Wanderer, Come Home

September 30, 2022September 23, 20223 Comments

Wanderer, come home. Find what you went looking for in the heart of the Father once again. As with the prodigal, His arms are opened wide waiting to receive you to Himself. Your return puts gladness in His heart. Today is not too late for your feet to rejoin the path of those who walk the road of righteousness. This path will bring calm to your spirit and peace to your soul once again. In the refuge of His wings, you will again experience true safety, comfort, and love.

Wanderer, come home and fall into the embrace of the One whose love for you is as fresh today as it was on the day you were born. He has not waned in His feelings about you. His greatest desire is to have you where He is for all eternity. Turn not away from that embrace. Turn inward to Him. Let His love wash over you. Let His healing balm restore you. Today is not too late. Turn to the shining Son and walk in His light. Feel the warmth of His radiant countenance smiling upon you once again.

Wanderer, refuse not His call. Refuse not Him who loves you so. While all people matter to God, you matter too. Experience His compassion of salvation offered through our Lord Jesus Christ. Please, come home and make the great return today. The Shepherd of your soul awaits (1 Peter 2:25).

“How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14)

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20, NKJV)

“What Would Jesus Say?” – part 3

September 28, 2022September 22, 2022Leave a comment

“The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” Isaiah 50:4

Coming to the conclusion of this three-part mini-series, we see the importance of filling ourselves with the right words so that in return we will be able to speak the right words when the time comes.

In part one, we covered “the tongue of the learned,” and here we see the focus is on the “ear to hear as the learned.” While the tongue’s job is to speak the right words, the ear’s job is to focus on hearing the right words. One can never pour out of themselves what they are not taking in. A healthy lifestyle will not evolve from eating junk all day. It will only come by way of discipline to make sure the body is receiving good so that it can put out that which is also good.

In an article titled Watch What You Eat!, I wrote:

“What we put into our body matters. The foods we eat can either help or hinder our health. Sometimes, in our house, we stop at fast food restaurants to eat, but it is not an everyday occurrence. I value what goes in my body. Is every food choice the best choice? No, but I try to make it a point to have the majority of what I eat to be of nutritional value; to be something that will build me up and not tear me down.

Our spiritual lives work in the same manner. We are what we eat, spiritually. If all that we ever digest is the negatives of this world then we are robbing our spirit of the vital nutrients that can increase our awareness and spiritual health. The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Rom. 10:17). What we assimilate in our being is what will be produced in our spirit and in our lives.”

And Jesus knew this very well. He did not allow just anything to dominate His hearing. Our chosen verse above focuses on this by saying, “he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” It was a daily thing for Jesus to have His ear tuned into the Father’s mouth, to hear what He has to say, and express the very words He “learned.”

Many words came into the hearing of our Lord, but that doesn’t mean He was tuned in to them. Every voice wasn’t welcomed into His space. Every conversation wasn’t one He joined. Jesus knew, and we know that every message and every voice we allow to take up space in us is something that will fill us with positive or negative potential (click here for more).

Who are we listening to daily? What words are filling our hearts, minds, and world?

When people diet to gain a healthier lifestyle they know that there are going to be restrictions on what they can and cannot have. We cannot be positive, being filled with negatives. We cannot be supportive, being filled with hatred. We cannot be loving, being filled with evil thoughts.

Stand guard against what you allow to be fed into your hearing. For what enters your hearing enters your thoughts, and what enters your thoughts affects the spirit man. Today, make a conscientious effort to tune in to what God is saying through His Spirit and through His Word and tune out anything negative that speaks against His truth. Let Him be your spiritual earplugs (click here for more).

It may seem overwhelming to learn to speak like Jesus in this manner. But, if we take everything into consideration and then look at what James taught in his book: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” (James 1:19), following this, may help us to learn to have an ear as the Servant (Jesus), and be able to speak with words of grace (Ephesians 4:29).

