Warrior God, Warrior Man

"The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name." -Exodus 15.3

The song of praise continues and they declare who God is. The Lord is a warrior. God fought the battle that they could not fight. He won the war that they had no hope of attaining victory in. God is a warrior, and if we look back at Genesis 1.27, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Man is made in the image of a warrior God, and if God is a warrior, so is man.

Men, we are warriors. God created us in His image, and we are made to fight battles for those who cannot. We must engage in wars to set others free. We are warriors, and warriors are made to engage in battle.

The Lord is a warrior, and man is made in the image of this great warrior. What battles are you fighting? What wars are you preparing for? Man is a warrior because God is. Let us prepare for battle. Let us win the war. We are warriors.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

After Battle

"The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him." -Exodus 15.2

Pharaoh is defeated. Egypt is completely in the past. Now it's time to celebrate and rejoice in all that God has done. The people sing and declare that God is their strength and strong. He gives them endurance and power. He gives them a reason to rejoice. Now God has become their deliverance. The people declare Him as their God and praise Him. They acknowledge the heritage they have come from and exalt Him.

Men, every battle comes to an end, and at the end glory needs to be given. God is the one who strengthens us to fight, and He gives us hope even in the most difficult struggles. And in the end, God delivers us, He is our salvation. If God is your God praise Him. If God has been part of the heritage you received, exalt Him. He will bring us through the battles, let's glorify Him for it.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Fear God

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses." -Exodus 14.30-31

Israel has watched God part the Red Sea before them while He guarded their back with the cloud and angel that has been leading them. They cross on dry ground, and then as the Egyptians begin to pursue them the sea is closed over them and they drown. Israel is saved, once and for all from Egypt, and finally they begin to fear Him. They believe in God and also in Moses.

Why was this act so powerful? Why does this one finally hit home with them in a new way? I think because they are finally free from Egypt. The Red Sea is now separating them, and the bodies of Egyptian soldiers are washing up on the shore. The enormity of God's power becomes reality, and suddenly they begin to feel very small in the presence of God. They have seen His power build, and now culminate here. They fear God, as they should for He is all powerful. They believe that He is God, and that Moses is His chosen servant.

Men, do you fear God? Not this reverent respect that people want you to think it means, do you fear God? Have you grasped the fullness of His power, or at least as much as is possible for our finite human minds? Have you come to the realization of all that God is capable of? We must fear God, if we don't we cannot humbly respect Him. If we don't grasp what He is capable of we cannot fully surrender to Him. It isn't until we realize that He is all powerful and the terror and dread of all that He can unleash, that we can truly submit to Him. And when we come to see this and do this, we can begin to hear Him say "Fear not", but more on this at some point in the future."

Let us fear God, this is where it all begins.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Do Something

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.'" -Exodus 14.15-16

Pharaoh is ready to charge. The people are freaked out. Moses is calm and collected. God is wondering why Moses hasn't done anything yet. That's the scene we find here. God's response to Moses is one that calls him to simply step out in faith and act in the best interest of the people. God straight up asks, "Why are you crying out to me?" He tells him to life up his staff and divide the sea. Back in Exodus 4 God told Moses that with his staff he would perform the signs of God.

Here at the Red Sea, in a moment of need God says to Moses, "Stop asking me to work, and use the tools I've given you. Put them to use, and watch what I'll do." God tells him to stop praying and do something. The time has come for action. God is on his side and has equipped and empowered him to deliver His people, now Moses simply needs to act on that empowerment.

Men, God has empowered and equipped you to serve Him. Prayer is important, and while it is always essential to pray to strengthen our relationship and deepen our intimacy with God, there comes a time when it's time to stop praying for God to use us and get going with the tools He has given us. We can waste our time praying for an opportunity to be used and miss it when it comes. Sometimes we need to take a step in faith and lift our staff out over the sea to watch the water separate and reveal dry ground.

Prayer is important, but there comes a time for action. God doesn't want us, and didn't create us, to spend our lives in prayer seeking how to serve. He made us to act in faith, trusting in what He has given us to get the job done. May we not fail to act. Let's do something.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Remind Others to Watch God

"But Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.'" -Exodus 14.13-14

The people are afraid, Pharaoh is on the west side, the Red Sea is to the east, they are trapped. They cry out to God momentarily, but then turn their full focus to blaming Moses for getting them into this. They say that it would been better for them to be slaves in Egypt than free dead men in the wilderness. And as they get done with their rant, Moses reminds them, "Don't be afraid, watch what God is about to do for you. God will take care of you."

Moses has come to trust God. We've seen him go from a shepherd asking God to send someone else, to a man who is able to perform the works of God before one of the most powerful man in the world. He's seen God come through time and again. He's seen God's power unfold. He's come to trust in Him fully and depend on Him. He knows what God has promised, and he knows that God will deliver on it. And as the situation looks bad, Moses reminds them to watch God.

Men, are you watching God? When the situation seems darkest are you focused on the light of God to guide you through it and guard you? And in those times, are you reminding others to watch God? If you aren't doing the first one, you can't do the second. But if you are fully trusting God, if your life reflects that action, then it's instinct to remind others to do the same.

Moses saw the panic spreading, and immediately he works to calm it and bring order. God was about to fight for Israel, all they had to do was keep silent and watch Him work. He reminded them, are you reminding others?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Quick to Forget

"As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, 'Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, "Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians"? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.'" -Exodus 14.10-12

Free at last and on the way to the land of promise. But God isn't done with Pharaoh or Egypt yet. He still will gain honor from them and show them still further that He is God. He has Israel turn back and camp by the Red Sea, and then He harden's Pharaoh's heart. He organizes a group of soldiers and heads into the wilderness after them.

