Secret Lives Can Destroy Destiny

I would like to share one of the points discussed by Dr. David Sumrall, in his teaching last Sunday (8/19/07) at Cathedral of Praise Manila. I thought this would be of interest to some of you.

As backgrounder, the teaching is about the Jewish people under Moses, during their 40 years in the desert.

If you are familiar with the Jewish history and/or Old Testament stories, specifically the last part of Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy and Joshua. After Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt, they wondered in the desert for the next 40 years.

Have you ever wondered why it took them 40 years to enter the promise land, and only the new generation was eligible to enter?

Moses himself only “saw” the land from a distance. Joshua, the next generation leader, led the new generation of Jews to enter the promise land.

What happened during the 40 years? Why is it the generation that left Egypt disqualified themselves to enter the promise land even though it is their destiny?

Read: How To Avoid Failure

Their secret life robbed them of their destiny–

• Abraham, the forefather of the Jewish nation, was promised by God that his offspring will soon inherit Canaan (now known as Israel).
• Because of dry spell and shortage of food, the descendants of Abraham, i.e. Jacob and his sons, went to Egypt courtesy of one of Jacobs’ son, Joseph, also known as the “dreamer” and the right hand of Pharaoh. The Jewish people flourished at Egypt during Joseph’s reign.
• After several generations and a new leader emerged who does not know Joseph, the Jewish people were enslaved.
• Moses, was called into leadership position and was tasked to lead Israel out of Egypt to the promised land.
• Israel, as a chosen nation, is expected to be “monotheist”– to only worship the God of Abraham.
• Worship of idols or other gods is forbidden.
• But the people, publicly worshiping the God of Abraham , is secretly worshiping other gods.
• As proof of their hypocrisy, before Joshua can lead the new generation of Israelites to the promise land, the whole new generation will have to be “circumcised” first.
• You have to understand that circumcision is the physical sign that Israel has a covenant with God, a matter that should have been carried out by the parents of these Israelites . While the parents of the new generation publicly worshiped God (because of fear of Moses and perhaps the regular supply of food), they rejected the God of Abraham in their hearts, His ways and precepts too.
• This despite witnessing how God punished Egypt for not setting them free.
• This, despite witnessing how God split the red sea for them to pass and how the Egyptian armies drowned when they followed them.
• This, despite that God supplied them regular food, i.e. Manna (bread) from heaven, quails, and water.
• This, despite God supernaturally sustaining their clothes and soles of their sandals during the 40 years trip in the desert.
• As a consequence, their secret lives have robbed them of their destiny

In application, each one of us, God has given a purpose and destiny. Realizations of these is dependent on our integrity— leadership by example and consistency of our public and private life.

If our public life is different from our private or secret life, or if we confess to be Christians publicly but we do not follow His ways and emulate His example, we have to think hard and pray. This secret life may be robbing us of God’s best plan for us.

Time to reflect friends.

You can listen to the podcast at iTunes, look for Cathedral of Praise Manila (COP Manila) or Dr. David Sumrall channel.

• Title: Wisdom of a Deacon
• Date: August 19, 2007