In these three parts of study, important lessons were learned about the way Jesus spoke. The way He spoke was governed by how He valued words and chose to use them carefully and in a healthy manner that was God-honoring. Jesus also used His words with intentionality and purpose. Never a stray word got away from Him. And in this third part, Jesus was able to speak the right things because He tuned into the right things, He tuned into God. His tongue was learned because His ear was learned.

Our words are powerful! They can be used to hurt or to heal; to edify or to tear down. We are encouraged to choose life with the words that we speak. It is up to us to take the high road and control what is coming out of our mouths. If we need help, we can pray the prayer of the psalmist and say, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).

This three-part mini-series is adapted from a Sunday School Lesson I previously published titled 4 Ways to Use Words Better. You can click on that link if you are looking for a deeper study on this topic.

“What Would Jesus Say?” – part 2

September 26, 2022September 22, 2022Leave a comment

Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. This is how Jesus spoke.

Continuing to cover this verse in Isaiah, we see that Jesus never used words in a flyaway fashion. With everything He spoke, it was either with a purpose, for a purpose, or to fulfill a purpose – or all three in one.

When we think of “with a purpose”, we can think along the lines of healing, miracles, and deliverances. Jesus, in those instances, spoke with the intent to deliver an individual from some illness, or spiritual oppression, or to perform a miracle such as the feeding of the five thousand.

When we think in terms of “for a purpose”, we can think along the lines of the parables He taught. In those instances, He spoke for His audience to gain a greater understanding of something, particularly Kingdom principles.

And, when we think in terms of Jesus speaking to “fulfill a purpose”, we can easily associate this with prophecies such as the one He spoke from the cross: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Those exact words open the Messianic psalm found in Psalm 22:1.

Jesus used His words with exactness and preciseness. In this chosen verse in Isaiah, we see His words were carefully chosen “that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” The right words at the right time, especially for the weary worn, are a special kind of sweetness to a soul that dreadfully needs it. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones,” and nobody could do this better than the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “…the word that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life,” (John 6:63).

Becoming more aware of the intentionality of our words can help us to use our speech in a way that mimics that of our Savior. Words without aim tend to get us in trouble. The Bible encourages us that “He that hath knowledge spareth his words. . .” (Proverbs 17:27), while opposite that it warns, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. . .” (Proverbs 10:19a).

A wise person, Proverbs continues to teach, is one that “that refraineth his lips” (Proverbs 10:19b). Not only does this one refrain speech from being unnecessary and unprofitable but a person who acts with this sort of discipline can also be seen as one who will train their words.

Previously, I wrote,

“James gives us the best possible illustrations of the power of the tongue by referencing it to two things we can easily understand. In James 3:3-4 he writes, “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.” Through these two examples using a horse and a ship, James shows that mankind has down through the years discovered ways to bring these powerful objects under control.

Both of these instruments are used for control. They both direct the course of which way the operator wants each to go, be it a rider or the governor.Both are great examples of how these large and strong objects can be made to comply with the will of him who is controlling that little, vital piece. If these little things under proper control can move great objects into obeisance at its master’s will, what more of the little tongue?” (Word for Life Says/ Don’t Speak Against the Destiny God Has For You!)

We may sometimes struggle with guiding our tongue in which way to go, but Jesus’ tongue was always controlled with purpose and aim, and just as His Father, those words were spoken with the intention to see them fulfilled (Isaiah 55:11).

We have the power to discipline our speech, to train our words in which way they should go. The Holy Spirit is our guide and if we are actively applying the fruit of the Spirit principles found in Galatians 5:22-23, the whole of our lives, including the way we speak, will have a good aim and be filled with good purposes.

How we direct our mouths is up to us. When our lips part to speak, may they speak the same way Jesus would.

This three-part mini-series is adapted from a Sunday School Lesson I previously published titled 4 Ways to Use Words Better. You can click on that link if you are looking for a deeper study on this topic.

Count Your Blessings!

