Wednesday, February 25, 2009

WDMD? What Did Moses Do?

When you do everything right and it turns out all wrong. That's what happened with Moses in Exodus chapter 5. Moses did exactly what the LORD had instructed him to do and things went from bad to worse. So what did Moses do when things got bad? What should we do when things don't turn out like we thought?
Well, for one thing, I can tell you what NOT to do. In Exodus 5:16-19 we see the Israelite foremen going to Pharaoh to try to get some relief. That's what NOT to do. They went to the source of their affliction. They sought comfort from the very one that was abusing them and holding them in slavery. Sometimes we do the same thing. We seek answers to our problems from the very source of our problems. We look for answers in the world, in our financial institutions, in our government, and within ourselves. The answer and comfort does not come from any of those sources.

In Exodus 5:22 is where we find the answer as to what to do when things go from bad to worse...'Moses returned to the LORD...' That's where we find the answer, by returning to the LORD. In chapter 6 God answers Moses' concerns and gives him 7 promises of deliverance.

Today, if you are thinking that things are going from bad to worse, return to the LORD, find comfort, find satisfaction, find relief, find hope...Bro. Alan

Monday, February 23, 2009

This is not how it's supposed to be...

Sometimes things don't turn out like we think they ought to. Take Moses for example in Exodus 5. Moses goes to Pharaoh and tells him exactly what the LORD told him to say, you know, "Let My People Go!" and Pharaoh replies, "NO!" And not only, 'no' but 'no, you lazy people get back to work and just to show you that I still have a say in what goes on around here, make your bricks without straw."
So, let's review...Moses goes and tells the elders of Israel that God has heard their cries and has seen their misery and is going to deliver them. The elders bow and worship the LORD and are filled with hope and enthusiasm...next, Moses goes to Pharaoh, just as he was told to do, and tells Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go. Pharaoh refuses and makes the children of Israel work harder and has their foremen beaten when they don't make their quota of bricks. Things weren't going how Moses thought they should go. Moses is doing exactly what the LORD has told him to do and it is turning into a complete disaster.

Moses is disappointed to say the least. Philip Ryken says, "It is not hard to understand why Moses felt so disappointed. Up until the end of chapter 4, everything was going beautifully...Now, just a few days later, the exodus was in shambles and the people were letting Moses have it. As far as he could see, God's plan had backfired. Not only had Moses failed to rescue his people, but their deliverance seemed further away than ever..."

Moses is at his ropes end. Nothing is happening the way he dreamed it would.
How do you respond when this happens in your life? What do you do when nothing is turning out the way you think it should, even though you know you are following the LORD's will? What do you do? Where do you turn?
Let's see how Moses handles it, and maybe get some clues as to what our response should be...till tomorrow...Bro. Alan

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Just Like He Promised

Exodus 4:29-31 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heardthat the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

The elders heard the good news, they believed and they saw the signs and they worshiped. This was the correct response, to worship. There, while still in their bondage, while still on the hot desert sand of their incarceration, they bowed down and worshiped and gave thanks for the future deliverance.
Everything was going according to plan, according to promise. Aaron had gone out to meet Moses on the mountain of God, just as God had promised. Moses reported to Aaron everything that God had said at the burning bush. Aaron agrees to help, just as the LORD had promised. Together, the two brothers return to Egypt and gather the elders, just as God had promised. The miraculous signs are performed in front of the elders and they believed, just as God had promised.
Everything was happening according to plan, there was excitement in the air, deliverance was neigh, the end of their slavery was in sight and new day was dawning all according to God's promise.

God's promises are true, and they are for you and me, and yes, sometimes God's promises are refreshing and uplifting. Rejoice in His promises today...we will look at the full scope of His promises this week