Sept. 23, 2013
Exodus 3-Part 5
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who id invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. Hebrews 11:24-28 NIV
LET IT GLOW
The blessings my family has received from God by obeying and following Him are too innumerable to mention. We have experienced His provision, His mercy, peace, love, strength, directions, salvation in the lost, working in churches and communities.
We surrender to God's call into the ministry back in 1980. Our journey of faith began with moving our two children and household furnishings six hours from both of our families and our home town and home church. We had never been that distance before. After four years of college, upon graduation, we moved to another city to serve as pastor and house parents of an emergency receiving home for abused and neglected children. Another move was to a rural area so my husband could attend seminary and pastor. Following that, we moved to various pastorates, each time the children changed schools and I changed jobs.
When the nest became empty, we were serving the Lord as pastor in another state. Finally, the last leg of our faith journey, so far, was back to our home area. We have been pastoring in our present church for sixteen years. We have experienced babies grow up and find Jesus as Savior. We are in the process of building a new sanctuary for our growing church. We marvel at God's provisions.
God has been faithful to us and we honor Him for all He has done through us. It was a step of faith, each move, step-by-step. I wouldn't trade it for the world! Such rewards have been experienced here and will be in heaven.
Moses had to walk by faith and not by sight, too. We read of his journey in God's Word. Take a peak with me, dear one.
Did you know that God identified Himself as God (Elohym in Hebrew), to Moses in Exodus 3:6 and
as God Almighty, JEHOVAH, (El Shaddai in Hebrew), in Exodus 6:3?
Elohym or Elohim is specifically used to refer to the Supreme God; Yhovah or Jehovah means the self-Existent or Eternal; the Jewish national name of God is Jehovah, the Lord. (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)
Do you suppose that God wanted no mistake made in Moses' mind as to Who was speaking to him? I am sure that Moses' mother taught him about the God of the Hebrews and all he had done for their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Also, Moses' parents were of the priestly tribe of Levi. God made it very clear in verse 6. That is why shoeless Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
Do we ever stop and consider Who God is when we pray to Him? Do we recognize and respect Him as Supreme Elohim and Almighty Jehovah? He is the One who created everything with just a spoken word and sustains it all. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. What an awesome God we serve! Why do I doubt His abilities to work in my life? I pray that our faith will grow as we study about the life of Moses and the mighty acts of Elohim and Jehovah, our God.
LET IT GROW
God announces to Moses that he is the Lord's chosen instrument to deliver Israel. We see it in the verses of 7-22. What a message of grace-God has seen their sufferings, heard their cry, He knows their sorrows, and He came down! (verse 7) God had been watching over His people throughout those 400 years. Let's not forget that God's love came down to earth in the form of Jesus Christ during a time of bondage, trial, and sorrow, to deliver His children from sin.
God had a definite plan, to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt and slavery into the Promised Land. He was fulfilling His promise to Abraham. Even though Moses was an exile in the desert, he was on God's schedule, in the fullness of God's timing, in the middle of God's will. God's will was to deliver the children of Israel, also called the Hebrews, for it was the name of their language.
What can we gleam from God's conversation with Moses? Let's us look at the 7 principles in knowing and doing God's will as Blackaby and King (Experiencing God) explained applying them to Moses:
1. God was already at work around Moses. (Ex. 2:23-25)2. God pursued a continuing love relationship with Moses that was real and personal. God
took the initiative to come to Moses and initiate a love relationship with him at the burning
bush. Another example is God inviting Moses to come up to Him on the mountain (Sinai), of
which he stayed 40 days and nights. (Ex. 24)
3. God invited Moses to be involved with Him in His work. (verses 8 and 10) God's purpose
was to deliver Israel from Egypt into the Promised Land using Moses to accomplish it.
Amos 3:7 states, Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His
servants the prophets.
4. God spoke to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. God revealed Himself in
visions and dreams to His prophets, but with Moses, God spoke face to face.
(see Numbers 2:6-8)
5. God's invitation for Moses to work with Him led to a crisis of belief that required
faith and action. (Although Moses tried all sorts of excuses and objections, wondering if
God could do such a great work through someone like him (verse 11), he eventually obeyed,
believing God could do what He said He would do.) Read about his faith in Hebrews
11:24-29.
6. Moses had to make major adjustments in his life to join God in what He was doing.
Moses' crisis called for faith and action. Moses took his wife and sons and started back to
Egypt, leaving his job and in-laws (4:19-20). Moses was a moldable servant and remained at
God's disposal to be used as God chose.
7. Moses came to know God by experience as he obeyed God, and God accomplished His
work through Moses. (Moses could not do those plagues, deliverance in the Passover, part
the Red Sea, provide manna and water in the wilderness. Moses could not do it in his own
strength. It was all God.) Every step of obedience brought Moses and (Israel) to a greater
knowledge of God (Ex. 6:1-8).
Isn't Moses' life story such a blessing to us children of God, the church? His obedience is such an example for us to follow. When we obey God, He will bless us. The question is, are you and I willing to do whatever and go wherever He says. How much do we love God? Is our faith in His abilities strong enough to go and do His will?
LET IT GO
Develop a love relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Make Him Lord of my life, number 1.
Look and see where God is working around me
Listen for my invitation to join Him in His work.
Surrender to do it, through faith and actions, believing God can do what He says He will do.
Make whatever adjustments are required in my life so I do God's will and purpose as I join in His working.
Obey God and watch Him work through me, giving Him the praise, glory, and credit.
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