Knowing God the Enabler

Turn with me this morning in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 3.

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

If you're here this morning and you have do not have a worship guide, raise your hand.

Outlines on the back.

Want to make sure you got it.

We've got one right behind you, Larry, who needs a worship guide right there.

Okay.

Awesome, awesome.

Today we've been studying.

I'm sure in Sunday school you've been enjoying knowing God, knowing God, experiencing God by Dr.

Henry Blackaby.

And what a blessing that is.

And what I have chosen to do while you're studying this semester is to do a series on knowing the God that we love and using the characters.

I love character studies.

I do them all the time.

Looking at the characters that knew God in an unbelievable way.

So that we could see the characteristics of these men and women of God that knew God in an unbelievable way.

Like Paul knew God.

And we'll end up probably ending this series with that verse that I might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable into his image.

So, but today I want us to look at knowing God the enabler.

Next week, you want to read Joshua chapter 1.

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

Next week, we're going to look at knowing God the encourager.

And boy, oh Joshua, it'll be a good one for you.

But this one is so powerful because I really believe it deals with a burning bush experience.

Now the question is, and here's the question I'm asking you.

In fact, I was talking to your son the other day, Garrett.

And I asked Garrett, remember this, Garrett?

I asked him in the apartment the other day.

I said, Garrett.

We were talking about what God was doing in his life and maybe what God wanted him to do.

And I asked him, I said, here's the question I'm going to ask everyone Sunday morning.

It was the question I heard a man when I was a student at Liberty University in the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

I'll never forget it as long as I live, as the pastor was preaching.

But before he preached, he did the same thing I'm doing to you.

He asked this.

He said, get your pen ready, and you got your pens ready.

And he says, write down what you would like to be or do for God if there's nothing could hinder you.

I want you to think through that.

Write down on a piece of paper what you would do for God if nothing would hinder you.

Now I was a student.

You know what I wrote down?

Here's what I wrote it down.

And that's been 40 years ago.

I want to be a faithful preacher, an ambassador of the Word of God as long as I live.

That's what I wrote down.

And 40 years later, I'm still saying the same thing.

When I looked at, when I was going back through my notes and I saw that, I said, it hadn't changed.

Forty years ago, I asked you, Lord, to let me be a faithful preacher and ambassador for you.

Let me be faithful to the ministry.

Let me be faithful to finishing my course.

And now, at 64, I'm still asking the same thing.

Lord, let me be a faithful preacher of the Word of God and an ambassador for the cross.

Paul said, God forbid if I should glory in anything except the cross, by whom I am crucified unto the world and the world unto me.

In other words, don't let anything the world has hinder us from accomplishing what God has for us.

So, today we're looking at Moses.

Moses had a dream.

Moses had a vision.

Moses had a purpose.

D.

Al Moody said Moses' life could be divided into three 40-year periods.

The first 40 years he spent his life thinking he was somebody.

You remember the story?

His mother put him in the basket, sent him down the river.

Long story short, God preserved his life.

I'm talking about he became and was raised in the, hey, the king's palace.

He became one of the princes of Egypt.

And not only that, they chose a slave woman to raise the child Moses, and guess who the slave woman was?

His mother.

Tell me, God's not in charge.

Hello?

But during those 40 years, Moses had an urgency.

Even though he was part of the world, Egypt always is symbolic of the world in the Bible.

Even though he was wrapped up in the most best schools, best everything, best education, best, I mean, he had power, he had prestige, he had influence, he had everything the world has to offer.

But there was still a gnawing in his heart that he was not fulfilling what God had called him to do.

And he saw how his people were being distreated.

They were being mistreated and abused and beaten and bruised.

And he was praying to God.

And one day he decided instead of letting God handle it, he would do it.

You wouldn't know anybody like that, would you?

Hello.

Just a thought.

Raise your hand if you're guilty.

Every hand ought to go up.

Okay.

And you know the story.

What happened?

He ended up killing one of the captains of the army.

And sure enough, he had to flee.

He became a fugitive overnight.

They were going to get him and kill him.

And his brother, the other prince, man, that was a great opportunity for him to do him in.

So you know, then we see the next 40 years of his life.

He takes off and he goes to the backside of the desert with Jethro.

And he becomes a sheepherder.

Now watch.

He went from a prince to a shepherd.

It doesn't get any worse than that.

He went from the highest place he could be to the lowest.

Shepherds were considered stinking outcasts.

I'm serious.

I mean, you spent, you, you live with dirty, stinking sheep in the fields all the time.

That was about as low as it got.

So it went from the palace to the backside of the desert.

Ever been there?

You've been on the mountaintop, next thing you know, you're in the back side of the desert.

Let me give you a definition of the backside desert.

