Follow the Cloud

Dr. Kameel Majdali
21-05-2017

Prayer changes things. Prayer is God's missile through His people. Prayer conquers everything, especially prayer in the Spirit and prayer in the name of Jesus.

What do the following scenarios have in common?

People lining up in front of the Apple store to get the latest iPhones?

Pastors all wear the same jeans, the same iPads, iPhones, the same pointed shoes?

(Nothing is wrong in anything if we do it in God's way. Provided we are led by the Holy Spirit.)

So... What do all these things have in common?

They are following the crowd.

There are dangers and shortcomings in following the crowd. Crowds often lack leaders and shepherds.

Often times, crowds lack depth. In Galilee, Jesus gave them the fineprint of Christine discipline.

Crowds love the things of the world--success. 

Why is it that Hitler is vilified except Stalin and Mao? Because Hitler lost the war but the other two succeeded.

The pastor asked Smiling Sam, "Are you a Christian?" Sam replied, "No. I follow the crowd." Pastor: "What of the crowd is wrong?" Sam: "Too bad."

Matthew 7:13-14New International Version (NIV)The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

It was the crowd that went to Samuel and said "Give us a king so that we can be like any other nation."

"Give us a robber or a thief than Jesus."

Exodus 40:34-38
The Cloud and the Glory
34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

How can we go forward in life in an age where situations are so complex?

People of faith and goodwill do not have to worry about following the crowd. Follow the cloud because the cloud will take you to where the crowd is utterly clueless. The Good Shepherd knows how to lead and feed, provide and embrace.

The tabernacle represented His House. In the days of Moses, the cloud would be over the tabernacle. Cloud by day, fire by night. Moses moved with it.

There is no roadmap or blueprint on how to get through but God is providing the way forward--come back to Jesus, come back to the Holy Spirit.

"All these blessings I would rather give away to be in the presence of God."

What is the difference between crowd following and cloud dwelling? Quantity - follow the crowd. Quality - be in the cloud. 

The crowd is lost sheep, the cloud is the shepherd. 

The crowd sees the storm, the cloud sees Jesus walking in the water. 

The crowd loves the good ideas, the cloud loves God's ideas. 

The crowd is like the many who are called, the cloud is of the few who are chosen. The chosen say yes when Jesus calls.

Three issues:
1) Money - When you follow the crowd, sometimes you have money, sometimes you don't because you are on the world's economy. God's economy includes tithing, offering to the poor, taking action financially when the cloud moves.

2) Migration - "The cloud bids me to go." If the cloud leads you anywhere, then you better pack your bags and go. But if you are moving but the cloud is staying, then be careful.

3) Marriage and the cloud - "It's time to get married." Marriage is God's idea. Marriage is God's institution. Marriage and family is the bedrock to building the Kingdom of God. Evangelism is not the only way. We can do it through family and children. Grandchildren are how your children are paying you back. Follow the cloud. Many Christians are missing the boat, missing the boat.

How do you transition from following the crowd to following the cloud?

1) Practise repentance.

Repentance and faith preceeds revival.

Otherwise, we miss God's best. So start listening or we'll be in serious trouble if we don't.

2 Chronicles 7:14
14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

2) Retire and serve the Lord.

Follow the cloud more than ever. You're in for an even greater adventure. When you're following the crowd, you'll be very busy.

Example of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42).

Luke 10:38-42New International Version (NIV)
At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Retire from busyness.

3) Invest in your spiritual life--devotion, Bible-reading. Nothing is more important than that. You are filled with the Spirit, walk with the Spirit.

Welcome the cloud.