As he approaches Israel becomes afraid because they are trapped against the sea. They cry out to God initially, but then quickly turn to Moses and accuse him of leading them into death in the wilderness. They say that they never wanted to leave Egypt, they were happy as slaves, and prefer bondage to death. Oh how quickly they have forgotten.

God just performed ten wondrous plagues on the Egyptians and brought them out of that nation rich. He has led them in wilderness constantly by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He has never left them, and He displayed His power to protect and provide for them. But now that they are free maybe they thought life would be simple and carefree. Maybe they thought that once they left Egypt their troubles were over forever. After all they are on the scenic route avoiding battle with the Philistines.

Men, how quickly do we forget how God has delivered and provided for us? We witness God come through and provide finances, and then the car breaks down and we forget to turn to God and trust in Him. God provides an incredible job in answer to prayer, and then the kids get sick, and we forget to turn to God and trust in Him. God does ... and then ... happens, and we forget to turn to God and trust in Him. It's almost as if we expect God to fix everything at once and make our lives problem free from that point on. That isn't the way it works.

God shows up and provides the little things to build our trust in Him, so that when the big things come, we remember how He has come through, and look to Him to come through again. You know what Israel's response should have been when they saw Pharaoh and the Egyptian army charging down on them? Something along these lines, "Oh snap, I feel bad for him. Didn't he learn his lesson the last ten times? Boy I wonder what God is about to do to him, let's watch and see how He takes care of this one." They had every reason to respond like that, and not a single one not to. And yet they are quick to forget all that God has done to bring them to this point.

Coming to God, having Him come through and provide, does not mean that all of our problems are over. It doesn't mean that there will be no more trials or battles in our lives. But it does mean that God has come through for us in the past, and we know that if we simply trust Him, we can watch Him do it again. This doesn't mean sit back and do nothing. It means have faith in God to come through. Let us never forget.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

The Scenic Road

"Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, 'The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.' Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt." -Exodus 13.17-18

Finally, Israel is free. Four hundred and thirty years and ten plagues later, Pharaoh has finally let the people go. As they prepare to leave God gives them favor in the sight of the Egyptians and they leave with gold and silver, the wealth of Egypt. And now as they begin their journey God takes them down the scenic road.

There is a faster, more direct past to where they need to go, but it's through the land of the Philistines, and if they go that way there could be war that overwhelms them and causes them to turn back and return to slavery. In order to protect their freedom and young faith God leads them along a different path. Until they are ready it is best to keep them away from war.

Men, there are times in life when God will intentionally lead us away from battle and danger. There are times He needs to strengthen our faith and trust in Him before we engage. There are times we need to get stronger and go through more training before we are ready for battle.

When God leads us along the scenic route it doesn't mean we're weak. It doesn't mean that we've failed. It's God saying "Not yet." As we'll see later in the Old Testament, Israel engages the Philistines over and over again. There comes a time to fight that battle, but it isn't until they are stronger and more ready. For four hundred and thirty years they have been slaves, not warriors.

There will come a time for the battles, but until God leads us into them, let's follow Him down the scenic path and soak in all that He has to teach us and the training He provides for when it's time to charge.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

A Man's Job

"Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it." -Exodus 12.5-7

As the people prepare for the final plague God gives instructions for them to follow in order to be protected. Unlike the last few plagues where God has made a distinction between Israel and Egypt, this one requires intentional action for salvation. And with this action comes a lasting reminder that is still celebrated today.

To be protected from the plague a perfect male lamb is to be taken, killed and it's blood placed above and on the sides of the door of each home. Those who obey will be saved, and this responsibility falls to the man of the house. It is his job to make sure his family is safe. It is his job to do the unpleasant task of killing an innocent lamb and spreading its blood by the door. It is a man's job.

Men, as much as some women protest, gender roles are part of who we were created to be. I'm reading a book with a wise "old" Sage, called Father Hunger, and in it the author tells how there are things a man does because he was made to do them. "Men don't carry things because they happen to have broad shoulders. They have broad shoulders because God created them to carry things." God made us the way we are so that we can do the jobs a man needs to do.

If there is a crashing noise in my house at 2:30 AM, who's going downstairs with the 12 gauge to investigate? Me, I'm the man. If my children are scared of something, who is going to protect them? Me, I'm the man. If the family dog needs to get put down for some reason, who will take her? Me, I'm the man.

There are jobs a man must do, because a man was made to do them. Back in Egypt a man was needed to kill an innocent lamb, and spread his blood above the door to protect his family. It's an unpleasant task, but one that had to be done, and in order to keep his family safe, a man does it.

We have a role to play, and often times it involves difficult, scary, or unpleasant tasks. Will you man up and do the job that you were created to do?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Esteemed

"The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people." -Exodus 11.3

Everything is about to end. The final plague is coming, and after this Israel will be free. Moses is to instruct the people to ask the Egyptians for silver and gold, and God has given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they will give them what they ask for. And we see that Moses is greatly esteemed in Egypt.

Moses is the first one to be given the title "Man of God" (Deuteronomy 33.1), and he is greatly esteemed in Egypt because of how God has used him. Men of God stand apart, even amongst those who don't know and follow God. The quality of their life and their character set them apart, and gain respect from all people.

Men, do you seek to be men of God? Are you striving to live with the integrity and character that warrants the respect of the people around you? People may not agree with what you believe, but they cannot deny how you live. The life of a man of God is greatly esteemed because it is lived with such character.

