A Convenient Faith

Sunday, October 17, 2010

MOSES: Out of Africa

#6

“A Convenient Faith” 

Exodus 4:29 – 6:9

Teaching Pastor: Barry Wingfield

The thrill of anticipated victory…the agony of apparent defeat.

Contrasting Powers

               

Contrasting Responses

               

God calls believers to obey to His Word regardless of the circumstances we face.

We fail when we submit to

1.       Our past failures

2.       The “successes” of the opponents of God.

3.       The costs of obedience.

We succeed when we submit to

1.       The Word of God

2.       The Presence of God

3.       The Plan of God

All circumstances will ultimately be used to accomplish YaHWeH’s plan. (How?)

1.       He is God.

2.       He is the Redeemer.

3.       His promises are true.

The thrill of anticipated victory…the agony of apparent defeat.

Contrasting Powers

               

Contrasting Responses

               

God calls believers to obey to His Word regardless of the circumstances we face.

We fail when we submit to

1.       Our past failures

2.       The “successes” of the opponents of God.

3.       The costs of obedience.

We succeed when we submit to

1.       The Word of God

2.       The Presence of God

3.       The Plan of God

All circumstances will ultimately be used to accomplish YaHWeH’s plan. (How?)

1.       He is God.

2.       He is the Redeemer.

3.       His promises are true.

Overcoming Failure

Think of a failure in your past that haunts you, undermines your confidence, or makes you feel unusable by God. The longer we live, the more likely a prominent episode will creep out from the shadows of our mind: decisions we wish we could take back; relationships we wish we could restore; help we wish we had obtained as passions or addictions consumed us. Let's face it, we all have or will experience failure.
During a recent conversation, a friend expressed similar regrets while entertaining an invitation to "share his testimony" with his small group. He recalled so many dark days in his past that he felt unworthy, unusable, and inferior compared to others who seemed to "have it all together." Our conversation reminded me that for every Joseph in the Bible, whose character seemed flawless, there was Judah, the womanizer, Jacob, the liar, Abraham, the coward. For every Daniel who boldly and consistently obeyed the God of Israel, there is David the adulterer / murderer, Solomon the polygamist, and Jonah, the racist. For every Apostle John who was loyal at the cross, there is a Peter, cursing and hiding in the shadows. It seems that more often than not, God takes the broken and flawed among us and works the amazing.
This does not excuse sin, nor should it minimize the pain and grief that results from disobedience to God. This does, however, bring hope to all of us as we discover that the God who forgives, is the God who restores, and the God who restores, is the God who longs to make eternal significance out of our life.
What has kept you from serving God?
What mission is burdening your heart, but your reluctance is tethered to a past failure in your life?
Read Exodus 3:1-10 and visualize Moses, not as the triumphant General with his staff extended over the Red Sea, but rather see him as the timid shepherd on the verge of discovering what God can do through him. Any further insights?

Beating around the Bush – Part 2

Exodus 3:11-4:31

Teacher: Dave Reynolds

1.    God Appears to Moses (3:1-6)

2.    God Appoints Moses (3:7-10)

3.    God Answers Moses (3:11-4:17)

1. When Moses doubts his ____________ (3:11-21)…

God says, “you don’t need ____________ – you need _______!”

2. When Moses doubts their ______________ (4:1-17)…

God says, “rely on my ___________, and not your _______________.”

4.    God Assures Moses (4:18-4:31)

By confirming His Word to Moses through:

A.   _________________

B.   _________________

C.   _________________

10-03-10: Beating Around the Bush: Part 1

MOSES: Out of Africa

“Beating Around the Bush: Part 1”

3rd in a Series

Teacher: Dave Reynolds

1.  God Appears to Moses (3:1–6)

God sets apart ___________ and __________ men and women to be used for His ___________.

2. God Appoints Moses (3:7–10)

The ______________, ______________ God uses set apart men and women to proclaim the __________  _________ of ________________.

What often obstructs our usefulness as messengers of good news?

Our _______________: too busy trying to survive

Our _______________: too preoccupied with past failures

Our _______________: too overwhelmed with the task

(To be continued)