September 23, 2022September 22, 20221 Comment

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” Psalm 103:2

I love Autumn. To me, it is a season of tucking in. The air turns a little cooler, with just a hint of crispness touching you amid the fall breezes. Smells change as we turn from super floral fragrances to that of cinnamon, spice, and everything nice. Schedules, prayerfully, slow down a bit as the run around of summer dissipates and more time is gathered around home and family.

For me, the feeling of fall brings an added bonus. It seems that with the shifting of seasons we become more reflective and our hearts turn more to being appreciative of what we have and have been blessed with.

One day recently, things did not go according to plan. My schedule was shot and the things I had on my agenda for the day – well, most of them didn’t happen. But, as I spent time thinking about it, I just began to mentally thank God for all the things He did allow me to do. Although my plans went awry, I was able, in those moments, to be there for others, to support them, and help them.

Lately, I have felt a strong impression on my heart to literally count my blessings. Not by number, but by being more appreciative of daily things. The day may have been hard and full of work that was strenuous, but I thank God that I was able to work it. I may not have gotten the whole house clean, but I thank God for the small chores that I was able to accomplish. The food on the table may not have been food cooking show worthy, but I thank God, not only for the food but for the opportunity to serve my family in this capacity on this day.

In the little things, as well as the big things in life, there are so many reasons to be grateful. If we truly took a moment to reflect, we would readily say that God has been so good to us.

Life is going to happen. And while we are living, it’s going to happen to us all. Some days are going to go off perfectly, without a hitch, and we’ll feel like we can take on the world. Other days may feel like a constant struggle – just making it through – can’t wait until bedtime comes and bring this day to a close.

Whatever the day brings, may our hearts find reminders of gratefulness in it. Focusing more on God and the blessings that He has already provided can tip the scales, allowing the counting of blessings to far outweigh any negatives we may face.

How does Autumn speak to you? Do the changes of the seasons stir special feelings inside you?

Whatever this season brings you, I pray God’s best for you in it all.

Blessings ~

“Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” Psalm 105:5

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” Psalm 116:12

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 118:29

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Children: Rewards Packed with Potential

September 22, 20222 Comments

This morning, as I was driving down the road, I stopped at a light where children (teenagers) cross to enter a local school. As I viewed each passing, this post I previously wrote came to mind about the potential in each soul walking by. I thought I would share it once again as a beautiful reminder to us all that children, no matter their age or stage in life, have a special place in the heart of God, and are rewards packed with potential.

Word For Life Says...

“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13), and “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3) are just some of my favorite Bible verses when dealing with the subject of children. Those precious treasures God has blessed us with are a reward.

Children have always had a special place in the heart of God.

Jesus showed the value in the lives of these innocent ones by teaching the adults that unless they put on childlike faith, unless they “Be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Days of parenting may not always be sitting by and watching children play in the best of their innocence and zest for life. Guiding young hearts may not always…

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“What Would Jesus Say?” – part 1

September 21, 2022Leave a comment

Words, despite the children’s poems we recite, we know and have more than likely experienced the stinging effect of the wrong words spoken at the wrong time. We know that just as easily as words can build, they can also tear down and hurt the receiver of them.

One thing is certain, our world is full of words and full of people who like to use words. The human language and the ability to communicate with one another is a beautiful thing. It is when we mar that beauty with unrighteous speech rolling off our tongues and flowing from our mouths that we get into trouble.

People have practiced communication skills for centuries, and yet, when it comes to the daily application of speech, sometimes we falter and do not use the words that God has given us in a healthy and productive manner.

If we are going to learn how to use the tongue healthily, the best example is that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus had all the right words at the right time. He knew how to speak compassion when it was needed most. He knew how to speak conviction in truth without berating another. And Jesus knew how to speak life.

In Isaiah 50:4, we see the prophesied Servant, whom we know to be the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ talking about the words He uses and the way He uses them to speak. There He says, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak. . .”