Will you be a man of God? Will you live a life that is greatly esteemed?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Be Prepared

"Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, 'Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.' But Moses said, 'You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the Lord our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the Lord our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the Lord.'" -Exodus 10.24-26

After nine plagues Pharaoh has had about all that he can take. Moses comes before him and Pharaoh says, "Take all the people, young and old, men and women, but leave your animals behind." But Moses tells him, "That's not good enough. We need our animals so that we will be able to properly worship God." The offer is getting close, but it isn't all that God had promised yet, and so Moses doesn't take it.

He was told that the people would worship God on the mountain, but God didn't tell him how. He knows that to be able to properly do what God requires they need to be prepared with all of their flocks and herds. Israel has lost the tradition of worship, 400 years of slavery will do that to you. In Leviticus we see God teaching His people how to worship Him, but for now Moses knows they simply must be prepared and ready for whatever God asks.

Men, are you prepared to do whatever God asks? Do you have your resources and skills at the ready, so that God can use you? Is your sword polished and sharpened for battle? Or are you headed out to the wilderness while your sword is sheathed back in Egypt? Are you prepared to worship God?

Had Israel taken this offer they would have gotten into the wilderness and been unable to worship God. They would have been unprepared because they took an offer that was "good enough". But God doesn't settle for good enough, He always has the best in store for His people. Moses knew what God had said, and he would make sure the people were prepared to be able to worship God as He instructed. Are we prepared to do whatever God asks? To give Him whatever He desires? Be prepared.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Let God Handle It

"Moses said, 'We shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.' Then he said to them, 'Thus may the Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Take heed, for evil is in your mind. Not so! Go now, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desire.' So they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence." -Exodus 10.9-11

Pharaoh just said the men could go. The men that he had piled work on so that they wouldn't have time to listen to Moses, he is now permitting to leave. A leader who hadn't learned to trust fully in God would probably have jumped at the opportunity. The men can head out of Egypt, and then meet up with a neighboring king who wouldn't mind expanding his territory. They join forces and return to Egypt in battle formation, take out Pharaoh, and free their families.

Sounds like a decent plan, men doing what they were made to do, fight and protect their families. But his isn't the way God has said He will deliver His people. He isn't going to have them do a thing, because if He did then their praise would be for themselves. They would say, "We rescued ourselves from Egypt with our own strength and courage. We defeated Pharaoh and won our freedom." That isn't the way God has in mind, and thankfully, Moses is a leader who trusts fully in God.

Men, what is your course of action? Do you trust God to handle it, or do you seek an ideal opportunity and then take matters into your own hands? Let's face it, we like, no, we love control. We love to take matters into our own hands, and we hate when we don't have control over a situation. We hate when we can't figure something out or do anything to determine the outcome. But there is so much with life that we can't control. And as Men of God there is so much we are called to give up control of, or at least our attempt of control.

Had Moses taken matters into his own hands, thought, "Maybe this is what God had in mind all along" a lot of Israelites would have been killed. But because he listened, and more importantly trusted God to handle it, he leaves Pharaoh's presence and ushers in the next plague.

What does taking matters into our own hands end up costing us? Is it worth it? Let us learn to trust. Let's let God handle it.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Tell the Stories

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.'" -Exodus 10.1-2

Egypt has been through some hard times recently, but God isn't done yet. He hardens Pharaoh's heart so that He can show His power to His people. But the signs He is about to perform are not simply for this generation, the stories are to be passed down so that each generation may know that the Lord is God.

Up until Moses came to Egypt all they had were the stories of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants. They knew the story of his faithfulness, but what stories were there of God's power? Now God is showing them first hand what He can do, and just as they passed down the stories from Abraham, they are to pass these down as well. They are to tell of the wonders God did to set them free from slavery so that all generations will know that God will take care of His people.

Men, what stories of God's power and provision have been passed down to you? We still read the stories of the ten plagues, as well as the rest of the Bible. We have records of the great things God has done, but what about the personal stuff? What has God done in your own family? How has He taken care of your parents and grandparents?

Maybe you're the first one to trust God in your family. Maybe the stories begin with you. How has God worked in your life? Where have you seen His power and provision? Pass those stories down. Share about the time He provided the exact amount of money you needed to pay the bills or rent. Share about how God provided groceries unexpectedly. Share the story of how God delivered you from addiction. These are the stories that your children and grandchildren need to hear.

Yes, read them the Bible and share about the great things God did, but remember we serve a living God who is still at work today. Let them know that God still takes care of His people and provides for their needs. Let them know that God still delivers His people from slavery.

Tell the stories.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Heed the Warning

"'Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every man and beast that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.' The one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses; but he who paid no regard to the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field." -Exodus 9.18-21

Pharaoh hasn't listened and let the people go yet, and so the plagues continue. We come to plague seven, and for the first time we see a warning which makes this plague avoidable. God tells them to bring their livestock in from the field, and to keep their servants inside. If they do this they will be safe from the plague. We see that there are those among the servants of Pharaoh who have come to believe that God is doing all this, and heed the warning. Those that do are saved.

It's a simple concept, God said "This is what is about to happen, and here is how to be saved from it." And yet there are still those who pay no attention to the warning. There have been six previous plagues that have brought destruction on the land, and this time they are told how to avoid it, and yet some still go on with life as if nothing is going to happen.

Men, do we heed the warnings that we receive? How many times have we been told, don't do this/go there/associate with that crowd, because this is where it will lead? How often do we know the consequences of our course of action, and yet decide to pursue it anyway because we feel invincible, the bad will never happen to me? We ignore the warnings, and then we wonder how the bad stuff happens to us.

There are warnings everywhere, are we paying attention so that we can see them and follow them? They are there for our benefit and protection. They are there to keep us from unnecessary hardships. If we heed them we will find safety, and if not, then we face destruction. Do you really want to be taken out by something that you could have avoided?