You've been knocked off your feet, you're down for the count, and you don't know what to do.

Now, you ever been to the backside of the desert?

Hello.

So he spent the next 40 years of his life realizing that he's a nobody.

And then we see God, but now let me tell you.

In fact, let me tell you why he felt like he was nobody.

Somebody asked him that.

Let me tell you how I know that.

He had two children with his wife that he got from Jethro, and they had two names.

There were two boys.

One, the first one was named Gersham.

And Gersham, you know what the word, and they put a lot of emphasis in their names.

Gershem meant stranger.

So Moses felt like a stranger from God.

He felt like, you know, he was this powerful, influential position.

Now he's a shepherd in the backside of the desert by himself, herding sheep.

He just felt like God was not listening.

God was through with him.

He had committed murder.

It was over.

He'd spent the rest of his life doing nothing.

Thank you.

Thank you, Wade.

So, but he keeps praying to God.

Let me say something.

Even when you feel like you're far away from God, don't give up on God.

Amen.

Can I get an amen?

Let me say that again.

Even if you feel like you're far away from God, don't give up on God.

You can't, because he'll never give up on you.

He has another son.

And this time they call him Eleazar.

Did I say that right?

Eleazar, thank you.

And you know what that means?

God of my father.

Now he's beginning to build that relationship back.

He feels like there's a communication coming back with he and God, even though he's still in the desert.

Folks, you can be in the back side of a desert and be as down as you can get and still know that God loves you and fellowships with you and wants to be right there with you because he is.

Hey, God doesn't move, you move.

God doesn't move, I move.

So he's getting back closer to God, and the second son is named the God of my father.

So we see the relationship went from a strange relationship back to a communicative relationship.

And it's in this setting, he's out in the desert, God shows up.

Now you got to remember, God knew where he was.

God knows everything, and we're gonna see that in a few moments when we start filling in the outline.

But now, watch this.

This is so good.

Here he is in the desert.

He's herding the sheep.

Now the temperatures in this desert could get up, are you ready for this?

To over 120 degrees at least.

Did you hear me?

So, every so often, if the humidity was right, it was dry and the heat was unbearable, guess what?

These dry what they called back then and still do, tumbleweeds.

Okay?

They could ignite.

So it wasn't unusual every once so often to see a bush and just burn up.

So all of a sudden, Moses is in the desert.

I don't know if he was walking with the sheep or he was just standing there watching over the sheep, but all of a sudden, this bush goes, it ignites.

And I kind of picture Moses probably walking and he sees this bush ignite.

Okay, he's seen that before.

And he keeps walking with the crook, with the sheep.

And then all of a sudden, you gotta realize a tumbleweed would, if it ignited, it would burn up very quickly.

Whew! Like paper.

You like paper.

Whew, it's gone.

Well, that's the way a tumbleweed would do.

It's so dry and all just who's like a burst of flame and it's gone.

So here he is, and he happens to look back, and the bush is still burning and it's not burning up.

Now, I don't know about you, but if I'm looking at a burning bush and the burning bush is not burning up, that's gonna get my attention.

Especially when I'm very familiar with what's going on.

And then all of a sudden the Bible says, and we just read it earlier, that he turned and he looked at the bush.

It's one thing to see a bush that ought to burn up, not burning up, but what would you do if the bush spoke to you?

Hello.

And I'm not only talking about speaking to you, the bush calls you by name.

Hello?

Would that get your attention?

Moses.

No, some somebody else out there.

He's the only one out there.

Who do you think it is?

Moses! I think I got your attention.

Three lessons.

You ready?

From the burning bush.

Verses one through five.

Oh, this is good.

Lesson number one.

God appears in the ordinary.

God appears in the ordinary.

And we see that in verses one and two.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush.

So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

God appears in the ordinary.

Now listen.

To get the attention, hey, of people so that he can use them to do the extraordinary.

Listen to me.

Somebody said, I don't have this, I don't have.

Hey, whoo! Hey, any old bush you do if God is in it.

Hello?

Any old bush you do if God's in it?

It's not the bush, it's who's in the bush that matters.

It's not you, it's not your talents.

Hey, it's not about your your powerfulness, it's really about our poverty.

We're useless and no good without God's help.

That's it.

So we see that God appears in the ordinary to choose people to do the extraordinary.

In fact, I love these verses in your outline.

1 Corinthians 1, 26 through 29 literally says that he chooses.

Watch this.

For you see your calling, brethren.

I love this.

Not many wise.

Can I get an amen?

I graduated, thank the Lord.

Susan graduated, sumaculars.

But hey, it's not many wives according to the flesh.

Now I'm watching it's not many mighty.

Not even many noble of high positions or lineage of great heritage.

