THE BURNING TREE EXPERIENCE – Pt 6

Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

We have been journeying with Moses for the last few weeks as he is confronted by God with a very special call. As Moses is standing there bare-footed, God identifies Himself in a very special way. Notice verse 6 “. . . I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. . . .”

What is so interesting? Just this: Moses was in the direct line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notice the progression. Abraham was the one to whom God’s covenant was first made. Isaac was the father of the Edomites as well as the Israelites, and with him God renewed that covenant. Jacob was the father of the twelve patriarchs, who were the founders of the Jewish nation. God confirmed His promise to them. And now God has chosen one from that exact line for a special calling.

Notice the remainder of verse 6 “. . . And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”

Adam Clark’s Commentary states, “he was overawed by God’s presence, and dazzled with the splendor of the appearance.”

This really shoots down some people’s idea that when they get to heaven they’re going to walk up to God and ask Him some reasons why certain things happen.

The more we see of God, the more cause we shall see to worship him with reverence and godly fear. And even the manifestations of God's grace should increase our humble reverence of him.

Let’s all keep a reverence for the God Who loved us so much that He gave His only Begotten Son so that we might be redeemed.

In past weeks of CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we have seen through our study of the call of Moses that our call is a SCRIPTURAL , SOVEREIGN, SELECTIVE, and SINGLE one. Now we can also see another important thought.

V. OUR CALL IS A SINCERE ONE

When God revealed His plan for Moses’ life, he was completely overwhelmed. Even though Moses had been emotionally moved on behalf of his people and desired to do something about their plight, this opportunity was more than he could ever have dreamed possible. Notice his question in verse 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?”

Even though Moses must have been humbled by what he heard, I think he had legitimate questions about his ability to do such a task. Wouldn’t you? Could he really carry out this massive undertaking? He knew his physical limitations and short-comings. He had never in his entire life tried something this big. The one thing that Moses had not realized was that this task was not to be undertaken in his own ability and power but in the strength of the Lord.

I think there are many times that we find ourselves in the same situation. We know the Word of God and the many promises that He gives us, but there are times we need to be reminded of God’s awesome power. We need assurance that it is not us that are capable or knowledgeable enough to do God’s work; it is Him. I love what the Apostle Paul wrote about doing what God wants us to do. He states in Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will (gives you the desire) and to do (gives you the ability or power) of his good pleasure.”

The child of God is not to operate in his/her own power, but through the power of the Spirit of God Who indwells him/her.The burning bush experience restores our faith to its proper place. God uses His Word to answer our questions and doubts concerning His will for our lives.

Even recently I have been plagued with doubts and questions. I had begun to look at some things through the eyes of my own ability. I had left God out of the equation. I had forgotten some of God’s promises in His Word. It’s easy for us to begin to live by sight and not by faith. God had to give me a burning bush experience to get me back on track. God solidified my faith in Him through the message of someone else.

We need to allow the Exodus 3 and the burning bush experience to get us back on track. Let the message to Moses solidify our faith in the One Who created the burning bush.

God is serious when He calls us. He has something for each of us so we need to turn aside and listen to His voice. He will lead us if we will just listen to Him and follow His call.

Next week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS will finish up this series by looking at the SATISFACTION that comes when we answer God’s call. That SATISFACTION will be experienced by obedience and trust.

That’s my view; how about you?

THE BURNING TREE EXPERIENCE – Pt 5

Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

The more I study God’s Word and meditate on His person and plan, the more I am thankful for His sovereignty. My wife and I were discussing this at our devotion time today. Since my eyes have gotten bad, she reads and I listen. We are reading a chapter a day from Charles Swindoll’s book, “A Man Of Compassion And Destiny.” This book on the life of David reminds us that God called David when he was about 12 or 13 years of age. He was anointed to be the next king of God’s people, but it was about 25 years before he was actually in that position. Some might have thought that it was not going to happen, but God is Sovereign and His plan would be fulfilled. We can all count on it.

In earlier CHALLENING CONCEPTS we have noted the SCRIPTURAL, SOVEREIGN and SELECTIVE call of God. This week we will notice another part of God’s call upon a person’s life.

IV. OUR CALL IS A SINGLE ONE

Realize that Moses was now at the place where God wanted him. He was not in a crowd, with his family or a friend. Moses was alone. This is very important for us to notice because this is the place where God can intimately talk to Moses and is at the same place He wants us so that He can personally deal with us.

