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Called Of God, But Not Following God.
Contributed by Jack Whitehead on Mar 8, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Do you have a call in your life, and you’ve failed miserably. Now it would seem there is no hope. Perhaps you need to look around and see if ther is a burning bush in view.
“Called of GOD But not Following GOD”
Exodus Chapter 2-3
As I was studying the book of Exodus I realized the secret to ministry. I have always been amazed at my Pastor, Brother Dave Hartson. Brother Dave is into everything, what I mean is he Preaches, Teaches, does bible study, has a full time job, goes to the gym, counsels on the side, teaches at the jail, and half a million other things.
I have always wondered where he gets the energy to keep going. Once I asked him “ where is the red cape”? He laughed and said you have to trust and follow the LORD! I heard what he said but really didn’t understand it. I thought I was trusting and following God his way, but boy was I wrong. It took a while but I figured out that I was operating on my own power, and so called wisdom instead of GOD’s. As I was reading Exodus I noticed that Moses made the same mistake as I did. Moses tried to fulfill the burden or passion in his heart without the power of All Mighty GOD.
In the book of Exodus it is obvious that the Hand of GOD was on Moses. I believe that Moses felt a call early in his life that some how, some way he would deliver his people. Moses like so many of the rest of us, tried to fulfill the call in his life on his own. Without council from GOD, without the power of God, and direction of the Lord, Moses failed miserably.
Once he failed he did what most of us do, he went into hiding. Have you ever failed so bad, that you thought you would never get over it? That there was no recovery. The best thing I can do is just get out while the getting is good. I know that there have been times in my life that I’ve felt this way. Thanks be to GOD that his work doesn’t depend on my ability to perform.
You see Moses and I both had to learn an important fact about this awesome God we serve. You see our God is able to take something ordinary and use it in an extraordinary way. You see GOD took a mere bush in the middle of nowhere and set it on fire for His sake. For His own purpose. The bush did not jump around or shout, the bush was just a vessel in which GOD chose to reveal himself to Moses.
Did you notice that what caught Moses’ attention was the fact that the bush was on fire but not consumed? The bush was on fire, and yet the leafs were not burnt.
Are you allowing GOD to operate through you, or are you trying to operate on your own? Sometimes we try so hard and our intentions are good, but we don’t seek the face of All Mighty GOD, and somebody gets killed. Maybe not in the flesh but in the spirit. Can I tell you that killing someone spiritually, is far worse than physically.
Moses did not seek the council of God and it led Moses to killing a man, and hiding and being unused of God. Do you know what is so wonderful about this awesome GOD we serve? Even though Moses messed everything up. Even though Moses went into hiding, The GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob was working behind the scenes.
GOD was preparing Moses, He was humbling Moses, GOD was getting Moses to the place where Moses could accept GOD for who God is. The great I AM!! Moses needed to see that the prince of Egypt was not going to deliver the people, But GOD WAS!!
Its not my ministry, its not your ministry, IT’S GOD’s ministry! It’s time we humble ourselves, and turn it over to JESUS, and allow him to give us a new life. When Moses was willing to allow God to work through him, THEN the people of God were delivered. Then Moses became a great leader through the council of GOD.
You know Moses was oppressed and burden by Pharaoh also, because his people were hurting, and he was in a strange land hiding to keep his life.
Are you in a strange land today? Are you heavy burdened, or oppressed? God has a word for you today. Let my people go!!!
How are you operating today? Are you consumed by your call, or are you allowing GOD to consume you with HIS call for your life?