LifeLink Devotions for Friday, October 18, 2024

Yesterday we left Moses in Exodus 19 telling the people of Israel about their incredible deliverance from Egypt and that it was God who bore them up on eagles’ wings and carried them to Himself. When they heard this, the people made a promise to Moses that they would obey everything God would tell them to do. So Moses went up on the mountain to find out the details of how God wanted the people to live in relationship with Him. The people all witnessed the awesome presence of God on the mountain and watched as Moses entered it. But would they persist in their faith while he was gone?

Thirteen chapters later in the book of Exodus we find our answer.

Exodus 32:1-4  “When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”  So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

Moses has been gone for forty days, and during that time the glory of God was visible on the mountain to all the people. But the thrill and excitement of the initial event had worn off. The people were tired of sitting still, and they needed tangible results to their faith. Because they weren’t moving forward and were seeing no supernatural activity of personal benefit, they decided to look elsewhere for leadership. Imagine that – in full view of God’s glorious presence that appeared to the people like a consuming fire on top of the mountain, they declared their distrust in the ability of God to lead them and instead declared that an inanimate image of a calf cast out of gold was their real God. Apis, the Egyptian bull-god, had kept them safe in Egypt, and maybe now this god would guide them to safety once again.

Why is it that we so quickly return to our sinful bondages? I see from the example of the Israelites a couple of reasons. Here’s the first one.

1. Their faith was still in the activity of God and not in the nature of God. They could see the evidence of His nature on the mountain, but because there was no activity they looked for another object of faith to generate action. This is a hard lesson for us all to learn. Even when the activity around us seems to be moving against us, God is still carrying us to Himself on the wings of eagles. Our circumstances do not determine the faithfulness of God. Our circumstances are there to show us the faithfulness of God if we will persist and be patient.

On Monday we will look at the other reason why we return to our fleshly bondages. For the rest of today and this weekend, spend some time processing this question. “Has my faith in God increased to a level that allows me to not seek options other than God when my present circumstances don’t work out the way I want them to?”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Yesterday we began looking at the advice the father-in-law of Moses gave him so he could become a better leader and avoid burnout. It starts with recognizing that we are only representatives of God to other people, not replacements for God.

Here are the next three principles taken from Exodus 18.

2.      Use every meeting with a person seeking God’s advice to teach them how to personally apply God’s law so they become more dependent upon God than upon you.  Moses was told, “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live…” It is easy for us to enjoy the attention and ego stroking we get when people depend on us, but it is our privilege and duty to lead them into dependence upon God.

3.      Give the people a sense of purpose and responsibility. Jethro said, “And show them … the duties they are to perform.” Everyone needs to know they are needed and appreciated and that their life is accomplishing some purpose. One of the most important aspects of leadership is to encourage people to dream and then empower them to pursue the dream.

4.      Set up a workable system of accountability and authority. Here’s the instruction Moses received. ”But select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain -and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves.” Organize the people into small groups and delegate responsibility to qualified people to oversee the groups. This is a great model for the church today.

What was the guaranteed result of such leadership? Stress reduction and satisfied people. Here’s what Jethro predicted for Moses. ”You will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” As a pastor, that’s what I want. That’s what I have. I thank God daily for the qualified people around me who carry the load and for the servant-hearted people like you who have accepted the wisdom of Godly leadership. Maybe some of these principles will help you in the leadership issues you experience at your work or in your family.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, September 26, 2024

Exodus 4:10-12 

We tend to be insecure people. Some of us cover it with arrogance. Some cover it by striving for excellence. Others simply succumb to it and live timid lives. Moses tried the third option, making all kinds of excuses to God to remain in his obscure profession of tending sheep. But God had bigger plans for him, and He was helping Moses grow his faith to maturity so he could overcome his insecurities.

Moses tried to declare himself a nobody, to claim theological ignorance, to claim to have no authority, and now today he claims to be a poor public speaker.  We read about his excuse in Exodus four starting in verse 10.

Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

In other words, “I got no grammar and people are bored when I talk.”

I am overjoyed at how much I learn from people who claim to not be able to teach. I am blessed by the things people say when those same people claim they don’t know enough to be a blessing to others. I am amazed especially for myself at how I am ever able to say anything of value, but I have learned the lesson that Moses needed to learn – God not only gives us what we need to say but also teaches us how to say it so that it is understood. I think this happens in two ways, both of which are totally the work of God.

1.    God’s Spirit empowers our thoughts and our tongues and brings clarity of thought and speech.

2.    God’s Spirit prepares the heart of the hearer to be touched by what He says through us.

Moses needed to learn that when God calls someone to a specific task, He has already made provision for every detail of that task to be accomplished. Nothing is left to chance, and nothing is dependent upon our ability. All God asks for is our availability. He simply wants us to go – He will handle all the details.

There are many of you reading this today who have missed out on some tremendous blessings by not becoming teachers, preachers, or simply witnessing about Jesus to others. There have been many opportunities for you to do it, but you have always responded with a “No!” because you have based your decision on your own analysis of your abilities rather than on God’s ability to equip you. Isn’t it time to let God stretch you? Get out of your comfort zone. Stop asking all the “Who, why, where, and how” questions. The only valid question for us to ask is “What?” “What do you want me to do?” God is the Who. He knows the where and the why. He is responsible for the how. Mature faith only asks the what. So beginning today, when God tells us what He wants us to do, just go, and He will provide all of the rest. 

Pastor John