03/29/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #2 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

Studying the Scripture now, let’s see how the Hebrews won a God-sized victory in the face of DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES and OVERWHELMING ODDS. Let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart. Ask Him to show you, tell you what HE wants YOU to do. I’m EXCITED to see WHAT GOD WILL DO!

But, first, I want to INTRODUCE you BRIEFLY to my FAVORITE technique for PREPARING to TEACH, PREACH or STUDY ANY Bible passage: It’s an ACRONYM… R.E.A.P.: READ, EXAMINE, APPLY, PROVE

1.READ (WHAT Does It SAY?)

2.EXAMINE (WHAT Did & Does It MEAN?)

3.APPLY (HOW Does It WORK?)

4.PROVE (PUT it into PRACTICE in Your PERSONAL Life, Family, Job, Church)

TRUST ME; IT WORKS! It’ll revolutionize your ability to understand and obey God’s Word. I URGE YOU—GIVE IT A TRY!

03/26/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #1 (1 Sam.14:6-23) [ NOTES from a recent message of mine ]

FOLLOW THE LEADER—A Children’s Game: Do Exactly as the Leader Does OR You’re OUT of the Game! But what we’re talking about here today is DEFINITELY NOT A GAME!

With Covid, Civil Unrest and Violence, “Cancel Culture,” Brutal Cold and so on, we’ve been reminded just how WEAK we are, We are DEFINITELY NOT IN CONTROL! It sure seems like NEARLY EVERYTHING is BROKEN—our Government, Justice, Economy, Agriculture, Environment, Air, Water, Schools, Medicine, Science, Businesses, Families, Marriages, our Way of Life and EVEN OUR CHURCHES seem to be IN SHAMBLES! You name it, OUR SIN has broken it, seemingly beyond fixing! WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Eons ago my Richmond, VA HS Football team was UNDEFEATED, State Champions… The Fourth Quarter was OUR Quarter; NOT Tired; NEVER Knelt, Drank Water, or Unbuckled Our Chin Straps. “Fourth Quarter!”—a CHALLENGE for OUR Team and a WARNING to our Opponents. No matter the score, we are STRONG, FIT and READY TO GO, PEDAL TO THE METAL! WE WILL WIN THIS GAME! Break the Huddle—HUA!

Well, FOR YOU AND ME TODAY, it’s the “FOURTH QUARTER!” And our “TEAM” is WAY BEHIND! There’s NOT Much Time left; We MUST Get to WORK A.S.A.P.! The STAKES ARE TOO HIGH — WE MUST WIN THIS BATTLE! (MORE to come…)

 03/22/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #8

Exodus 6:6-9 (ESV) 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I AM THE LORD, AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I WILL DELIVER YOU FROM SLAVERY to them, and I WILL REDEEM YOU with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I WILL TAKE YOU TO BE MY PEOPLE, and I WILL BE YOUR GOD, and YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I WILL BRING YOU INTO THE LAND THAT I SWORE TO GIVE TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC, AND TO JACOB. I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU FOR A POSSESSION. I AM THE LORD.’” 9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, BUT THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO MOSES, because of their BROKEN SPIRIT AND HARSH SLAVERY.

God instructed Moses to remind Israel of what they had previously been told: of God's remembering the covenant with Abraham, of His seeing their misery, of His delivering them from it, of His granting to them the land of Canaan, and thus taking them there. The repetitive "I WILL" (7 TIMES!) marked GOD'S PERSONAL, DIRECT INVOLVEMENT in Israel's affairs. Bracketed, as they were, by the declaration, "I AM YAHWEH," denoted CERTAINTY OF FULFILLMENT.

“BROKEN SPIRIT AND HARSH SLAVERY”: The bondage was so great that it blocked out even the stirring words Moses had just delivered to them (vv. 6-8). (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

03/19/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #7

Exodus 4:13-17 (ESV) But he said, “OH, MY LORD, PLEASE SEND SOMEONE ELSE.” 14 Then THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST MOSES and he said, “Is there not AARON, YOUR BROTHER, THE LEVITE? I KNOW THAT HE CAN SPEAK WELL. Behold, HE IS COMING OUT TO MEET YOU, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 YOU SHALL SPEAK TO HIM AND PUT THE WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, AND I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH AND WITH HIS MOUTH AND WILL TEACH YOU BOTH WHAT TO DO. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and YOU SHALL BE AS GOD TO HIM. 17 And TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS STAFF, WITH WHICH YOU SHALL DO THE SIGNS.”

“OH, MY LORD, PLEASE”: Moses' fifth and final statement, notwithstanding the opening supplication, was a polite way of bluntly saying, "Choose someone else, not me!" The anger of God toward this overt expression of reluctance was appropriate, yet the Lord still provided another way for His plan to move forward unhindered. Providentially (v. 27), Aaron would meet his brother Moses, and positively respond to being the spokesman.

“AND I… WILL TEACH YOU BOTH”: The plural pronoun "you" means that God had promised to assist both of them in their newly appointed duties.

“YOU SHALL BE AS GOD TO HIM”: Aaron would speak to the people for Moses, even as Moses would speak to Aaron for the Lord.

“THIS STAFF, WITH WHICH YOU SHALL DO THE SIGNS”: Moses, despite God's anger at his unwillingness, retained superiority in that he had the instrument by which miracles would be done so that it was identified as "the staff of God" (v. 20). (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

03/15/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #6

Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV) But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I AM NOT ELOQUENT, EITHER IN THE PAST OR SINCE YOU HAVE SPOKEN to your servant, but I AM SLOW OF SPEECH AND OF TONGUE.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “WHO HAS MADE MAN’S MOUTH? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? IS IT NOT I, THE LORD? 12 NOW THEREFORE GO, AND I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH AND TEACH YOU what you shall speak.”