Never do we see Jesus in the Bible using words in a frivolous or lackadaisical manner. Words and how they are used are powerful, and Jesus, just as His Father, knew the value of words and used them as such. To Him, everything that came out of His mouth was to be treated carefully.

Jesus’ heart was always, and I do mean always, to do the will of the Father (John 6:38). In everything, right down to going to the cross, God’s will was His number one priority (Luke 22:42). With the will of God governing His whole life and ministry, even the words He spoke had to be what “The Lord GOD hath given me.”

In Isaiah, that which was given is described as “the tongue of the learned;” as one who had been taught by God what to say and how to say it. One can speak something that is true, but how the message is delivered can affect how another receives it.

In John 12:49-50, Jesus said, “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Jesus, even in His speech, sought to bring glory and honor to the Father.

Through this, we see that Jesus was very strategic with the words He uses. In this part, we have learned that Jesus is our best example in valuing words and in understanding the importance of using speech that is not only healthy but also God-honoring. Jesus treated the words He spoke very carefully, and we should too.

In the days coming, we are going to explore this verse further in two more parts of this three-part mini-series. May we learn what God wants us to say and how to say it, so that we, too, may have “the tongue of the learned” relating to one another in speech even as Jesus did, so that we will know how to speak.

Jesus is Greater!

September 19, 20221 Comment

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things . . .” Hebrews 1:1-2

The writer of Hebrews opens his book with the exaltation of Christ over all and declares that God “hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,” (Hebrews 1:2). As the rightful heir, His supremacy is beautifully noted.

“Therefore,” Hebrews 2:1 tells us, “we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

Many believe the recipients of this letter are early Jewish Christians whose faith has come under attack, and they needed encouragement to hold on to the words of Christ, to hold onto the gospel message they received lest they “let them slip.”

When one “slips,” it is usually a backward path into old ways, and this is what was threatening their current faith. The old ways, that were attached to the older religious system, that came before the securing and atoning death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, were trying to prevail and draw people backward. In his writings, the author of Hebrews continues to teach and explain that Christ is greater than those old ways. He is greater than Moses, greater than the old religious system and priesthood, greater the angels (read Hebrews 2-3 for more), and all that came before Him (although technically, Christ was before all of them – see John 1:1-5; 8:58). He is simply greater in every way.

Is there something plaguing your current faith today? Has something infiltrated your dedication to the Lord and is seeking to pull you into a slipping mode?

Friend, whatever it is, Jesus is greater than that too. He understands the frailty of humanity. He understands the emotions you battle with and the questions you long to ask. Lay it all at His feet today. Take everything to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him, with all sincerity, for help with this and all other things you may be confronted with.

The old may be comfortable, but faith in Christ, the heir of all, is the greater choice.

Therefore, our rest and peace are now forever found in the promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 3:18-4:3; 2 Corinthians 1:20), because He is greater.

Shamgar, Who?

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022Leave a comment

“And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.” Judges 3:31

Reading through the pages of the Bible, some stories leap off the pages while others hardly get a second glance. There are some stories and lives we know a lot about. Action and suspense surround their name. Then, we have those little-known characters. People who, without a diligent search, may not have been seen at all with a quick read.

But one of the greatest blessings we find in the Bible is the stories of the “unknowns,” or those we read of by name but really have not much more to go on. These people and the offering of their lives and stories to the pages of Scripture remind us that everyone’s story matters.

Many today have a comparison problem where only the flashiest, biggest, most sensational stories and people grab the attention of the headlines. And, yet, throughout the world over, daily there are those who go unrecognized by the masses, but they make a huge difference in their circle, in their sphere of friends and family; they make a difference in their world.

Shamgar, noted early in the book of Judges, had this one verse that spoke of his contributions to Israel’s deliverance. Other than an honorable mention later by Deborah (Judges 5:6), that’s all we really know of him.