No, that's not it.

Why?

Look at the next verse.

Now you ought to love this verse.

I love this verse when I saw this early in my ministry.

I said, this is me.

This is me.

God, hey, are you ready?

But God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound, hey, those that are wise, and God chooses the weak things of the world to confound those that are mighty.

Can I get an amen?

That's it.

And we see that right here.

God appeared in the ordinary to call, hey, God appeared in the ordinary to call the ordinary so that they, Moses, could do the extraordinary.

So, God appears in the ordinary.

Number two, God has to get our attention before he presents himself to us.

Ooh.

Look at verse 2.

If the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush, so he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

Then Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush does not burn.

In other words, he's just walking by, the bush is burning, nothing, you've seen it before, and then all of a sudden he looks around and he says, That bush is not burning.

So then he stops and he turns and he looks.

God got his attention through the burning bush.

When you got saved, God got your attention through salvation.

That was a burning bush experience for you.

What is a burning bush experience?

Here it is.

You may want to write it down.

It's when God intervenes into your life and stops you in your tracks and changes your life and direction to do something for him.

That's a burning bush experience.

He stopped you in your tracks, he saved you, and he called you to be an ambassador for him.

That's the first burning bush experience everybody has to have if you're a Christian.

And then after that, there's going to be more burning bushes experience, like with Moses here.

Moses.

And we were going about our own business, but God interrupted my life, called me to the ministry, and changed my life overnight.

I went from a policeman fireman overnight, quit my job, and within one week I was at Liberty University studying for the ministry.

That's a burning bush experience.

Then I had another burning bush experience when God interrupted, after I actually I was not completely through with school, and God interrupted mine and Becky's life and called us to go to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take over a church that was about two years old that one of our graduates had started.

They had about 30, 35 people, and God did something fantastic over those next years, but within that first week, that burning bush experience also included my wife of 28 years of age and nine and a half years of marriage, died in my arms with asthma attack.

That was a burning bush experience.

And then God interrupted my life again after about 13 years at Open Door Baptist Church and sent me back to Liberty University to become a professor and then ultimately the Dean of the Seminary and Vice President of Liberty University.

And then another Burning Bush experience was when God interrupted my Liberty experience and took me to Tennessee Temple to become the president of Tennessee Temple for six years.

And then God interrupted me well again with another Burning Bush experience and said, You're going to Chelsea, Alabama, and start a church.

I said, What?

Chelsea?

Where's Chelsea?

Just a little old dot on the mouth.

But each time God divinely intervened and changed my life and my direction, hey, for his purpose.

That's a burning bush experience.

Now here's what I don't want you to do.

And you got to be careful that when God sends you a burning bush experience, that you don't walk right on by it.

That you stop and you be still and that you know that He's God.

Psalms 46 10.

Amen.

So God appears in the ordinary.

Number two, God has to get our attention before he presents himself and you're ready.

Number three, God's presence always makes the place where you are holy.

You cannot come into God's presence and not be cleansed.

When you come in the presence of a holy God, it will, hey, your sin will be revealed, and you must confess your sin and get cleansed.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Can I get an amen?

God will not use an unclean vessel.

That's why it's a continuous confessing and asking God to forgive us of our sins and to get our hearts right and keep it right.

Amen?

God's not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4, 7.

Be ye holy in all manner of conversation means behavior because it is written, be ye holy, for I'm holy.

So we see that.

The place, hey, it's not this building.

Thank God for this building.

And it won't be the gym we build.

It won't be that.

Hey, you know what?

Hey, hey, let me tell you, the people, Ecclesia means a called-out group of people.

And God is calling out a group of people to be holy so that we can be representatives of God's kingdom.

God's kingdom come.

We're ambassadors.

God forbid, Paul said, if I should glory in anything except the cross, by whom the world's crucified unto me and I into the world.

Galatians 6, 14.

So we see this.

What a powerful statement.

God appears in the ordinary to use the ordinary to do the extraordinary.

Secondly, God has to get our attention before he presents himself to us.

That's why Jesus said, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13, 9.

Why do you come to church?

This is why you come to church.

I am convinced, I am convinced that most of my burning bush experiences took place when I had a word from God and God confronted me head on when I was either in chapel or in church or either reading the word of God myself.

God literally showed up and confronted me with a burning bush.

It's very important.

Now don't take this wrong and don't get mad at me.

I know football season has started.

I watched both ball games yesterday.

Actually, I watched two and a half.

Watched Auburn, watched Alabama, and watched a little bit of Notre Dame and uh Michigan.

But I'm not sure, I'm not gonna, because I'll get somebody that will confront me on this, especially watching, I'm sure.

But my chances of having a burning bush experience would be sitting under the Word of God in the presence of an awesome mighty God more than at a football game.