Men, let's heed the warnings we receive and avoid unnecessary risks.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Think of Others

"But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them,'"'... Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. " -Exodus 8.32-9.2, 7

Pharaoh continues to keep the people in slavery, and so the plagues continue. But now God is beginning to make distinctions. The plagues now begin to affect only the Egyptians. The flies only swarm on the people of Egypt. Only the cattle of the Egyptians die. Pharaoh's stubbornness is now causing his own people to suffer.

Men, we are notoriously stubborn, maybe stereotypically, but let's face it, all of us are stubborn to a point. The question is, what is that point? Does our stubbornness end up resulting in others being harmed? As we make decisions do we take others into account? Do we think about how our actions will impact those around us?

Sometimes it's good to be stubborn. There are times we need to stand our ground and die on the hill. But those are the times that we stand against evil and injustice and work to improve the lives around us. But when we stand our ground at the expense of others we've missed the point of leadership.

Pharaoh brought chaos and destruction upon his people because he hardened his heart. His own advisors approached him about letting the people go, but he refuses, and his people suffer.

Let us lead to better their lives, not pass our own agendas. As we lead let us think of others.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Acknowledge God

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, "Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt."' They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats through all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said." -Exodus 8.16-19

Plague three is upon the land of Egypt, gnats everywhere. The past two plagues the magicians of Egypt have been able to replicate. They turned water to blood and produced frogs, but with this one they cannot match. Try as they might, their secret arts just could not replicate this plague. And when all they know fails them the look to the only option left, it must be God.

God had told Moses that the wonders He would perform in Egypt would show the Egyptians that He is the Lord, and it's beginning to happen. Pharaoh still doesn't believe, or at least doesn't care, but those who interact with Him are starting to get it. When things become unexplainable, they begin to acknowledge God.

Men, do you acknowledge God? Do you give Him credit and attribute His work to Him? Or do you write things off merely as coincidence? Do you take the time to look and see how He is working in your life, and where He is leading your life, or do you focus on your plans and desires? When something amazing happens do we give the glory to God?

We have two choices, acknowledge God or don't. When it all comes down to it, that's it. We can say, "This has to be God" and respond with praise and worship, or we can continue to look to our own means as the fail time and again.

Do you choose to acknowledge God, or will your heart be hardened?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Your Word

"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, 'Entreat the Lord that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.'... But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the Lord had said." -Exodus 8.8, 15

The snake didn't shake him, the blood was impressive but ineffective, but the frogs have gotten Pharaoh's attention. This time Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron, and he tells them that once God removes the frogs he will let the people go and sacrifice to God. Moses asks him to tell him when to have the frogs removed and he goes to God with the time. But when Pharaoh sees that the frogs are gone he changes his mind and keeps the people enslaved.

Men, have you made promises and commitments, but as soon as the situation changes, you change your mind? Do you go back on what you said as soon as its convenient for you? How many of us have made commitments to God only go back on them later. "God let me get this job/promotion and I'll be in church every Sunday." It lasts what, a month maybe? "God give me a raise and I'll give more to help the needy." Do you? "God do ... for me, and I'll ..." fill in the blanks. Does it really happen?

Do you do what you'll say you'll do, or are the commitments you make only good until things turn around? Do you keep your word?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Teamwork

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs. The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants.'"' Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, "Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt."' So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt." -Exodus 8.1-7

As the fight moves into round four we begin to see a solid rhythm forming. By now there is a routine that both men are comfortable with. They know their skills and their callings, and when the time comes each one performs the task that is needed of them. God speaks to Moses, Moses speaks to Aaron, Aaron stretches out his hand, God's wonders unfold. There is teamwork taking place to accomplish the will of God. And there is no shame in team work.

Men, we need eachother. Not one of us can do everything, not one of us was meant to. We each have gifts and strengths, and they are unique. We each have different skills and passions, and they are all necessary. We must learn to work together. Think of the phalanx. Each Spartan was a force to be reckoned with. Each one of them was skilled in combat. Each one of them was a powerful and deadly warrior. But every Spartan knew that their true strength was in the phalanx. When they stood together, side by side, they were unbeatable.

At Thermopylae they held off a vastly superior force for three days. The final day of combat it's thought that they broke rank and just cut down Persians until the last man fell. Part of me wonders what would have happened if they stayed in formation. Could the phalanx have held out? But the phalanx only worked because each warrior was so disciplined and skilled, able to hold his shield up and protect his brothers.

Men, we are all indispensable members of the phalanx. But if we are to stand firm together we must each be an individual force to be reckoned with. We will never be as strong individually as we are together, but if we have never developed our strength we have nothing to offer the phalanx. If we are to function as a team, we must each hone our skills and bring them to the front lines. And we must also be willing to let others bring theirs.

We are a team of skilled warriors. Are you able to lift your shield? Have you added it to the phalanx?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Second Shot at Leadership

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. You shall say to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.' Thus says the Lord, 'By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.'"' Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone."' So Moses and Aaron did even as the Lord had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood." -Exodus 7.14-20

God appeared to Moses, and Moses said, "Send someone else." God sent Aaron, Moses' brother, and he went with Moses. Moses has his request answered, but he isn't off the hook. This is now a team effort, God speaking to Moses, Moses speaking to Aaron, Aaron speaking to Pharaoh. But now as they enter round three, God gives Moses another chance to lead.

He tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and speak to him. Then, because Pharaoh has a stubborn, hardened heart, he is to take his staff and strike the Nile with it, and it will turn the water to blood. This time we don't see Moses ask God to send someone else, we see him act as God has instructed. He's been given a second chance to lead, and he takes it.