The majority of Christians do not like to be alone. They like to find common experiences with other believers. They like to discuss topics of like interests. This gives them a sense of family. In fact, many testify they are closer to their church family than they are their own brothers and sisters. But burning bush experiences are SINGULAR experiences. All of us are different and God has a specific purpose for each of us. He doesn’t lead everyone through the same experiences at the same time.

As a preacher of the Gospel, I realize that there are many of my messages that came out of certain experiences in my life. In fact, messages born out of experiences carry much more weight than those which come out of another person’s experiences.

But, a burning bush experience is not found in a particular message. It’s a personal conversation between God and His child. The preacher or teacher is nothing more than the conduit through which God’s message is delivered to the individual.

Every individual who has preached or taught can remember a time in which God changed their message or lesson at the last minute. They were prepared; ready and all of a sudden God led them to teach or preach another message. Many times the preacher or teacher never even knew why God changed their direction. It was possible that God had a special message for one of the hearers.

God does that. God speaks to His children and gives them direction in life. We read in Isaiah 30:21, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

The burning bush experience is not in a particular message or in the personality of a preacher or teacher. It cannot be manufactured, bottled, and sold. The burning bush experience is when a sovereign God chooses to speak in a real and personal way to one of His children.

In 1962 I had the opportunity to be the lay music director of a small church in Anniston, Alabama. It was really my first venture of this kind. I had no experience and really didn’t know exactly what to do but my young family, Grace, baby Tony and I got busy and were used of God to help that small congregation.

After a couple of years I was offered the same position in another small church but was beginning to see some rapid growth. That experience began the turning point in my life. Southside Baptist was used by God to create a thirst in my heart for something deeper in service for the Lord. The more I served, the less I enjoyed my secular job. Before long my wife and I were discussing our future. We both believed that we should consider Bible college. One day it seemed as if God was calling and I answered that call and made it public that God had something special for my family and me.

The journey has been a wonderful one. There have been mountain peaks and deep valleys. We have experienced much joy, but have had some sorrow on this pilgrimage. The journey is not over yet but it has been a wonderful life. If my wife and I, and I believe she was called as much as I, had not responded to the call of God, we would have missed seeing God’s plan come to pass.

If God is speaking to you, please make sure you are listening. The center of God’s will is the place of joy and fulfillment. If God has selected you for a special task, the journey will be a great adventure in seeing God work. Dr. Swindoll said “God’s selective call is Sovereign and Sure.”

That’s my view; how about you?

THE BURNING TREE EXPERIENCE – Pt 4

Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

God had a plan for Moses and I think Moses had a desire early in his life to free his countrymen, but didn’t know the detour he was going to have to make before ever realizing his dream.

That’s the way it is in most of our lives. In fact, if we knew as a young person all the detours that would come in our lives, we would be frightened of the future. But God knew what He’s doing and He did in the life of Moses also. The distance between Moses having to flee Egypt and the “burning bush” experience did not take God by surprise. God was in control. He was still on the throne and He was preparing Moses for this very time in his life.

In earlier CHALLENgING CONCEPTS we have noted the SCRIPTURAL and SOVEREIGN call of God. This week we will notice another part of God’s call upon a person’s life.

III. OUR CALL IS A SELECTIVE ONE

I have heard it said that in every truth of the Word of God there are two sides, as you would have in a coin. The truth we pointed out last week is no exception.

Every truth of Scripture is like a coin – it has two sides. Let me show you what I’m talking about:

It comes down to decisions a person makes or does not make. The Bible is very, very clear on this matter. We read in Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” Then Paul goes on and speaks to the issue of good sowing and bad sowing in verse 8 “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus talks about the way to destruction and life. Notice what He said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

There are many other examples to the two sides of the coin, such as building on sand or solid rock. In Salvation, God calls but the sinner has to respond to His call. There are other examples but I think I have made my point.

The lesson in our text for these series of CHALLENGING CONCEPTS is no exception:

(1) Our Calling Is A SOVEREIGN Decision. I won’t spend much time here because last week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS was given over to this point. But let me say this: God chooses to make this call, the burning bush experience, to whom and when He wills. Now there is another side of this truth.

(2) Our Calling Is A SERVANT Decision. God had made His choice and that put the ball in Moses’ court. So what did he do?