I think so.

Now you may have a confrontation with God there.

I'm not that God can do anything he wants to.

But what I'm saying is, Moses was coming back to a relationship with God, seeking God.

That's why he called God the second son, God my father, when God, hey, showed up.

And I'm all for you going to the football game.

I'll go too.

But I did you get the principle there?

You gotta be seeking after God for God to show up.

But he wants to, he's pleased with you.

He wants to do something miraculous with you.

He wants to do the extraordinary.

But you gotta, hey, here it is.

Thank you, Lord.

Psalms 141, verse 8.

Psalms 141:8

My eyes are fixed on thee, O God, in thee is my trust.

That's it.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, his righteousness, all these other things should be added unto you.

Matthew 6, 33.

So, and then God's presence always makes the place where we are holy.

Now, watch this.

Four things I know about God.

Number two.

First thing is three lessons we learn from the burning bush.

Four things I know about God.

Are you ready?

Verses six through ten.

Watch this.

Look at verse six.

God has enabled past generations.

God has enabled past generations.

Look at number six in Exodus 3.

Boy, this is good.

Then he continued, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, three other generations.

He says, and just as I was with them, I will be with you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I got good news.

This is encouraging to us.

Listen to me.

God's with us.

In fact, he goes to the point where he says, and I love this truth in Psalms 145, verse 4.

Psalms 145:4

Listen to what he says.

Hey, hey, we shall praise the works of the Lord to all the other generations.

Or actually says, to another generation.

You and I have the purpose when God has called us to do the extraordinary.

And when we watch God Jesus to do the extraordinary, we are to pass that on to our kids, then the next generation.

We are to shout it from the mountaintops.

What God is doing in this little town called Westover is unbelievable.

And by the way, when you're trying to do the extraordinary, you'll have opposition.

It's amazing how we get opposition around here.

We get opposition for trying to be a blessing.

Now, how's how how dumb is that?

Well, you got some.

Never mind, not going there.

Hey, listen to me.

But you know what?

You know what that?

Now you're going to think I'm crazy.

That kind of gets me up.

I get mad at the beginning, and then I think, oh, that's good.

You say, how can that be good?

That means we're doing something.

If we, hey, if you're not being poked by Satan, you're not doing anything.

But as I told one of our men recently, don't poke the bear too much.

Amen.

But anyway, and by the way, we don't have to worry about that.

God avenge us.

God's our, hey, God's our warrior.

You know how we respond?

We respond with love.

And I don't like that sometimes.

That's not my nature.

So you know when I respond with love, when somebody pokes me, I am spirit controlled.

Because that's not my first want-to.

My first want-to-you want to fight?

Bless God, get it on.

But you know what?

That's not.

Nah, that's not a testimony.

Anybody in fight.

Takes a lot stronger, Christian, turn around and walk away.

And I've been pretty good the last years of my life, but kind of walking away having it.

I'm getting tweeter.

I really am.

I don't, I don't kick.

Do what?

I know.

She's right in my beginning of my ministry.

We used to say, when I had girls, they said, God's gonna make you sweet.

And I said, I don't won't wanna be sweet.

Well, now I'm sweet.

Some of y'all responded, I didn't know how many, but it was unreal the response on Facebook I got from me holding my little granddaughter.

But wasn't she a doll?

She loves her puppy.

Yeah.

She called me yesterday and said, Puppy, we got donuts.

I said, that's not fair.

Poppy's supposed to be there.

My daughter said they said, we want donuts.

When Poppy's here, he takes us to get donuts.

So they took him to get Krispy Kreme yesterday.

Because I'm sweet.

Amen.

Here we go.

What's this?

God has and will enable past generations.

Verse 6.

Look at what else he'll do.

God knows what is happening in your life.

Look at verse 7 and 8.

This is good.

Then the Lord said, I have observed.

Uh-oh.

I have observed the ministry of my people in Egypt.

Let me remind you, God has observed your ministry.

Come on, work with me here.

And the Lord said, I have surely seen the oppression of my people.

Are you with me?

God knows what you're doing for him.

Now, some of you aren't doing a whole lot.

Or should I say, some of us aren't doing a whole lot.

He knows that too.

In fact, notice what he said.

The Lord said, I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their suffering.

Hey, he not only sees it, he knows about it.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, behold, and the evil and the good.

Can I get an amen?

He knows.

The Bible says in Psalms in John 2, 25, He knows what's in man.

Psalms 44, 21, I don't like this one.

He knows our secrets.

Do you like that verse?

You do?

Oh my soul.

Oh, because he loves you even knowing your secrets.

Oh, that's okay.

Yeah, good.

Because sometimes I don't want him to know my secrets.

