October 10
“Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? O my Lord, I am not eloquent… but I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue.”
-EXODUS 3:11; 4:10
-EXODUS 3:11; 4:10
We know that in fact Moses was mighty in words and in deeds (Acts 7:22). But he no longer saw that as an asset anymore. That is exactly the type of person that God is looking for. He is not searching for those naturally gifted souls who think they can do it and then set out in their own strength! It is those who embrace the weakness of the Cross and allow God’s strength to be perfected in them that He is looking for.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden
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CHIP BROGDEN is a best-selling author, teacher, and former pastor who shares "real, simple, truth" about a Christ-centered faith that is based on relationship, not religion. Learn more »
Amen! God really doesn’t choose the kind of person He wants to serve Him. So once we’re called we have to obey Him without any hesitation. Glory to Him. God bless.
Amen brother, I’ve preached that very message a dozen times at least. When God told Moses to throw down his staff he did it willingly because it symbolised all that was left of his natural power and authority but when God told him to pick it up again after it was turned into a serpent it symbolised all the power and authority of God. Forty years earlier Moses attempted to deliver his people in his own power when he killed the Egyptian but all he achieved was the necessity of having to flee for his life out into the desert. In those next forty silent years Moses was reduced to the man who no longer trusted in his own strength. Amazing how in the bible there are so many of the heroes of Faith that went through long periods in which we can only guess what happened where God obviously worked to break and mould them to reduce them to the point of utter weakness so He could proclaim His strength and power through them. Look at Joseph who, after years in slavery and then more years in prison, went through a further two silent years we no nothing about. However if you look at his last words to the King’s cup bearer to “Remember ME to Pharaoh” then two years later his first words to Pharaoh “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace” we see a man transformed from self promotion to acknowledging God was the only help for him or Pharaoh! The young shepherd David was only a young teenager when he was anointed to be king over Israel but it was many years, maybe twenty or more, before he took the throne. A young persecutor of Christians called Saul met Jesus on the Road but it was fourteen mainly silent years before the Apostle Paul could say “I would rather glory in my weaknesses because His strength is made perfect in my weakness”! Even Jesus, the author and finisher of our Faith, went through a long silent period where He learnt obedience through the things He suffered. Who could even guess at what transpired in those years? The wilderness or silent years are always where God does his transforming work in a man.
The story of Moses is one that we should take to heart and obey what God says without wavering.
The story in Exodus- 14, when God told Moses to raise his arm with the staff to strike the sea so it would part and so Gods people could cross to safety from the Egyptians and likewise after the people had crossed Moses was to raise his hands again with the staff and the sea would come back together. In Exodus- 17, God told Moses to strike the rock so it would bring forth water for the people to have a drink, and he did as God said. We see God told Moses on two occasions to strike with the staff to bring forth the water, one was for safety and one was for thirst. As the story continues into Numbers- chapter 20, Moses was now with Aaron, Moses was told by God to take Aaron with him and they were to bring forth water for the people to drink by taking the staff but he was to speak to the rock and command water to come in this manor, but Moses instead struck the rock 2 times with the staff and the water came out. As the story goes, because Moses disobeyed what God said he and Aaron would not enter the Promised Land and Aaron would loose his life because of going along with Moses and disobeying Gods command. He would be taken to Mt. Hor to be stripped of his clothing and die. The people of God mourned over the death of Aaron. This should be an eye opener that God demands obedience from His people. After all Moses had been through with the children of Israel from the 10 commandments to the Tabernacle and seen God perform miracle after miracle to keep the children of Israel safe until they reached their destination, Moses knew how detailed God was with instructions and God wanted and needed every thing to go as planned, HIS PLAN, that Moses would have obeyed until the very end. We the people of God should take note to see what happened to Aaron and Moses for disobeying and obey the will of God and to not go by the ways of man. I believe God is still protecting His people in their obedience, but there will be many that will pay a hefty price in the end. Lord, help us to stay faithful to You and Your word until the very end!!!
I wanted to add to my above comment by saying, every thing about the story of Moses and many others in the bible is about life and death. Disobeying God by not excepting and believing that His Son Jesus Christ is the only way to the Promised Land and to the Father will only bring death. There are so many examples of Christ in the story of Moses. From the Fire by night to the Cloud by day, the Rock that produced life sustaining Water, the Manna the Bread from heaven to the Promised Land flowing with Milk and Honey, the sweet aroma of the Savior, Jesus is the Truth to be obeyed and this brings LIFE!!
Chip, I can heartily AMEN!! this short but powerful excerpt from your book. As I look back on my years of relying upon my physical strength, and my mental abilities to accomplish pretty much anything I set my mind to do, I have come to realize what I counted on in the natural I thought I could count on to accomplish Gods’ will for my life and work in HIS kingdom. I now know that the disasters that have followed me are a direct result of pride and foolish reasoning. Praise be to God Jesus is Increasing and i am decreasing.
Thank you Chip, i needed that today, I have been and am still struggling with the call on my life
I wish to know that Christ is really calling me to do somthing so I can obey but I find it confusing to know for sure what He may ask of me.
Can anyone tell me how I’ll know for sure if I need to obey God’s word?
I also know there are bad influence’s out there and I want to only hear what God wants me to do if anything. I appreciate some answers please?
Thank you.
I will again dig this track, and try to keep that in mind.
I tend to seek to develop, strengthen my abilities (or “create” it) so that God could use me…
as we were taught… with the methods to develop the gifts and natural abilities God has given us (they explained). (That exhausted me).
So I still have difficult to see how it goes in practice.
Good post Chip
When God directs us to do something why do we think that we can and need to improve on it. This is just part of the constant battle we fight with our old carnal nature.
Just a few days ago I was trying to accomplish something and I kept running into a frustrating dead end. When I finally allowed God to speak to me He very softly said, “If you start out right you will end up right”.
He was exactly right. Amen