Men, have you let a chance pass you by? Have you asked God to send someone else, either verbally or by running as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Just know that God doesn't give up easily. God has a plan for your life, and I believe He'll try and get you to do it as long as you're still breathing. Just because you missed the first chance doesn't mean it's over.

In the time from the burning bush until now Moses has seen God come through. He has seen Him do things He promised to do. He's heard part of the plan directly from God. It was a time of faith building, and when the second chance comes, Moses is ready to take it.

Are you ready to take the second chance? God has a plan for your life, and saying no once doesn't change that. If you've said no before, why has that been your answer? In the time since you've said no how have you grown? Where have you seen God at work? When the second chance comes, what will your answer be?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor


The Nile from a bridge in Cairo

Someone Else's Staff

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, "Work a miracle," then you shall say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent."' So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs." -Exodus 7.8-12

The real battle is about to begin. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh once and simply presented the request, "Let my people go!" and Pharaoh said, "Nope, instead they get to work harder." The Israelites aren't thrilled and Moses goes to God asking why he was even sent because it's only made things worse. And then God lays out the plan. "Pharaoh is going to say no over and over, and I am going to show Egypt and Israel what I can do." And so now it's on.

Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh, and Aaron throws his staff on the ground and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh calls for his magicians and they perform the same trick, he's unimpressed. But then Aaron's staff swallows the others, one point God. But the thing that stands out here is that Aaron's staff is used.

Remember at the burning bush, God turned Moses' staff into a serpent. At the end of Exodus 4 Moses' staff is used to show Israel that God has sent him. But Moses asked for God to send someone else, and when the time came to confront the real enemy, someone else's staff is used. When it really matters, Moses' gifting is not used. God's chosen messenger is not the one who gets to do the task he was selected for.

Men, do you want this to happen to you? Do you want to be chosen by God for a task, but push it off on someone else? Do you want to do only the behind the scenes stuff when you're supposed to take center stage? Do you want to be the one to throw down your staff, or do you want someone else to do it?

It could have been Moses, but he pushed it off on someone else. It should have been his staff, but instead it was someone else's. Whose staff will be used in your life?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Hardships to Trust

"But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." -Exodus 7.3-5

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and the work of the people was increased. Moses is wondering why God even sent him at this point because things have only gotten worse. And as he seeks God's direction, signs are promised. God says He is about to act. Here we find one of those verses that has given many people trouble over the years. God tells Moses that He will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I think people have trouble because they don't read the rest of the verse. Why is God going to harden Pharaoh's heart? So that He can multiply His signs and wonders. God is going to harden Pharaoh's heart so that He can display His power.

Israel hasn't known God for centuries. They have heard stories of Him passed down, but He is always referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And if you think about it that's how He was always referred to. He has been the God of one man at a time, never a nation. And for four hundred years they have been slaves, which God told Abraham would happen, but they haven't heard from Him or learned about Him in that time. They don't know who He is, or what He is capable of. How are they to trust Him? God is going to make it easy, He's going to show them His power.

Men, sometimes God does things that don't make complete sense to us in order to show us what He is capable of doing. Sometimes God allows hard times to take place so that we can learn to trust Him more. And sometimes He allows us to experience hardships so that we come to know Him. He said that the Egyptians, a polytheistic pagan culture, would know He was the Lord. Sometimes it's only at the bottom that we can clearly see Him.

What are you going through right now? What hardships or struggles are you facing? What is God trying to teach you? Financial issues? God could be teaching you to have faith in Him to provide for your needs. Family issues? God could be allowing them to help you mend relationships, or maybe sever them. Trouble at work? God could be preparing you for something else, something that excites your heart. What is it in your life?

God is trustworthy. Not everything He does will make sense to us, but everything He does has a point, and ultimately that point is to show us that we can trust Him.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

When it Gets Worse

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.' But Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, 'Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?' Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt." -Exodus 6.10-13

Israel's workload has been increased. They have to produces the same number of bricks each day, but now they must do so without being provided with any straw. The Israelite foremen are being beaten, and so the heads of Israel go to speak with Pharaoh. His ears are closed, and he sends them away with still with no straw to make bricks. As they leave they meet up with Moses and Aaron, and they aren't too happy with the pair. They accuse Moses of their new hardships, and Moses turns to God asking why he was even sent because the problem has just gotten worse for the people.

But then God shares the promise that He made with Abraham. Canaan will belong to Israel, God will be their God and they will be His people. He will lead them out of bondage and redeem them. This is His promise and He will keep it. He instructs Moses to go again and tell Pharaoh to let the people go, and it comes as no surprise that Moses isn't thrilled with this. He points out how his own people have not listened, so why would Pharaoh. And again we see him bring up his weakness. But then God speaks to him and Aaron, and gives them a charge, He entrusts them with a task, of bringing His people out of Egypt.

Up to this point things have only gotten worse. At first Israel was on board with the plan, God finally seemed to be concerned about them, but after the first attempt things go from bad to worse, and suddenly they aren't so gungho. Moses was already hesitant with the task, imagine how he must have felt in that moment.

Men, sometimes, often times, bad things get worse before they get better. You go into a rough situation with energy and enthusiasm, expecting to see God turn everything around right away. But rarely does it happen that way immediately. Most of the time bad things get worse before they get better. What do you do in those moments? Do you give up? Does one attempt that didn't go as planned break you? Would it break a warrior?

Or do you not focus on the "failure" but on the commission you've been given by God. If you're in the center of His will, you can endure the worse, because you can rest in His promise that it will end. Redemption and restoration are coming with God, but in order to experience them, we have to endure the worse. This is why we have to be warriors.