Notice verse 3 where we read, “And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” You don’t see that God demanded him to turn aside. It doesn’t even say that God called Moses. God put the bush near the path of Moses and allowed him to make the choice.

I believe there are times in our life that God wants to speak personally to us, but we fail to recognize it. We should never think lightly of handling the Word of God, whether in hearing, delivering it, or in the study of it. God’s Word should have an important role in the life of the child of God.

Every time I hear the Word of God, it speaks to me. It doesn’t matter whether I read it, study it, or hear it preached, God’s Word speaks to my heart. That’s the way it should be.

God’s Word is near the path of the child of God and he needs to approach it to find out what God has to say. I love Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God’s Word gives enlightenment and guidance, among many other things.

Moses was under the sovereign call of God for his life. God had something special for him to do. The mission was one of importance to the people God had chosen as His own and Moses was going to play a very special role in their life.

God spoke audibly to Moses. He does not speak to us in the same manner but He does speak. Are you always looking for the voice of God. Are you listening for Him to speak to you? Read God’s Word; study it; meditate upon it. Place yourself under the teaching and preaching of His precious Word. He wants to speak to you.

In next week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we will examine the SINGLENESS of God’s call on a person’s life.

That’s my view; how about you?

THE BURNING TREE EXPERIENCE – Pt 3

Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

In these series of CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we are examining the call of God upon the life of Moses. He calls all of us. It may not be to be a great leader like Moses or it may not be as dramatic as the burning bush, but He has a will for each of us and calls us to do that will.

Many struggle with God’s will for their life. One such man was the prophet Jonah. In fact, in the story of Jonah you see the struggle of two wills. There was God’s will and Jonah’s will. It wasn’t that Jonah did not know God’s will because God was very clear in what He told Jonah to do. Jonah knew, but just chose not to do it. Of course Jonah is not the only prodigal recorded in the Word of God. He is also not the only believer who struggles with this concept. Many believers struggle even today.

I trust you are not a prodigal but are willing to do exactly what God wants and calls you to do.

We were reminded in last week’s CHALLENGING CONCPETS that God audibly spoke to Moses in a dramatic way. He doesn’t do that today but primarily speaks to us through the Word of God. Let’s go a step farther into God’s call on our lives by looking at the life of Moses.

II. OUR CALL IS A SOVEREIGN ONE

When you go back in your mind to the early life of Moses, you’ll remember that he grew up in the Egyptian Courts. As the adopted son of Pharoh’s daughter, he was trained to be a leader in the nation of Egypt. They had trained him to be a great man in the politics of that nation. But there was a burning desire in his heart for his own Hebrew people. He wanted to be a blessing and help the Israelites who under heavy burdens. After his failed attempt to bring comfort to his people and having to flee for his life, Moses found himself on the back side of the desert, tending sheep that were not even his. At this time in his life, Moses was not even close to fulfilling his potential as a man or as a real servant of God.

But God was at work. He always is. God was working in the life of Moses. I believe Moses knew that there was a beautiful plan for his life, but he didn’t know how to see it come to pass. Notice that the burning bush experience came when he was on the “backside of the Desert.” This was the farthest point from his objective of freeing his people.

Moses was living his life in the best way he knew how. It had been forty years since he had made an effort to fulfill his desire. Why did God wait until this point to reveal Himself? Why did God choose this point in time? It seemed to Moses as if these last forty years had been one great big waste of time. But it wasn’t a waste of time in the eyes and plan of God. God never ceases to work out his will in the life of his people, no matter where they find themselves or how long it takes.

In the 5th chapter of I Thessalonians the Apostle Paul is writing about how God works in the life of His children. In verse 24 Paul writes “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

God saves us and continues to work in our lives day by day. One of my favorite verses of Scripture is found in Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Paul is saying that God works in His children to “will” and “do” His plan for their life, if they will surrender to that plan. I have experienced that work in my life. He puts a desire in my heart and then gives me the ability and power to accomplish it. That’s also what He had been doing in the life of Moses. The desire Moses had was part of God’s work, and for the last 40 plus years God had continued to empower and equip Moses for this time.

