Delegate!

Exodus 18:14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

Notice the phrasing. "What he did to the people." And "what are you doing to the people?"
In other words, your being a workaholic and taking everything on your shoulders isn't doing these people any favors! You are doing more harm than good to these people.

*You are diminishing your own abilities to minister to them. You are wearing yourself out.
*Many of them are capable of doing some of this work, but you are robbing them of the blessing of serving.
*You are training them to just let you do it.

In short, delegate dude!

What is that in your hand?

Ex 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

So, I ask you my friend, what is that in your hand?

It's a phone, isn't it? Aren't I the Mensa candidate?

You know, Moses would have had a smart phone in his hand back in the day if they were available? I mean, the other hand, the one not holding his walking stick/cattle prod/weapon. The phone would have complicated things in his life, as it does yours, but it sure would have made his time in the desert more interesting. That is, if he would have had at least a 3G network and a nearby tower. He might have streamed "The Ten Commandments." That would have given him some ideas on how to get across the Red Sea with a bunch of whiners in tow.

But what he had was a rod, and God used that. When God calls, He often wants us to use that which we have handy. For Samson it was a jawbone of a donkey. For David, a sling, and later, a harp. For Paul, it was a pen. For Patrick, it was a clover.

But you have a phone. Can God use that? Good night! For what you pay per month for that thing, it better be used for something productive!

Now, Moses's staff could become a serpent, or it could open the Red Sea, or send forth a stream from a rock. Once Moses recognized that he had something in His hand God wanted to use, it became quite the useful tool.

Back to your phone. Instead of it being an escape, why not allow God to use it in some marvellous ways?

1. Encourage others on social media.
2. Write a blog! Hey, If I can do it...
3. Study your Bible.
4. Keep a journal.
5. Check in on FB when you are at church.
6. Use a soul-winning App to lead someone to Christ.
7. Play some encouraging gospel music to lift your spirit.
8. Set your alarm to remind you it is time to head to church.
9. Tweet out your victories.
10. Phone a godly friend when you are down and ask for prayer and words of wisdom.
11. Call up a positive podcast.
12. Keep a prayer list.

Think of what Paul could have accomplished with a cell phone!

What is that in your hand? God can use that thing in mighty ways when you realize it is His anyway.

Hashtag: PutThatThingToSomeGoodUse

Holy Ground

Please read the 3rd chapter of Exodus before proceeding. 

Moses's life seemed to be on hold at this season, but God was working behind the scenes. Now He will do something unlike anything that had ever happened. The burning bush experience. 

Moses was doing what he could, where he could, when he could and hoe he could. I am sure he was just missing the "why." He wasn't idle in exile. He was producing while God was preparing. 

God had Moses in a place where He could have his full attention. 

In the palace, things would have been complicated.

Among the throngs of Jews he would be distracted. 

But here! This is a place where God's sovereignty is put on glorious display. 

No doubt, between the ages of 40-80, Moses thought he was a washed up, has been. He was a prince, he was a power, he was an influence. But now, in his lonely place, he is unable to be a leader, except for sheep. Unable to effect change, except the next bleak pasture. But look what God had in store! 

This area was as forbidding as you can imagine. It wasn't the desert, it was the BACK SIDE of the desert. Whoa!

God shows up in the most unexpected of places and in the most unusual ways. 

Moses sees a bush burning. No big deal. It's the desert. Plants are dry, bushes burn. 

But, 1: the bush isn't consumed. 2: it speaks to him! 

"Moses, take off your shoes, you are on holy ground." Holy ground? The desert near Horeb? This is the last place a person might expect God to show up, and an unlikely place to be called holy.

God's presence makes a place holy. 

I led my son to the Lord in Sam's Town Casino, Laughlin, NV. Boom! A gambling Mecca is sanctified. 

I led five wanna be gang-bangers to the Lord on a curb next to a dumpster in Posada del Sol, gangland, El Centro, CA. Yes! The barrio is made holy. 

In the hood, where folks of my color are not welcome after dark, and not welcome much before dark, with catfish hanging in a tree ready for skinning, and an ancient black gentleman rocking on his porch, my pastor and I were asked to sing an old spiritual. The Spirit of the Lord sanctified that porch as we sang, "When I'm growing old and feeble, stand by me, When my life becomes a burden, And I'm nearing chilly Jordan, Oh, Thou lily of the valley, stand by me.  I was ready to take my shoes off. 

So yeah, God's presence in Horeb's desert, or, in your desert makes that place holy ground. 

Moses did something that we might miss if we are not careful. He turned aside to see this interesting phenomenon. He might have just turned up his Pandora and moved the sheep down the trail, but he paused.

We miss so much because we really aren't paying attention. The TV is on, the radio is playing, people are chattering, activity is ongoing. The din of society can be maddening to the senses and muffling to the soul. 

But God has something to say to each of us, though we are either on sensory overload or we are out like a light bulb. How Important that you allow yourself a regular "God time" away from the cacophony of this culture. If we continue to ignore the still small voice of the Lord when winds and fires and storms are competing for our attention, we may be a candidate for our own visit to a desert place for a personal tete-a-tete with a fiery bush. 

This desert encounter Moses experienced changed the world. Without overstating, could I say that each and every encounter with God is possibly, probably a world changer also? It could and should change your world. It may change the world of others also: that person you reach with the gospel, that friend you touch with God's love, your spouse you impress by your changed attitude. 

So, sometime soon, take off your shoes, encounter holiness,  hear God's instruction and spend the rest of your years becoming all that God wants you to be. 

2016 Goodbye

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Almost everybody I have heard or read were so glad to have 2016 over with. Perhaps my memory is bad, but I thought '16 was a pretty good year, for me, anyway. Of course, there were many things I would not have chosen: Illness, setbacks, national and international upheaval, political craziness, upset apple carts, stymied agendas. But God was sovereign. 

I am convinced that if the events, good and bad, of 2017 were all-at-once revealed to us at the outset of the year, none of us would opt to proceed. 

That's where an understanding of God's sovereignty and a dependence on His grace come in. 

Most of us choose to proceed, hoping against hope that it'll surely be a better year. But, as experience tells us, the tendency is that things only get more complex, the challenges only increase, our stamina abates and the year outpaces the previous year for trial and tribulation. 

It is better for us to keep our eyes on the prize, run our assigned race with patience, savor the victories and trust through the difficulties. Ultimately, we should understand that God's got this and we need simply cooperate with His agenda and enjoy the journey. 

I leave you with this wise quote from J. Vernon McGee: Someday, when in the presence of our Savior, we will thank Him for every burden, every trial, and every heartache. 

Amen!