But to God, we don’t need a whole chapter or book dedicated to an individual to see that to Him, they matter. God pays attention to the littlest details of our lives and to Him, every contribution we make for God, His kingdom, and His people – none escapes His notice, and they all matter.

The widow who put in two mites, nobody knows her name, but Jesus honored her actions (Luke 21:1-4). And with that, there are countless stories of the named and unnamed in the Bible, throughout history, and even in our world today who are only recognized by our heavenly Father.

If you feel like you aren’t celebrated here, no worries. If you don’t even have one verse dedicated to your earthly achievements (none of us do), it’s okay. God knows you and you have a reward of faithfulness coming your way (Colossians 3:23-24; Revelation 22:12).

Take heart, and keep pressing forward. Your worth to God is so much more, and your story, no matter if it is big or small, is important and worthy of note to our heavenly Father.

Other Good Reads:

“What Will Our Story Tell?”

“Your Content Reads More Than Your Cover!”

“Overlooked? Not By God!”

“The Winds are Shifting. . .”

September 13, 20222 Comments

Photo by Guillaume Meurice on Pexels.com

The winds are shifting.

The seasons do change.

Nothing stays still.

Nothing remains the same.

It’s good to look and ponder

what the shifting breezes bring

as the changing of the times

arrive boldly on the scene.

My heart, are you ready

for the season up ahead?

The soul prepared in faith

has nothing at all to dread.

On days, some are born.

On others, some see death.

The winds are shifting fast,

live life with no regrets.

Choose today to have

Christ in your life.

The winds are shifting

toward eternity,

among those heavenly heights.

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44

My friend, the winds are shifting and the changing of the seasons in our life comes quickly. Let us be ready, in whatever season the Lord finds us, to go back to heaven with Him when He comes.

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4

Sunday School Lesson – “When God Called Moses” Exodus 3:1-12

September 2, 2022September 1, 20221 Comment

VERSE DISCOVERY: Exodus 3:1-12 (Public Domain)

1) “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

2) And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3) And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4) And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5) And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

6) Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

7) And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8) And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9) Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10) Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

11) And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12) And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.”

Lesson Introduction:

Going back into history a little more, Moses’ path in life was far from ordinary. From the time of his birth, he was deemed a “beautiful child” (Ex. 2:2). When she could no longer hide him from the Egyptians who oppressed her people, Moses’ mother went to great lengths to save his life, leading him to become Pharaoh’s daughter’s child (Ex. 2:5-10).

Being raised in the house of Pharaoh did not block his view of the suffering of his people. Taking matters into his own hands at one point caused him to flee for his own life, beginning the next leg of his life’s journey in Midian (Ex. 2:1.1-15). There, he established a new life. He even married and had sons in the process (Ex. 2:21-22; 18:3-4).

Time went by, but the problem in Egypt remained. The Bible says, “The children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob,” (Ex. 2:23b-24). God was ready to deliver His people from bondage. For that, He would raise up a man, a prophet, to lead them. And this man’s name, as we have already been focusing on, was Moses, the subject figure of this week’s lesson.

Lesson Summary:

For Moses, an ordinary day turned extraordinary. The mundane task of tending the flock of his father-in-law took a dramatic turn, one that would change the course of his life forever.

It all started when “Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” By this time in his life, Moses is at the ripe old age of 80. Any of those terrible thoughts of his previous life in Egypt have probably faded as he has been settled for some time in his new life of shepherding his father-in-law’s flock.

His goal for that day when he woke up and ventured out was to find the best pasture for the flocks to graze and feed. That’s it. His ambitions didn’t go any higher than that. The simple life is what he lived and what he had grown accustomed to. No drama. No hardness. No dealing with extraordinary circumstances that were beyond his control. Simply, find pasture, feed the flock, and get on with the day as usual. The furthest thing from his mind on that day was a personal encounter with God.