And but he already does.

So when you start to think that thing, remember that.

That's helped me a lot.

Well, Lord, I'm sorry.

Have you ever done this?

I've said, get it out.

Get it out.

Woo! Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the Lord and bring every thought into captivity.

Amen.

That sounded pretty good, didn't it?

I'm gonna take your job, Michael, on the bongos.

Man, those bongos sounded good today.

Thank you for being back.

But really, he knows what's, hey, hey, happening in our lives.

Can I get an amen?

He knows.

That's good, folks.

Then look at number three.

I love this verse eight.

Look at what he says.

In verse eight, he says, I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, to bring them from the land to a good and spacious land, and a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites and Hennites and all the heights.

He says, I have come down to deliver you and take you to a land flowing with milk and honey.

Not only does he see your ministry, not only does he see your problems, not only does he see your oppression, your opposition, he says, I'm coming down.

And when God comes down, he takes over.

God doesn't come down to choose sides, God comes down to take over.

Amen.

That's why when you have this opposition, you just say, Amen.

Amen.

Remember, you got, hey, to go against us, if we're walking with God and doing what God's called us to do, people don't get this.

And the lost don't get it because they don't, they're natural.

They couldn't get it.

But when they come against a Christian or a church that's following God's direction, they're coming against God.

Now I don't know about you, but I am not wanting to take on God.

Remember what the Titanic guy said?

Not even God could sink this ship.

Hello! Hello! He should have never said that.

That's what he said.

Read your history about the Titanic.

On the voyage when they christened the ship, he said, even God couldn't sink this ship.

Guess what?

It said the bottom of the sea.

Amen.

So, and then number four, God will deliver his people by using other people.

Oh, look at verse 10.

This is good.

Man, this is good.

Therefore, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people in his lights out of Egypt.

This is funny.

Now here's Moses in the backside of the desert.

He's got his relationship back right with God.

He's praying, God, I still want you to deliver my people.

God, I beg you to deliver my people.

Your people, God.

You know they love you.

They've been in oppression for uh 70, 80 years.

God, please, please.

All of a sudden, God says, Moses, I'm going to deliver my people.

I and I wrote this down.

Can't you see Moses?

Moses is on holy ground.

This is a marvelous thing happening.

And when he says, I'm in your presence, I see you right now, God, and I know you can do the impossible.

I know you will do the impossible.

God, you've now said you're going to go get them.

Oh, you're going to deliver them.

Oh, God, get them.

Get them.

Get them.

And then all of a sudden, and God says, Yes, we're going to go get them.

And I'm going to use you to do it.

God, what?

Wait a minute.

Whoa.

Wait a minute, God.

I killed.

God, you do remember.

I killed one of their men and I'm their most, I'm on their most wanted list.

No?

Hey, thinking that God didn't know that.

Hello?

You okay out there?

No, I can't do that.

I can't, I can't, I can't.

Now I know, being the spiritual group you are, you've never said that.

I can't.

I said that when David said, I want you to help me start a church.

I can't.

Actually, I said, I won't.

And watch.

Are you ready?

This is powerful.

Moses gives God four excuses.

Ready?

Excuse number one.

Look at verse 11.

But Moses asked God, Who am I?

That I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Hmm.

Amazing, isn't it?

Alright?

Then look at verse 11 and 12.

I mean, verse 12, I'm sorry.

He answered, I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you when you bring the people out of Egypt.

You will all worship God at this mountain, at Mount Sinai.

He said, Don't worry about it, Moses, I'm going to be with you.

Now that ought to be enough.

See, here's the first excuse.

Two things.

First of all, Moses had, verse 11, a confidence problem.

Write that down.

You ever had a confidence problem?

Most people do not do what God's called them to do.

You remember that question?

Why do 90% of the, well, I don't know a percentage, but a lot of the people that just wrote down what you would do if there was, if, what you would do for God if there was nothing to hinder you.

You know why most people never complete that, hey, that statement in reality?

It's because they have a confidence problem.

So when you and I have a confidence problem, look what God does for us.

One, he gives us a promise.

And look at the promise, verse 12.

I will be with you.

I will never leave you.

I'm with you.

Can I get an amen?

Say this: God's with me.

God's with me.

And here's what I love.

Here's the promise.

God's not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1.7.

1 Kings 8.56, all of God's promises will be fulfilled.

Philippians 1 6, being confident of this very thing, that he which begun a good work in you will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5.24, faithful is he that's called you, who also do it.

God's with you.

Ephesians 3.12, we have boldness and confidence by faith in Christ Jesus.

Wow, that's good.

Proverbs 28, well, I'm just going.

I can't help it.

Proverbs 28:1, the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1

So doesn't matter.