I'm thinking of a song quote from Rocky 4, "In the warrior's code there's no surrender. Though his body says stop his spirit cries never! Deep in our soul a quiet ember, knows it's you against you, it's the paradox that drives us on. It's a battle of wills. In the heat of attack it's the passion that kills. The victory is yours alone."

That is the attitude we must have. We never quit fighting for truth and righteousness. We never surrender. We stand firm on the charge God has placed on our lives. We trust Him to see us through the worse and bring the victory. Things will often get worse before they get better. Let's man up, let the warrior arise, and battle through it.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Buried with Work

"So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, 'You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, "Let us go and sacrifice to our God." Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.'" -Exodus 5.6-9

Moses arrives in Egypt and meets with the elders of Israel. Aaron speaks to them, and Moses performs the signs God gave him, and they believe and worship God. Stage one is accomplished, now it's on to stage two, talk to Pharaoh. The get an audience with him and tell him that God has commanded him to let Israel go and worship Him in the wilderness. Pharaoh does not know God and therefore refuses to obey Him.

Pharaoh has noticed that Israel has stopped working because of the words they have heard from Moses, and immediately does something about it. Just as a Pharaoh acted in paranoia to enslave the people, this Pharaoh, who has gotten accustomed to slave labor building his cities, does what he can to ensure they don't mess everything up. He adds to their work. No longer will they be provided with straw, but will have to gather it themselves. And then we see a key phrase.

"Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words." Pharaoh knows that the women and children are not threat to him. What are a bunch of women and children going to do against armed soldiers? But men, men are strong. Men are warriors. If men decide to act they can be difficult to put down. Pharaoh wants to put them down before they rise up. If he can't keep Moses from talking, he'l bury them with work so that they have no time to listen or process what has been said.

Men, the enemy does this all the time. He doesn't want us to rise up and take a stand because he knows that a determined and driven man is a serious force to be reckoned with. He knows that it's much easier to take out a threat before it can become a threat. In Exodus 1 the Pharaoh tried to do this by killing off the male babies. If the enemy can overwhelm us with work, or battles, so that we have no time to breathe, or focus on our passions, he can keep us from becoming a threat to his rule.

We cannot allow ourselves to become so buried that we focus on nothing else. It's not easy to do, but it's part of the warrior training we are put through. Everything we encounter in life is preparing us for battle, even the things that try and prevent us from preparing for battle. We must be disciplined and determined to always seek the voice of God. We must focus on our passion, and the calling He has placed on our lives, and always be striving for it, even if it's only baby steps at a time.

Right now I'm finding myself very overwhelmed. At times it's difficult to even write this blog. Right now it's 11:42 PM, and I tried to sit down and write this at 8:00 AM today. I have a desire to begin to sit down and think and pray through where God is leading my life in the next chapter. Right now I'm in a time of preparation, a time of training. And in this time I am learning how to balance my life, and even if need be, go on less sleep in order to be able to do everything I need to do.

The enemy will bury us with whatever he can to keep us from rising against him. Don't let him.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Family and Ministry

"So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand." -Exodus 4.20

Moses is finally on his way to Egypt, but he isn't headed there alone. He takes his wife and his sons. He doesn't leave his family behind as he goes off on a mission, but he takes them with him. He takes his wife so that he can continue to provide for and protect her. He takes his sons so that he can continue to teach and guide them. He doesn't neglect his family for the work of God.

Men, too many have made this mistake. They put the work of the Church before their families. They invest their lives in strangers while their wives are lonely and their children drift away from God. They gain the church at the expense of their families, are you willing to pay that price? One day you will have to stand before God and give an account for the husband and the father you were, do you want to have to explain to Him why you ignored them as they cried out to you?

The work of God is why we are here. Loving our wives and children, and guiding them in the paths of righteousness, is our primary work of God. They are our primary ministry, and we cannot neglect them. And it is crucial for our families to see that though they are vitally important to us, our lives are caught up in something bigger. Our wives need to see us passionately following God and fighting for His kingdom. The warrior is who they fell in love with, and the warrior fighting for the kingdom of God is trained and ready to fight for her heart. Our children need to know, that though they are our most precious possessions, they are not the center of our universe. They need to see that our lives revolve around God. They need to see us in action, battling evil and standing for truth.

Moses gave his family that chance. He took them with him. He was a warrior for God, and a husband and father. IF God has blessed you with a family, don't neglect them, and don't idolize them. Serve God and serve your family. Family and ministry, we have both to do, so let's do them well.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Someone Else

"But he said, 'Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.' Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, 'Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.'" -Exodus 4.13-17

Out of questions, and out of excuses, Moses flat out says it, "God, send someone else." Here we have the oldest person in the world introduced, Someone Else. The answers God has given haven't given Moses confidence, and the signs and promises haven't filled him with courage. He's afraid to step out in faith and trust God to use him, and so he straight up asks God to get someone else to do the job.

God is angry. He tells Moses that his brother, Aaron, is coming to meet him and that Moses will speak to Aaron, God will be with their mouths and will teach them what to do. Aaron will be the one to speak to the people, but Moses will be the one to communicate between God and Aaron. And Moses will perform God's wonders. By asking for someone else to be sent Moses doesn't get off the hook, just a backstage view of it all. Aaron is going to play the lead role in the play Moses was to star in.

Men, when we ask God to send someone else to do our job, to play our part, we see that He will. But we also see that it doesn't free us from the task. Instead, we watch them do what we did not have the courage to do. We watch them do our public work and point others to God and direct praise and glory back to Him.