Please Note: God never has to ask our permission when He wants to call us into service. He doesn’t focus on our convenience or acceptance of the call. He calls us according to His perfect timetable and empowers us with His Spirit to follow through on the course He has laid out for us. Be it an ordinary day or not, when God is ready, He will reveal Himself to us. In that, He asks us to trust Him and follow His lead.

While going about his daily routine, his mundane tasks, his inconsequential chores on the “backside of the desert” on “the mountain of God, even to Horeb” (later to be referenced to as Mt. Sinai, the place where Moses will receive the Ten Commandments), his day was interrupted by a sight he had never seen before. There, before him, was a “bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”

The Bible describes the event as something divine in nature going on. God was getting ready to not only change Moses’ everyday course forever, but He was ready to speak a new calling into his life. He was going to take him from the ordinary shepherd that he was today and make him a notable instrument in freeing His people from the bondage of Egypt for a better tomorrow. But first, He had to get his attention. With that, an “angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.”

For Moses, at that time, all it appears he is fascinated with is the fire that does not affect the bush that is set to flames. This miraculous occurrence is intriguing to him, and in his curiosity, he is resolved to find out more and investigate the matter thoroughly. He said, “I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” Seeing a bush on fire in the heat of the desert is nothing new. Seeing a bush on fire in the heat of the desert that doesn’t burn up, well that’s a whole other story worth finding out about more.

“When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses.” If the last thing he expected to see on this unusual day was a burning bush that was not consumed, then surely, he would have never imagined hearing a voice coming “out of the midst of the bush” saying his name, “Moses, Moses.”

What a frightful and awesome experience it must have been to hear the words of the living God being uttered in His powerful and true oration. And to not only hear His words but to hear Him call you by your name, personally. But that’s how God is. He knows us wonderfully. He knows us completely. He knows us each, individually, on a one-on-one basis.

Jesus even spoke in the New Testament, saying, “He calleth his own sheep by name,” (John 10:3). To Him, you are somebody. To Him, you are valued. To Him you are important. To Him, you are not invisible. He knows you. He knows your name. How wonderful is that? We serve a personal God! Hallelujah!

To the calling of his name out of the flames, Moses’ response was, “Here am I.” This is the same way Samuel responded when he thought Eli was calling him. Turns out the voice he was hearing was from God as well, and he was instructed to respond to Him, saying, “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth” (see 1 Samuel 3:4-10).

When God calls, we must be responsive to answering His call. He’s not calling without purpose. He doesn’t want to deal with inactivity or an indifferent attitude. We must be willing to hear and receive from Him and follow through on what He instructs us. This is something Moses would initially struggle with, but through God’s working and leading, he became a powerful leader of God’s people with his name etched in history forever.

“And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” As Moses was coming nearer to the object of his attention, the burning bush, God stopped him from proceeding farther. One cannot tread the presence of God with a heavy foot. We must recognize the severity of being in the presence of the true and living, holy God. He is omnipotent. He is the Sovereign of the universe, the Creator of all. He is divine all by Himself. He is God all by Himself. He declared in Isaiah, “Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior . . . ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God,” (43:10-12).

Being the awesome God that He is, required, and still requires respect before drawing nigh unto His indescribable presence. “Put off thy shoes!” Recognize where you are and who you are approaching! This is a sacred place.

“Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” God introduces Himself (compare to Genesis 15:7) to Moses and identifies exactly Who it is that is speaking to him from the midst of the bush. Referencing his own father and the patriarchs, God identifies Himself as the same God who is and has been in covenant relationship with His people Israel. He is the same God of the Hebrews that initiated with Abraham this awesome promise and carried it through his lineage and down the line to where Moses and his people are today. The years have not whittled away that covenant. It is still intact, and God was ready to show up and show out on His people’s behalf.

“And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God.” Rightly so! The presence of God is awesome and terrible all at the same time. At this present time, Moses has yet to enter the intimacies of being in a personal relationship with God. One where he becomes familiar with God and God refers to him as a friend (see Exodus 33:11). Even still, when Moses did gain the boldness to ask God, “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory,” (Exodus 33:18) God’s response was, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live,” (Exodus 33:20).