Moses went from self-confidence.

In fact, let me tell you what Moses went from.

Moses went from self-confidence when he was a prince to no confidence when he was in the back side of the desert to confidence when God brought him out.

Confidence in God.

That's pretty good.

Because we usually all go through that process.

Self-confidence?

No confidence.

And you know when we really get no confidence?

When we try something and we fail.

How many of us have tried something and failed?

I tried playing golf.

I failed miserably.

Cost me a lot of money.

Especially if you break a club.

Actually, I didn't break them, I just threw them in the river.

I threw them in the pond.

I made one shot and it was a$200 driver, and I just went, that's it, I'm through.

My buddy said, Well, at least give me the driver.

I said, Well, go get it at the bottom of the lake.

That was not spiritual.

That was all flesh.

So I made up my mind if I'm if God's gonna get me in the flesh, I'm gonna quit playing golf.

Now, Benji and they're great.

He can play, they don't have any problem.

Ival's awesome.

He shoots in the 70s.

Yeah, look at him smiling.

I think I played one time with you, and I think you and David both told me together, just keep riding your motorcycle.

I was riding motorcycles back then.

I remember that.

Moses had a confidence problem, but God gave him a promise.

Look at what else.

Moses, now look at verse 13.

He comes up with another excuse.

Then Moses asked God, if I go to the Israelites and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name?

What should I tell them?

God replied to Moses, I am who I am.

Wow.

Now see, first of all, Moses had a content problem.

Moses had a content problem.

He said, I won't know what to say.

Then God gave him a plan.

Are you ready for this?

This is awesome.

Watch these next verses 14 through 19.

Look at God's plan.

First of all, here's what God told Moses I got a plan for you.

Tell my people.

Who I am.

I am that I am.

Now see, you and I have to say, and I wrote this down, this is good.

God gave me this the other morning.

You and I have to say, I am that which I have become.

Or we have to say, I am that which I was born.

Or I am that which circumstances have made me.

That's what we have to say, but not God.

God says, I am who I am.

And you know what that means?

That means there's no limit to God.

None whatsoever.

He's saying, God is literally saying, let me tell you how my definition is when he says, I am who I am.

I wrote it to myself.

This is good for me.

It literally means that God says, I am consistent and I am in control.

Wow.

You don't have to worry about God wavering.

He's consistent.

You don't have to worry about God coming down and taking over.

He's in control.

Then notice what else he said.

That was verse 14.

Then verse 15, he says, Tell the people I am faithful to all generations.

I've been faithful to your fathers, your forefathers, and I'm going to be faithful to you.

CCW, he's been faithful to the beginning of the church in the New Testament, and he's going to continue to be faithful to us.

Can I get an amen?

He changes not.

Then number three, he says, tell the leaders.

Leaders, listen to me.

This is good.

There are four things he tells us in verse 16.

He says, first of all, God is concerned about you.

And I thought about that.

Psalms 55, 22 says, God will, hey, I cast all my problems on him.

He will sustain us.

And listen to what he says in Psalms 55, 22.

I will never let the righteous be lacking.

Wow.

Never.

And then look what else he told the leaders.

He says, I'm concerned about you.

God says, I will deliver you into the promised land.

Verse 17.

And then verse 18, look at what he says.

You have a responsibility to obey my voice and sacrifice.

Now that's a powerful statement right there.

Look at what he says in verse 18.

They will listen to what you say, then you, along with the elders of Israel, must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, The Lord thy God of the Hebrews has met with us.

Now please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

He's saying, Leaders, listen to me.

I'm with you.

I'm going to deliver you into the promised land.

A land that's flowing with milk and honey.

But you've got to be obedient and you have to sacrifice.

David said, I will not offer up anything to God that does not cost me something.

2 Samuel 24, 24.

Amen.

Can I help us?

And you watching online.

There's not, young people, this is for you.

Listen to me.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

That's why we are in the shape we are in America.

We depend on the government to give us a lot of stuff.

I've got news for you.

That's not what God wants for you.

God doesn't want the government taking care of you.

God wants it, hey, God wants to take care of you.

And he's a lot better than the government.

In fact, let me tell you what about him.

Isaiah 9, the government's upon his shoulders.

Amen.

That's not politically correct, is it?

But now watch.

Now watch verse 19.

This is going to be illuminating.

You ready for this?

Mm-mm-mm.

I saw this at a Pentecostal spell.

However, I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go.

Unless he is forced by a strong hand.

Now watch.

Are you ready for this?

You know what he's saying in verse 19?

You're going to have problems.

Mm-mm-mm.

You're going to have problems.

It's not going to be easy.

You know when I the hardest thing it was for me in the ministry was when people, when we would be trying to do something good, it still kind of gets me sometimes now.