This is your part in the story. This is your role to play. Don't defer it someone else.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Excuses

"Then Moses said to the Lord, 'Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.' The Lord said to him, 'Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.'" -Exodus 4.10-12

Moses is running out of excuses. Everything he has brought up God has countered. He's given him a location, a name, and signs to perform. And even with these Moses is still unwilling to jump in with both feet. For some reason there is still fear and timidity, and so he starts making excuses for why he can't do this thing that God has asked. "I can't go, I don't speak well, never have." God's response is simple, "Who made your mouth? I did. God and I will be with you and show you what to say." God promises to be with him even in the area's of his physical limitations.

Men, what excuses are you making to God? Lack of time? Lack of money? Lack of help? Lack of... fill in the blank? What is your excuses? Now ask yourself, is that really the issue, or is it the security blanket you're holding on to, hoping God will change His mind? Think of what your fear is costing you.

First, it is costing you the chance to be part of something epic. God has a part for you in His story, a part only you can play, and fear is keeping you from it. Second, it's costing you time. The older I get I realize how short life is and how fast it goes by. I don't have time to waste being scared.

Third, fear costs us the opportunity to watch God do something great. Every shortcoming, every hindrance we see as preventing us from going, are just opportunities to see God work. A time issue is the opportunity to gain discipline, and watch God cut the unnecessary from our lives. A money issue is the chance to watch God come through and provide in ways we never imagined. A help issue is the chance to trust God and watch Him come through, and call others to use their gifts. Whatever your excuse is, it is the chance to watch God work wonders, and fear is keeping your from it.

God doesn't provide Moses with the words at that moment. He doesn't immediately become an eloquent communicator. God simply says, "I made your mouth. I will be with you. Trust me, and I will teach you what to say." Yet again there is the call to faith in God.

Without faith in God we cannot be part of His story. Without faith in God we cannot accomplish the epic. Without courage from God we cannot follow Him in faith. God has promised to be with us, and He will handle every excuse we can make if we'll trust Him.

What is keeping you from following? What are your excuses?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Equipped for Epic

"Then Moses said, 'What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, "The Lord has not appeared to you."' The Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' And he said, 'A staff.' Then He said, 'Throw it on the ground.' So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail' —so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 'that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.'" -Exodus 4.1-5

Moses still isn't sure about all of this, and so he keeps bring up "what ifs" to God. Now he asks straight up, "What if they don't believe me or even listen to me?" God asks what he has with him, and he replies that he has his staff. God takes the ordinary that he possesses and turns it into something extraordinary. He uses what Moses has and then shows him how to use it for the task God has called him to.

God doesn't call Moses and send him to figure it out, God equips him for the epic story. And it isn't just with one thing, God gives Moses several. First it's the staff, then He allows him to make his hand leprous and heal it. And if neither of these two work, God gives him turning some water of the Nile into blood on dry ground. God doesn't send him empty handed, nor does He reveal all of the powerful things He will do.

He doesn't tell Moses that the magicians of Egypt will turn their staffs into snakes, or that Moses' snake will consume them. He doesn't tell him that the entire Nile will be turned to blood, or about any of the other plagues that will be sent on Egypt. I think knowing that would have been a little overwhelming, and knowing all of that wouldn't have required as much faith and trust. Just as God doesn't reveal everything about the journey to us at the beginning, He doesn't reveal all that we are equipped for at the beginning either. We journey, we trust, and God does amazing things.

Men, don't worry when God calls you to something epic, He will equip you for it. God created you to be part of His story, and He wants you to do well in your role for His Kingdom. He isn't going to leave you unprepared. He's given you gifts and abilities, and He'll show you how to use them. Don't shy away from the challenge because you feel unprepared, god will equip you for the epic.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Something Epic

"'Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?' And He said, 'Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.' Then Moses said to God, 'Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you." Now they may say to me, "What is His name?" What shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."'" -Exodus 3.10-14

God has gotten Moses' attention and now He begins to reveal the role He has for him in the epic story He's writing. It's a big role, and Moses is immediately overwhelmed and feeling inadequate. He wonders who he is to undertake a task like this. Why would God ever choose him? Was he capable of doing this thing that God was asking? But God promises to be with him, and says that he will bring the people to this very mountain to worship him. He gives him a familiar place, a destination he knows, as a sign that he is being sent.

Still not convinced, he raises another question, and God shares His name with him. God gets personal and intimate. For the first time we have God share His name. He doesn't identify Himself as the God of Abraham, but uses His name. In the remaining verses of chapter 3 God shares more of what's going to take place. Moses feels inadequate, and so God works to reassure him and give him confidence.

Men, we are called to be part of an epic story. God has a role for each of us that might seem overwhelming at first, but if we're willing to trust God, He will reassure us. He doesn't go into the specifics of the task, but He'll give us a few details so that we can get a vision for what He's about to do. And just as He got intimate and personal with Moses, He does so with us. Just as He promised to be with Moses, He promises to be with us.

God is calling you to be part of His epic story, are you willing to play your part? It may seem scary and overwhelming at the beginning, but God is writing this story, and He will not abandon us. He is calling us to be part of something epic, do you accept?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Holy Ground

"Then He said, 'Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.' He said also, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God." Exodus 3.5-6

Moses has given in to curiosity, and now he has come face to face with God. And God tells him not to come closer, but to remove his sandals from his feet because he is on holy ground. He identifies Himself as the God of Moses' ancestors, and as Moses realizes what's going on he hides his face in fear of looking at God.

Men, do we have this kind of reverence? Most likely we haven't encountered God speaking to us through a burning bush in the wilderness, but we can enter into the presence of God and stand on holy ground. And when we come before God it is crucial that we do so vulnerable and humble.

I'm amazed at the arrogance and casual attitudes people take with God, or spiritual matters in general. How many times have you heard, or personally, referred to God as "The Big Guy" or "The Man Upstairs"? How often have we come to God with a front we've built trying to dominate? How often do people joke casually about Hell and Satan, almost making it seem as if they are looking forward to going there? There is no reverence for the spiritual realm, and with that no reverence for God.