God then begins to talk to Moses about the situation at hand: “the affliction of my people which are in Egypt.”

God’s people weren’t always “afflicted” in Egypt. Earlier, when Joseph, through much historical detail (read Gen. 39-47 for full details), helped not only the Egyptians through a harsh time of famine but also his own family, the family of Jacob through whom the promises of God flowed, they all enjoyed a time of favor in Egypt. Pharaoh told Joseph, “Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell” (Gen. 47:5-6).

But, when that Pharaoh died, this “affliction” they now faced was spurned by the fears of a new Pharaoh (Ex. 1:8-11). The children of Israel now suffered mightily and served as slaves for the Egyptians. Over 400 years have gone by, and God says He has, “heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.”

Though, throughout their history, their lives went from fantastic to fearful, God’s ears were opened and attentive to their cries the whole time. In a time after this, David will also acknowledge the God who hears his cries, saying, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears,” (Ps. 18:6). The point is God always sees and hears the troubles of His people and He knows “their sorrows.”

“I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” Our God is a God of action. God gets involved in the situation. Dear friends, you are never left to fight through this world alone, no matter how you feel or how dark the days may seem.

God not only sees and hears, but He also initiates a plan for their deliverance. Those who are currently in Egypt have never tasted freedom before. It is something they have only ever dreamed about. They know nothing about life outside of slavery. God was going to change it all and “deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” The Egyptians may have a tight hold on them now, but God was going to snatch them out of the hand of the enemy.

In other words, God came to meet them in their deepest time of need, at a time when the stripes of the taskmasters were too much to bear. God will come to meet you in your time of need to bring you out! You may think you are in the worst place possible, but rest assured, wherever you are, you will never be out of the reach of God.

“To bring them up out of that land . . . unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” God’s purpose was not only to deliver them from the evil clutches of the Egyptians but to “bring them” unto something better: their Promised Land, the land that was given as a promise to Abram [Abram was Abraham’s name at that time] (for the promise see Genesis 12:7; 13:14-15; 15:18; 17:2, 7-8). The land may have been currently inhabited by the “Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,” but that same land has been allotted to the people of God as part of their covenant/promise heritage (refer to Genesis 15:18-21; Psalm 105:6-11). When God delivered His people, these evil nations would be evicted from inhabiting their promise, and that land of prosperity would be given over to His people (compare Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:22-25; Psalm 105:44).

“Behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me.” Here is a reiteration that God hears their “cry.” He also is noted as seeing “the oppression.” He sees the harshness of their situation. It has “come unto” Him. It does not escape His knowledge! God is closely knit to His people. What we feel, He feels. What we experience, He knows all about it. Even today, the Bible assures us, “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15a).

One of the greatest lies of the enemy is to speak against the faithfulness of God by trying to convince people that God doesn’t care; by persuading them that He has turned a blind eye to the troubles we face.

Nay, but God sees it! Your battle and your scars are not invisible to God. You are not invisible to God! He is paying attention to each and every one of us. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” David asked, knowing the true insignificance of man compared to all of creation in Psalm 8:4. Yet, God is mindful; He is paying attention!

Not only has He seen, but all His senses are put on high alert, and He has heard. Did not the psalmist declare, “I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place” (Psalm 118:5; NKJV)?

“I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people.” God’s purpose for appearing and speaking to Moses wasn’t for naught. He had an assignment for him. Moses is going to be a key in the deliverance of God’s people from the Egyptians. This is his calling. This is the ministry God has ordained for his life. Moses is being sent in as the man for the job.

His mission would entail him going before Pharaoh and bringing God’s groaning people out through signs and wonders performed in Egypt, the going through of the Red Sea, and even through their 40 years of wilderness wanderings, Acts 7:35-36; thus fulfilling more of His faithful promises to Abraham: “they shall come out with great substance,” (Gen. 15:14) and “in the fourth generation they shall come hither again,” (Gen. 15:16).