You're trying to be a blessing, and then you're having so much opposition, trying to just lamb blast you, say all manner of stuff about you, and all you're trying to do is be a blessing.

Why is that?

He can't stand you to be a blessing.

He wants you to be a prune.

He wants you to be a sour puss.

He doesn't want the joy of the Lord all over you.

When the joy of the Lord's all over you, you are radiant.

Those who look to him are radiant, they should never be ashamed.

You're exhausted.

Hey, when you're radiant, people are attracted to the radiancy of Christ.

He wants you to be negative.

He wants you to be bad attitudes.

That's what he wants.

Wants you mad and complaining, griping.

But we're CCW, we don't do that.

Sometimes.

Are you with me?

Now watch.

He already says, you're going to, he says, hey Moses, I'm with you.

Now I don't know about you.

He's already said he's going to deliver me.

Man, he's going to take me to the promised land.

Woo! He's a land flowing with milk and honey.

I'm going to prosper.

I'm going to be successful.

And then all of a sudden he said, Pharaoh's not going to let you go.

Wait a minute.

You just said you're going to be with me.

I know.

But he's not going to let you go.

So Moses, I'm going to deal with Pharaoh.

Now think about that.

The next time we have a problem, I needed this this morning.

Next time we have a problem, just remember, God's going to deal with our problem.

Can I get an Amen?

If we're faithful, God's going to deal with our problem.

Yep, it's not my problem.

It's God's problem.

Now, Papa, you say that a lot.

That's not my problem.

That's God's problem.

I'm just doing right.

You do right, it's God's problem.

Do wrong, it's your problem.

Now, which is it gonna be?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.

Now, watch this.

Now here's where it really gets good.

Last thing.

By the way, he also says, Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Now, number four, the fourth thing he tells the leaders, God will make up the difference.

Look at verses 20 through 22.

Man, this is good.

I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with a, hey, with all my miracles that I will perform in it.

After that, he will let you go.

And I will give this people such favor in the sight of, ooh, I like it when God gives us favor.

In the sight of the Egyptians, there it is.

We just keep loving people.

We keep doing right.

God will take care of it.

He'll even show us favor.

That's what we're gonna do.

That's what we're gonna do.

That when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

Woo! Each woman will act.

Let me tell you, if you and I handled it, we wouldn't be near as successful as when God handles it.

Not only is he gonna take care of Pharaoh, he's gonna get Pharaoh's people to give us money to take our trip.

That's a good deal.

Look at that.

I saw that and I said, whoo, yes.

Let me give you an example.

Gonna cost us$350,000, Bob.

Remember this?

$300 plus thousand dollars worth of dirt to fill in that place.

They said, no, we're not.

No, we're not, no, we're not.

We're not spending that kind of money on dirt.

We're gonna pray dirt in.

Everybody laughed at me, and I got this look from a few.

Pray it in.

Hey, God gave us that land.

Come on, come on.

God gave us that land.

That's not our land, that's God's land.

And I'm here to tell you, God's gonna take care of everything we need out there.

We just gotta do our part.

Amen.

Now that means we gotta work, we gotta do what we can do, the talents and the gifted that God's given us.

We gotta give our money.

God blesses us to give, to do what we gotta do.

But if we do our part, God's gonna open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing that we can't contain.

Now let me tell you something.

I'm gonna help you.

You get involved whether you're giving, whether you're working, whatever you're doing, and when God's doing something like this, God will bless you more than he's ever blessed you.

You know why he does that?

So that you can keep giving to what God wants to do.

Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall me and give back to you.

Can I get an amen?

You cannot give God, especially when He's told you this is what He wants you to do.

He's called you, He's enabled you.

God's enabled you with that job so that you can help do what God wants you to do.

To do Him, you thought God you had that job so you could be prosperous and do what you want to do.

If you're Christian, wrong.

God gave you that job and enabled you so that you can do what God's called you to do.

Hello?

You okay out there?

Now watch.

God will make up the difference.

That's good, preacher.

Nothing's impossible with God.

He brought in all the dirt.

He just paid off the land.

You do remember that offering of$68,000 one Sunday?

Where'd that come from?

Right here.

I'll make up the difference.

I'll make up the difference.

Just be faithful.

Every time in our lives when we've been in a situation when we didn't know what to do, but we kept our eyes on God and we didn't have the, whether it was finances or whatever, the resources to do what we needed to do, has God not always been faithful?

Every time.

Every time.

Just stay faithful.

And you know what we did?

We stayed faithful to giving, not hoarding.

Can I tell you something?

It's hard to get something put in your hand if your hand's like this.

You listening to me?

I'm helping you.

Right there.

And let me say, we've got about 15, 16 families.

I'm excited about several of you going through the covenants class.

But they've been giving.

They didn't have to wait to join the church to start giving.

They've been giving.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

But you know why?

It's not because, hey, they know that's what they're supposed to do.

They're supposed to support the church that they're being fed and they're involved and knowing the mission of the church, God's church, and what they're doing for the glory of God.

And we're gonna need, we're gonna need it.

We're gonna need it.

We gotta cut down some more trees, guys.

Get your chainsaws ready.

Just like all that was woods we gotta clear off.

Benji?

Benji, guess what we need to clear off for next?

Here comes your softball, Phil.

That's next.

With Jim and that, we'll do that simultaneously.

Amen?

Gotta make up the difference.

All right, let me finish.

Number three.

Number three.

Third excuse.

Verse chapter four, verse one.

First, he had a confidence problem, God gave him a promise.

Secondly, he had a content problem, God gave him a plan.

Thirdly, he's got a credibility problem, so God gives him power.

Look at verse one.

Then Moses answers, What if they won't believe me and will not obey me, but say the Lord did not appear to you?

Now listen to what the Lord says in verse 2.

The Lord asked him, What is that to you in your hand?

A staff?

He replied, Yeah.

Then he said, Throw it on the ground.

He threw it on the ground and it became a snake.

I don't care how spiritual I was.

If I threw my stick and it became a snake, God would have to catch me.

I'm gone.

In other words, he said, Moses, trust me.

Trust me.

I've got this.

I've got it.

And if you go on and I love what he says, then he said, throw it on the ground.

He threw it a ground, snake.

Moses ran from it.

See, I told you.

But the Lord told him, Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.

Woo! It's one thing to run from it.

Now he's got to grab it.

So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.

This will take place.

He continues, so they will believe that the Lord, the God of his fathers, and the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.

In addition, the Lord, hey, told him, put your hand inside your coat.

So he put it in, brought it out, and what was it?

It was disease like snow, possibly leprosy.

Then he said, put it back in.

You remember the story, it came back out.

It was clear.

What is he saying?

I've got the power, Moses.

Don't be afraid.

Go.

Now, really fixing to get good.

Watch this.

Last excuse, number three.

Verse 10.

But Moses replied to the Lord, please, Lord.

I have never been eloquent.

Either in the past or recently, or since you have been speaking to your servant because I am slow and distant speaking.

Moses had a stuttering problem.

So here's what he said.

He says, Lord, I got a communication problem.

Lord says, That's okay.

Now the Lord didn't like that.

But he said, Okay, I'll comfort you.

I'll give you a person.

I'll give you Aaron, your brother.

I'll give you Aaron, your brother.

Now, for us, he's given us the Holy Spirit.

Can I have a good amen?

I will not leave you comfortless.

I will send my heifer, the Holy Spirit, to you.

John 14, 18.

You need no man to teach you, but the anointing one, the Holy Spirit, who will teach you all things.

All things.

That's what the book says.

So we have the Holy Spirit.

Now you know what Moses said?

Now, this is so good.

When Moses is talking to the Lord, he says, Lord, you know I'm wanted for murder.

You know they'll be waiting on me.

You know what God told him?

See, here's what we want.

When God calls us to do something and we have a problem.

We want God to take care of the problem and we'll go.

Well, I'll go if you sell my house.

I did that.

I wake God sold my house in a day.

But listen to me.

Take care of the problem, God, I'll go.

God, do this and I'll do this.

God do that and I'll do this.

You ever been there?

Ooh.

How many, every one of us.

Alright, now watch this.

Let me show you something.

This is worth you sitting here or watching.

God told Moses, you just go.

And after Moses used this last excuse, he answered all his excuses.

Moses said, okay, I'm going.

I know I'm gonna have a problem, and I'm going.

Are you ready for this?

And God turns to Moses and he says, Oh, by the way, Moses, that major problem you're worried about?

You kill somebody?

All the people that were chasing you and looking to get arrest you, they're all dead.

If we go, if we have a burning, if you have a burning bush experience and you go, and you don't worry about people, don't worry about your problems.

Because God's already taken care of them for you.

He's just waiting for you to go.

Wow.

Wow.

Past failures may cause us to be hesitant about doing the work of the Lord.

The righteous fall seven times, but they get back up.

Past failures should cause us to see our weaknesses and rely totally on God.

God never calls us to any tasks that we can't perform acceptably.

Hey, without Him.

We've got to depend on Him.

We're not sufficient in ourselves, but our sufficiencies in God.

And then lastly, the moment Moses quit making excuses, God began to solve His problems.

Is that not awesome?

The moment Moses quit making excuses, God began to solve his problems.

Do you know him?

I don't know about you, I just needed encouraging today.