When we seek to come before God we do it on His terms. We come to him "barefoot", open and exposed, vulnerable and just as we are. We don't come to God as posers and try to convince Him that we're something we're not. He says "Take off your sandals" come before Me as you are. Show Me that you're willing to be open and honest with Me.

And when we enter the presence of God we must do so with complete reverence. This is the creator of the universe; He spoke galaxies into existence, and yet He takes the time to converse with us. We are unworthy to look at Him, unable to stand before Him, and yet we are invited into a personal relationship with Him.

We are invited onto holy ground to meet with God, are you willing to take off your sandals?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Are You Willing to Look

"The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, 'I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.' When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, 'Moses, Moses!' And he said, 'Here I am.'" -Exodus 3.2-4

Moses took to the road, saved some shepherdesses, met their father who gave him one of his daughters. He settled down, started a family, and became a shepherd himself. His days were spent outdoors looking after livestock. He was alone in the wilderness with his thoughts, honestly it wouldn't be all that bad of a life. No one was after him, and every day he came home to a wife and son. Each day was the same routine, and I imagine he was pretty content.

But then one day something caught his eye, there was a flame in the distance. At first he probably didn't pay much attention to it, figuring it would die down as soon as the fuel source was burned up, but the flame didn't diminish. The more time past, it continued to burn, and it began to peak his curiosity. And so he turns aside to take it in. And in that moment his life was about to be turned upside down. As he drew close to the bush he heard his name, and os he responded "Here I am."

Moses turned aside to see this marvel, and because of it his path was altered. He might have been content as a shepherd, but God had other plans, bigger plans, in store for Moses. He did something out of the ordinary to get his attention and then he got personal. And because Moses was willing to look, he got to speak with God, and be used greatly by Him.

Men, are you willing to turn aside and look? Are you willing to set responsibility, obligation, and distraction down for just a moment in order to examine something that grabs your attention? What is so important that you can't take a moment to simply marvel at something wonderous? And what if that thing that peaks your curiosity is God trying to get your attention? What if it is Him trying to awaken your true passion so that you can take up your part in His epic story?

Are you willing to look and maybe be awakened to your true calling? Or are you content to be a shepherd who looks after some stupid sheep every day? God created each of us to play a part in the epic story He is writing. Somewhere along the way we've gotten distracted and become misguided. God is trying to get our attention so that He can redirect us, but in order for Him to be able to get personal, we have to be willing to take a look.

Are you willing to look?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Stand Up for the Weak

"Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand... Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock." -Exodus 2.11-12, 16-17

Moses is out among the people of Israel, and he sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. I'm guessing this was more severe than the typical wiping to get them to work harder. Moses looks around and sees no one, and so he acts. He steps up and kills the Egyptian to save a Hebrew who cannot stand up for himself. He hides the body in the sand, but there was a witness who saw it, maybe the Hebrew he saved, and since the matter has become known he flees to Midian.

There he is, resting by a well when seven women come out to water their sheep. Some shepherds come and push them out of the way, and once again Moses stands up and defends them. These women cannot stand up for themselves, and so Moses comes to their rescue. In both situations there has been someone in need of help that was unable to stand up for themselves, and so Moses, a strong and capable man, stands up for the weak.

Men, what do you do? I'm not suggesting we go around killing people, but there are other ways to save lives. There are times when women are pushed around and taken advantage of, what do you do then? There are times when the defenseless are abused, do you stand up and come to their aid?

Men, we need to act, and we need to stand up for the defenseless. God has given us strength to use in service to others. He has given us strong arms and courageous hearts so that we can stand up for the weak. Are you willing, or will you allow evil to triumph by doing nothing?

Stand up for the weak.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Wise or Paranoid

"Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, 'Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.' So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses." -Exodus 1.8-11

Joseph has died, as have all the people who knew him, but the children of Israel continue to multiply. The new Pharaoh sees a large group of people and immediately assumes the worst. There are more of them than us, and if a war breaks out they will join with our enemies and wipe us out. His solution, enslave them so they can't revolt. Taskmasters are appointed, and the ISraelites are put to work. And I have to wonder, was this really the best solution?

I think Pharaoh was paranoid, and in his paranoia he acted rashly. Really, the best option is to enslave a group of people? What about a peace treaty? What about some alliance where both sides benefit? But slavery is the option he comes up with. Think about what these two nations could have accomplished together as friends. But because Pharaoh saw a potential threat, he suppressed it by enslaving it.

Men, what do you do when you see a potential threat? When someone enters your company and has gifts and potential that is different than yours, what do you do? When someone joins the sports team your on and has more talent than you, what is your reaction? If some young intern, or youth pastor, shows up at your church with new ideas that shake things up (in a good way, different but good), how do you act?

Too often we become paranoid and seek to take out the threat. Too many young men have been hindered, and shut down, because older men are afraid of change, or losing their power. They slander them to damage their reputation. They hide them away and never give them a chance. They assign them impossible tasks that doom them to failure. That's the paranoid response.

The wise man sees the potential and helps to develop it. He knows that he cannot do this forever, and he knows that if he wants the work he's started to continue, the time will come when he has to hand it over. He knows that the world is changing, and though the message of the Gospel doesn't change, the means we deliver it does. He helps him develop and guides him into leadership. A wise man works with him.

When we become paranoid and work to shut down a potential threat to our position, we do a lot of damage. We hinder future leaders and we halt progress for the present. But when we act wisely, knowing that we cannot do what we do forever, and that we cannot continue to reach new heights on our own, we can accomplish great things.

Will you be wise or paranoid?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor