so they became discouraged. Isn't that like us? We witness God bringing us out of one bondage (Egypt), and when He brings us into the wilderness, we expect God to do it again and when He doesn't come when we want Him, we get discouraged. The word "found" means "discovered" so that implies that they were SEARCHING for water. What does this mean? While your in the wilderness, your searching for a way out but haven't discovered one yet. In verse 23, Israel finds water but it is bitter so they cannot drink it. In the wilderness, when you find water or a way out, it is bitter. why? Bitter water will make you sick and possibly kill you. Sometimes we think that our way out of our wilderness is the perfect solution but in reality it will only make our situation worse or "kill" us, whether its our faith in God, our future, etc. The worst thing you can do is allow "bitter water" to discourage you from believing that God won't come through for you.

The wilderness is the place of isolation where most Christians dread because we fear that it is punishment from God. I am currently in my wilderness and God lead me into it right after my graduation, which was when I first saw God's Power work in my life (and I was unsaved). Although its been a rough 3 year journey, I am realizing the purpose of the wilderness and why we should not avoid it but embrace it. God will never bring you into the wilderness to kill you. Whatever your wilderness is, don't be afraid because God is still there. Don't try to find your own "water" because it may be bitter, just relax and know that God is a Provider. It's easy to allow the "wilderness mentality" to enter our minds but we must understand that the wilderness is the entrance to the Promised Land. God Bless

Jesus Christ: The Way, The Truth, and The Life

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me." -John 14:6 (AMP)


This scripture has to be one of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible because Jesus says so much, in just a sentence. However, we're going to break down what Christ said and find out what He really means. Before we can do that though, we must understand that Jesus is having a discussion with his disciples, and He talks about preparing a place for them, and coming back for them. Then, Thomas (the doubter) says, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" (John 14:5) Jesus replies with the above scripture (John 14:6). Now you're probably thinking, "Henry, what does this have to do with anything?" I will answer your questions by asking these 3 important questions: 1) What "Way" is Jesus talking about? 2) What "Truth" is Jesus talking about? and 3) Why is Jesus "the Life"? Let's take a look at this scripture and break it down.

What is the "Way" Jesus is referring to? Why do we need to know that Jesus is the "Way"? First, the Way Jesus is referring to is Heaven, also known as the Kingdom of God. Let's back up a little bit....The Jews were waiting for "The Messiah", who would come to deliver them and rule with justice as foretold by the Prophets of Old (Isaiah 53 is the most popular description of the Coming Messiah), and they were excited because someone was being sent to deliver them from their PHYSICAL enemies, and let them live in peace. However, they overlooked other prophecies that described this "Messiah" the Jews were waiting for. So, Jesus is talking about the Way To Heaven, and the reason for this was because Jesus was God in the flesh, and therefore could reconnect us with God (sin separated us from Him). Jesus lived a perfect life (sinless) and was the perfect atonement for sin. The reason Jesus makes this statement first is because the Law was obeyed strictly, and Jesus wanted them to know that the way to the Kingdom of God is through me because I am the Son of God, and I will inherit the Kingdom from My Father. Jesus was and is the only One with a direct connection to the Father because He is One with the Father. Since Jesus was obedient until death, He has received the Kingdom from His Father and will return to set this Kingdom up, and the only way to be apart of this Holy, Majestic, Wonderful Kingdom is to know the King of kings Jesus Christ.

