Leadership Prepared

Leadership Prepared

Exodus 4: ²⁷ And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. ²⁸ So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. ²⁹ Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. ³⁰ And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹ So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

 

============

 

GOD spoke to Aaron based on Moses’s request, and sent him to meet Moses on top of the mountain of GOD. After they met they wen to Egypt and met with the elders. There they performed the miracles they were going to perform in front of Pharaoh.

 

My Observations:

• GOD interacts with our free will and HIS will in a way that HE can listen to a request and already know the outcome.
• GOD sent Aaron to Mount Horeb, which is also called Mount Sinai, to have Moses show him the bush that didn’t burn up and to discuss all that GOD said.
• Moses and Aaron went to the elders of the children of Israel and performed all the signs that GOD was about to do.

 

Talk about preparation! GOD did some amazing things in this passage of scripture that I have never noticed before in my life! HE sent Aaron to meet Moses on a huge mountain. They found each other. Moses was probably pretty excited as he pointed to a bush that looked like any old bush, but he saw it on fire at one point.

 

Second Observations:

• I believe the preincarnate JESUS went to send Aaron.
• I believe the HOLY SPIRIT led Aaron directly to Moses.
• I believe the FATHER was orchestrating the salvation of HIS people through JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT, because THEY do not need credit for who was doing what.

 

Moses and Aaron probably talked all the way to Egypt and caught up on forty years of low to no contact. When they arrived, they gathered the elders from each tribe who would tell the history to the people. They performed many of the signs that GOD would have them perform. I say “many” because no one died, which was the last plague that would be imposed on Egypt. The people “believed” and they “worshiped.”

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about when Aaron was sent and the signs they performed in front of the children of Israel?
• Have you ever had an encounter with GOD that you were excited to share with people?
• What is GOD preparing you and others for?

What is the purpose?

What is the purpose?

John 9: ⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

⁹ Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.”

¹⁰ Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

¹¹ He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

¹² Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

============

“That’s it! I’ve had enough!” I exclaimed. Problems had multiplied and I was alone. Having nowhere to turn, I decided to get on my knees and pray. It had been a while, but I did not know what to do. Before I prayed, I recalled my own words. “What’s the purpose of going to church?” Then I remembered incriminating the hypocrites who taught and preached. I wasn’t worshiping GOD.

• There was a time when I questioned the power of GOD.
• There was a time when I dared GOD to do HIS worst to me.
• There was a time when I doubted GOD’s love for me and power over my life.

JESUS spat on the ground and made clay to put over the blind man’s eyes. HE then “sent” him to the pool named “Sent” to wash off the clay. The blind man did so and was healed. But why the theatrics? Couldn’t JESUS just touch him and heal him? Yes, but there was a purpose.

• JESUS wants me to know there is a purpose for everything that I go through.
• JESUS wants me to understand that there is a reason I go through problems.
• JESUS wants me to acknowledge HIS power and seek HIM for the rest of my life.

Nowadays we label things as “birth defects.” BUT GOD may label it as a showing of HIS power. HE healed one person and thousands, if not millions, believed in HIS power. We still read this story today and get hope.

JESUS had a purpose for this person being healed after decades of living with the problem. HE could show everyone that HE is in control of physical ailments and long lasting problems. HE gave the town hope. I place my hope in JESUS.

• Are you questioning GOD?
• Do you question the “purpose” of HIS decisions?
• Will you stop doubting GOD based on your little knowledge of HIM and ask HIM to grow your faith so you can trust HIM more and more?  

Series of Events

Matthew 17: ²⁴ After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷ “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

============

Walking past the corner house of a friend’s block I looked down and there I found a crisp dollar bill. Excitedly I picked it up and went on my merry way. Soon I found myself staring at the yard intently because I found all kinds of treasure like rulers, jewelry, pens and balls. Who would lose a ball? What an amazing yard I thought to myself.

• Many times I have not credited GOD for something amazing.
• Many times I thought “luck” existed.
• Many times I attributed a house or a shirt or a yard as having special powers.

Looking back I realize I never praised GOD for those amazing finds. Peter on the other hand was told before the miracle happened exactly the amount he would find.

GOD knew way before that someone would lose a coin and a specific fish would mistake the coin for food and swallow it. At the right time, that same fish would get hungry and get caught by Peter.

• GOD performs miracles daily that I cannot account for.
• GOD can use a discomforting eyelash to distract the bully as the person is too preoccupied to focus on me.
• GOD can have someone lose money only to be found by the right person at the right time.

JESUS was pointing out how unfair the tax collectors were, yet HE yielded to their greed. It is quite possible that the coin in the fish was dropped from the collector himself. Only JESUS knows the series of events that leads up to a miracle I benefit from.

• Have you ever found something at the right time?
• Have you ever thanked GOD for your finding?
• Will you allow GOD to work out your problems HIS way?

Watched Over

Matthew 15: ³² Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

============

“GOD do you care?” was my exclamation. I mean I was facing some huge issues and it seemed like GOD was silent and invisible. I mean, cant HE simply zap the problem away and make my life smooth? Oh, and by the way, throw in a few riches and some comfort and turn HIS back while I sin.

• I have sought GOD with sinful intent.
• I have acted like a spoiled brat wanting my way with GOD.
• I have tried to manipulate GOD into giving me “my” way versus following HIS way.

After getting their friends and relatives healed, the crowd could have left but didn’t They stayed and listened to JESUS teach and to watch HIS every move. They were filled with so much hope that they ran out of all they had brought to eat. It did not matter to them. They were being healed physically and spiritually.

• GOD wants me to seek HIM especially when it is risky.
• GOD wants me to seek HIS physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing.
• GOD wants me to trust HIS loving intent for me.

Once I stopped throwing my sinful tantrum, I could already see HIS compassion on me. HE was providing, protecting and leading me to better places. Although I wanted HIS timing to happen quicker and I wanted the answer to be what I thought of, GOD showed me HIS grace and blessed me more than I could ever dream.

Sometimes “my” answers to problems are way too small for GOD. I must learn to trust HIS answer in HIS time.

• Do you feel like GOD has left you?
• Are you feeling isolated?
• Can you seek GOD without putting your sinful timing on the solution?
• Will you allow HIM to open your eyes to HIS marvelous ways so a miracle can happen in your life?

Miracles Have Purpose

Matthew 11: ²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

============

Desiring to see a miracle, I asked GOD to do some of the stuff I read about. “Part a river” or “Heal ‘this” specific person” or “Heal my eyes.” I wanted to see GOD in action. I was met with silence.

• There were times I did not have faith in GOD.
• There were times I wanted GOD to prove HIMSELF to me.
• There were times I wanted to do my own thing and seeing a miracle may not have changed me.

Looking back I can see my lack of maturity in how I thought of GOD. I figured HE was not as much of a GOD if I could not see the stuff “I” wanted to see. Fortunately for me GOD works differently.

• GOD performs miracles on a daily basis; I need to open my eyes to what is going on around me.
• GOD shows me HIS power each and every day; I need to be willing to accept what HE is showing me.
• GOD speaks to me every day; I need to have a willing heart to hear what HE has to say.

“Give”, “Forgive”, “Pray” or “Go” are words I often hear and ignore along with many others. GOD tends to tell me things that would benefit HIS kingdom and I ignore what HE says because I am too busy with “my” stuff. I mean what about me, is my pout.

GOD forgives my selfish times too. HE simply wants me to see HIS miracles and repent.

• Are you trying to make GOD prove HIMSELF?
• Is your faith based on what you can see?
• Will you stop looking and start paying attention to who GOD is bringing to you?