“I AM NOT ELOQUENT”: With his fourth argument, Moses focused on his speech disability, describing himself lit. as not being "a man of words," as being "heavy in mouth and heavy in tongue," i.e., unable to articulate his thoughts in fluent, flowing speech. An ancient document, The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, suggests that eloquence was important in Egyptian culture, something which Moses would have well known from his time in the court.

“EITHER IN THE PAST OR SINCE YOU HAVE SPOKEN”: This is a pointed and inappropriate, if not impolite, criticism that somehow in all the discussion God had overlooked Moses' speech disability. Unless this disability changed, Moses believed that he could not undertake the assigned task (cf. 6:12).

“WHO HAS MADE MAN'S MOUTH?”: Three rhetorical questions from God shut the door on any complaints or criticisms about being clumsy of speech. The follow-up command, "NOW THEREFORE GO!", including its promise of divine help in speech, forbade all such objections. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

03/13/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #5

Exodus 4:6-9 (ESV) Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “IF THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE YOU,” God said, “OR LISTEN TO THE FIRST SIGN, THEY MAY BELIEVE THE LATTER SIGN. 9 IF THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE EVEN THESE TWO SIGNS or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and THE WATER THAT YOU SHALL TAKE FROM THE NILE WILL BECOME BLOOD on the dry ground.”

God was well aware of Moses’ reluctance and sense of personal inadequacy. And He knew in advance that it would take SEVERAL miraculous tools and signs to convince Moses and the Hebrews that the Lord God was raising up Moses to deliver His people from their slavery and suffering. God our Father was patient with them as He still is with us. But, in the end, He expect ed confident, faithful obedience from them as He does from us today.

03/08/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #4

Exodus 4:1-5 (ESV) Then Moses answered, “But behold, THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘THE LORD DID NOT APPEAR TO YOU.’” 2 The LORD said to him, “WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “THROW IT ON THE GROUND.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

Then Moses said. In a third objection, Moses gave an unworthy response, after the lengthy explanation by God to Moses in 3:14-22. At this point, the hypothetical situation proposed became more objection than reasonable inquiry.

4:2-9 In response to the hypothetical situation of Israel's rejecting God as having appeared to him, Moses was given 3 signs to accredit him as the chosen spokesman and leader. Note the purpose stated: "That they may believe that the Lord... appeared to you" (v. 5). Two of these signs personally involved Moses right then and there—the rod to snake and back, the hand leprous and healed.

“WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND?... THROW IT ON THE GROUND”: Only God Himself can take WHATEVER we have, whatever is in OUR hands, and turn it into something godly and powerful! NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION MOSES COULD ENVISION HIMSELF FACING, GOD HAD SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO AUTHENTICATE HIS MAN, AND MOSES WAS NOT TO THINK OTHERWISE. It’s the same for us; we can trust God to support us as we do His work. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

03/08/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #4

Exodus 4:1-5 (ESV) Then Moses answered, “But behold, THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘THE LORD DID NOT APPEAR TO YOU.’” 2 The LORD said to him, “WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “THROW IT ON THE GROUND.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

Then Moses said. In a third objection, Moses gave an unworthy response, after the lengthy explanation by God to Moses in 3:14-22. At this point, the hypothetical situation proposed became more objection than reasonable inquiry.

4:2-9 In response to the hypothetical situation of Israel's rejecting God as having appeared to him, Moses was given 3 signs to accredit him as the chosen spokesman and leader. Note the purpose stated: "That they may believe that the Lord... appeared to you" (v. 5). Two of these signs personally involved Moses right then and there—the rod to snake and back, the hand leprous and healed.

“WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND?... THROW IT ON THE GROUND”: Only God Himself can take WHATEVER we have, whatever is in OUR hands, and turn it into something godly and powerful! NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION MOSES COULD ENVISION HIMSELF FACING, GOD HAD SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO AUTHENTICATE HIS MAN, AND MOSES WAS NOT TO THINK OTHERWISE. It’s the same for us; we can trust God to support us as we do His work. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

03/01/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #2 —

Exodus 3:13-15 (ESV) THEN MOSES SAID TO GOD, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘WHAT IS HIS NAME?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

“THEN MOSES SAID TO GOD”: Was Moses at this point crossing the line from reasonable inquiry to unreasonable doubt? GOD'S PATIENT REPLIES instructing Moses on what He would do and what the results would be, including Israel's being viewed with favor by the Egyptians (3:21), ought to CAUTION THE READER FROM HASTILY CLASSIFYING MOSES' ATTITUDE AS ALTOGETHER WRONG from the very beginning of the interaction between him and the Lord. A response of divine anger comes only in 4:14 at the very end of Moses' questions and objections. See 4:1.

“‘WHAT IS HIS NAME?”: Moses raised a second objection. Israel might ask for God's name in validation of Moses' declaration that he had been sent by the God of their fathers. Significantly, the question was NOT "WHO is this God?" The Hebrews understood the name Yahweh had been known to the patriarchs (which Genesis well indicates). Asking "WHAT" meant they sought for the relevancy of the name to their circumstances. "WHO?" sought after TITLE, NAME, and IDENTITY, whereas "WHAT?" inquired into the CHARACTER, QUALITY, or ESSENCE of a person.

“I AM WHO I AM”: This is the ONLY time God announces this particular name in ALL the Scriptures! This name for God points to His SELF-EXISTENCE and ETERNALITY; it denotes "I AM THE ONE WHO IS / WILL BE"… The significance in relation to "THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS" is immediately discernible: HE'S THE SAME GOD THROUGHOUT THE AGES! (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible) Praise the Lord!