Jesus also states that He is "the Truth". What "Truth" is He talking about? Read John 1:1-3 (KJV), which states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." This scripture shows that Jesus Christ is the Word being referred to but it is also important to note that Jesus Christ is the LIVING Word, not the Written Word. In other words, Christ lived the truth because He was Truth. How could He be Truth? He is God, who lived in an earthly body. God  cannot lie, and every word He speaks must be performed (Check Genesis 1 for more reference). Therefore, Jesus could not lie because He was 1 with the Father and before the Bible was written, He existed so He was telling His Disciples that He was Truth because He was there when the Law was given to Moses. This is why Jesus said that He did not come to abolish or destroy the Law but rather fulfill or enlarge it (Matthew 5:17). Since Jesus was the Truth, He had to enlarge the Law to make sure people understood its actual meaning (Read Matthew 5:21-22). Jesus Christ never lied and every word He spoke was Truth because He was God and could not lie. Jesus also confirms alot of the Old Testament, and never goes against The Law so this also could be why He is "The Truth" because He never changes, but showed us how God is.

Jesus refers to Himself as "The Life". These 2 words are the most powerful words because they hold special meaning. According to Webster's Dictionary, life can be defined as "The quality or state of being alive". Notice what the disciples were doing when Jesus called them. They were doing their regular routine and Jesus comes and disrupts their flow but they leave it all to follow Christ. Now, why is this important? The world is physical, and everything physical dies because it is temporary (1 John 2:17). Jesus came to give physical AND spiritual life. What do I mean by that? Look at Peter, possibly the most radical disciple Christ had. Peter walked on water, acknowledged Christ as the Living Son of God, and would later go on to do so much more. Peter was a fisherman, an although the Bible doesn't get detailed in his background, it is ok to assume that maybe Peter was unhappy with being a fisherman, doing the same things everyday, and maybe he thought that he couldn't serve a purpose but all that changed when Christ came. Jesus healed the blind, made the lame walk, cast out demons, and many more miracles. The point of this was to show that Christ came to give life to the dying so that they might believe that Christ was the Messiah sent from God. Every single person that needed healing from Jesus, received it according to their faith. Jesus did not change lives but He transformed them to show that real life was found in Christ. This why Jesus used water when speaking of himself to the woman at the Well (John 4:6-29) because in the natural, we need water to survive, and Jesus Christ was saying that without me, you cannot survive. The disciples were normal people before Christ but after Christ ascended into Heaven, they became Men of God. Jesus had given them physical life because they now had a purpose for living and gave them spiritual life through the power of the Holy Ghost, which allowed them to work wonders. However, He also tells them about His Kingdom, which lets them know that they will have LIFE after they die. Jesus was telling them that anyone outside of Him, were not LIVING but EXISTING. This is why Jesus repeatedly condemns the Pharisees because He was trying to free them from the Law and give them abundant life but they rejected Him and continued to exist.

There's only 1 WAY to Heaven, there is only 1 TRUTH that lived, and there is only 1 LIFE that can save you. Jesus Christ is that way, that truth, and that life. There is NO other name that can save men except Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Many people want to go to Heaven but think that they can do enough good to get there while some try to obey the Law to get there. The purpose of the Law was to show us that we needed a Savior. According to Jesus, either of those are dead ends because HE is the only way to Heaven. Some think that there are many truths in the world, especially when it comes to religion but Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the only truth. Many people (including myself) have tried to find life in material things, thinking that if I gain enough money, cars, houses and power I am living but that is a lie. Without Christ, you're existing, living a lie, headed down a dead end. The Bible tells us that "there are ways that seem right to a man, but in the end lead to death" (Proverbs 14:12). If you are not in Christ, you're eternal destination is separation from God (Hell), and Jesus Christ can give you life, both physical and spiritual if you do as the disciples do, and follow Him

If you're wondering how to follow Christ, it's quite easy. Admit to God that you're a sinner, you have broken His Laws and deserve punishment but you believe and truly accept that Jesus Christ was God who lived in an earthly body, and was sinless while His death was the payment of sin and that God raised Him from the dead through the Power of the Holy Ghost, and that you need the Holy Ghost to help direct your paths and obey the Commandments that Christ has given you as you live as Christ lived. If you have confessed this with your mouth, and believed in your heart you have been saved and made Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life. You have access to God because you belong to Christ, but the journey is not easy. God Bless