God in one way or another calls all believers to serve Him. We all are different so the calling of God will be different. The responsibilities are different also, but we all have a place in the service of God. Our “burning bush” experience comes directly from God. It cannot be demanded or even sought after. It’s given in the sovereign will of God. God will work in us His plan and purpose in His timing. It’s our duty to follow God’s leadership as we discern it. It’s God’s responsibility and good pleasure to give us instructions for the journey.

In Psalm 32:8 we read “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

We also read in Psalm 48:14, “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”

God leads and guides through the Word of God. That’s why it’s so important for us to be in the Word of God on a regular basis. I love what we read in II Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

God’s word is very practical. Paul talks about God’s Word being “profitable.” One part of the practical aspects is that it gives “instruction in righteousness.” The word “righteousness” means equity of character or action. This was what God had been doing in the life of Moses and what He’s also doing in the life of the believer if he is spending time learning and applying God’s Word.

God’s Call is one of SCRIPTURE and one of SOVEREIGNTY. I trust you are responding to God’s call upon your life. In next week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we will explore the SELECTION process of God’s call.

That’s my view; how about you?

THE BURNING TREE EXPERIENCE – Pt 2

Exodus 3:1-5 “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. 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

In last week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we spent a good bit of time dealing with the desire Moses had to bring comfort and freedom to his kinsmen who were in bondage in the land of Egypt. Even though his first attempt was done in the flesh, we have to at least give him credit for his desire and attempt.

Because his slaying of the Egyptian was seen by others, Moses then fled to the land of Midia. It was in this land that he met and married Zipporah, daughter of the man Moses would serve as a shepherd while God was preparing him for his next venture of faith.

After this time on the back side of the wilderness, Moses receives an unusual call to action by God. God speaks to him out of a burning bush.

I do believe that God sends us these kinds of “burning bush” experiences even today. Don’t get me wrong; if you’re driving down the interstate and see a bush on fire, don’t stop your car and go over and say “speak Lord for thy servant heareth.” If you do, your calling might end up on a certain ward of the hospital wearing a pretty white straight-jacket.

I believe those “burning bush” experiences can come through the preaching, teaching or study of God’s precious Word. This is the way that I want us to approach this passage of Scripture here in Exodus 3. Let’s look at it:

I. OUR CALL IS A SCRIPTURAL ONE

God spoke to Moses by His Word. Notice verse 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.”

Moses literally heard the voice of Almighty God. This does not happen today; we do not hear the literal voice of God. But in the Old Testament this was a common occurrence. The first example of this is found in the very first chapter of the Bible as God addressed His newest creation. Notice Genesis 1:27-28 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

I will not go into details but you can find this kind of communication between God and mankind throughout the Old Testament. It happened many times.

God does not speak to us today in an audible voice, but He speaks to us through His Word. There may be times that we “discern” or “feel” certain things, but feelings and human reasoning cannot replace the Word of God in our life. God chose to speak to Moses through the burning bush, but God chooses to speak to us today by the inspired Word of God. Notice what we read in II Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

I don’t think it can be emphasized enough that God’s people are led by the Word of God. Some may think this point is a given, but there are so many immature believers who believe in “mystical” experiences, dreams, and even the horoscope. I see some of this on facebook daily. With all the scriptures that deal with this issue, there are even some Christian leaders who fall into this trap of Satan. Let me state it again: God speaks to us today primarily through His Word.

Every child of God needs to understand that every time the Word of God is preached, taught or personally approached in Bible study, it is an opportunity for God to speak to them. Through these avenues God can challenge, rebuke, convict, guide and direct the believer in his/her personal life and ministry. I’m not saying that every one of these opportunities will be a “burning bush experience,” but every believer must respect the Word of God and the avenue through which it is delivered to them.

II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Notice also Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

God used a burning bush to get the attention of Moses. The bush didn’t speak to him. God did! It was God Who audibly spoke to Moses from that burning bush and told him in verse 10 that he was going to be the human instrument used to free God’s people from their bondage.

What is it that God has directed you to do? Is it to preach the gospel? Is it to teach a classroom of boys and girls in Sunday school? Is it to be a vibrant witness in the business world? Is it to faithfully hold up the hands of your pastor as he preaches the gospel week after week?

God doesn’t ask you and me to be a Moses. He does, though, have a specific ministry for each of us. Are we willing to do His will? Are we willing to answer His call?

In next week’s CHALLENGING CONCEPTS we will notice the SOVEREIGNTY of God in His call.

That’s my view; how about you?