With such a heavy calling, Moses asked, “Who am I?” If anyone felt inadequate about a task before him, Moses did. To find out that God wanted to use him personally in such an extraordinary way was a little more than he could take in. “Who am I?” Moses spent the last 40 years shepherding animals and now God suggested that he would begin to shepherd His people “out of Egypt.”

“Certainly I will be with thee,” was God’s promise to him. God never called anyone to a task and abandon them. Later, after Moses passes off the scene God will have to reassure his successor, Joshua, in the same way, saying, “For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest,” (Joshua. 1:9). There is comfort that comes with knowing that God is in the midst no matter how overwhelmed we may feel by the job He has given us.

“And this shall be a token unto thee.” Not only did God’s promise simply say that He would be with him, but God also backed it up with action. He said, as proof, “When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” And, when they reach that point, they will realize that it was not their own hand that delivered them. They were brought out because God was with them the whole time, thus fulfilling His promise.

Lesson Conclusion:

Moses was a prophet that was chosen by God for the specific ministry of leading His people out of bondage and shepherding them through their time in the desert.

Jesus had a definite calling for His life; He had a mission. That mission was prophesied of in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. Moses once spoke of Him, and prophesied, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken,” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Jesus Christ would be the fulfiller of that prophesy and so many more, and He would become the ultimate Shepherd of God’s people (John 10:1-15).

What is God calling us to do? What areas do we feel Him nudging us into service? Has the call been answered? These are questions we must ask and answer for ourselves.

PDF Full Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – When God Called Moses

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

House of Cards Object lesson: When God calls someone to service, it requires us to lay down our will and build upon His will. When we follow God’s will and ways, we build upon a firm foundation (you can use sturdy children’s blocks that interlock to demonstrate this, or something similar). But going our own way is like trying to build a house with a deck of cards (demonstrate). They are flimsy and not very strong. When the least little bit of breeze comes through, the house falls, and you must rebuild it again.

Note: The parable of the wise and foolish builders can also help demonstrate this (Matthew 7:24-26).

Moses, in today’s lesson, opened himself to hear and receive God’s will for his life when he said, “Here am I.” Although he felt unqualified, God knew he was the man for the job. Let’s get into it and learn more about When God Called Moses.

Game: Following the call of God requires that we lay down our will and pick up God’s will. Sometimes, people have a hard time with this, and they want to do their own thing. This idea can be demonstrated by playing a game of Tug of War. Put a flag or a marker in the middle of the rope. Attach a paper or a ribbon with the words “God’s Ways” on one side of the rope and on the other side, attach one with the words “Our Way.” Proceed to play the game as usual, noting this is not what’s supposed to happen when God asks us to get on board with His plans. Jesus, when faced with the tough job of going to the cross, said, “Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

Craft Idea: The Prince and the Shepherd: Find pictures of a prince and one of a shepherd for students to color and cut out. Once they have finished that, they can glue them onto craft sticks to use as puppets in the retelling of Moses’ story. It would be a bonus idea to add a sheep to it as well to help reenact the lesson.

Adult Journal Page: Adult Journal Page – When God Called Moses

Kid’s Journal Page: Kid’s Journal Page – When God Called Moses

Blank Journal Page: These pages, one designed for adults and one for children, can be used to bring out, remember, or write a particular part of the lesson you wish for you and/or your class to focus on. Click>>Blank Adult and Kid’s Journal Pages to access the journal pages.

Draw the Scene: When God Called Moses Draw the Scene

Memory Verse: When God Called Moses Memory Verse

Word Search: When God Called Moses Word Search Answers: When God Called Moses Word Search Answers

Crossword: When God Called Moses Crossword Answers: When God Called Moses Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: When God Called Moses Word Scramble Answers: When God Called Moses Word Scramble Answers

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Month: September 2022