Promise 16 from Exodus 4:21a

Ex. 4:21a. - "The Lord said to Moses, 'When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power [hands]'." the Lord is telling Moses "to use ALL that I have given you." I don't know about you, but I certainly am guilty of not checking my inventory list very often. What's the first sound that comes from people's mouths when you ask them what their gifts are? They say, "um...". God has given us and empowered us with so much stuff [Jn. 14:12]. I'm not talking just the gifts of teaching, preaching or hosting, I'm talking gifts of healing, of raising the dead, of speaking life into someone, declaring breakthroughs in people's lives, casting out demons, those types of things. He has put power in our hands, its the power of the Holy Spirit. These aren't gifts that are meant to lie dormant inside us, We need to be pulling out the power of God's love, His compassion and grace and all the other stuff mentioned already, and use them. Its for His glory, its to direct people's attention to Him.

Promise 15 from Exodus 4:16

Ex. 4:16 - "Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him." - God, himself, tells Moses that he will be as God to Aaron. It's one thing to "set a godly" example for others, as most of us has been taught in church, but to be "as God", with God's permission, is entirely different. This is a "live out Christ in you" proclamation from God even before Jesus came on the scene. God is totally giving us the first model of discipleship. Our disciples speak to others what we have taught them as God teaches us. Why do we make it so complicated? I think its because, for the most part, we don't take the time to sit, resting in God's presence enough to know how to be as God, so that we can be as Him to others. We strive to figure Him out on our own by reading, researching what others have said about Him and by watching what He does in other people's lives. The only way we can be as God to others is to "ask Him" what He is like, to encounter Him for ourselves and reveal Himself to us, through us. Then we can see if all the other stuff confirms His character as "you" know it. God longs to reveal Himself to us, so take the first step today. Stop and sit in His presence.

Promise 14 from Exodus 4:15

Ex. 4:15 - "You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do.'" In the last verse we looked at God promises to each us what to say. In this verse He promises to teach us what to do. Again, God promises to be with Moses' mouth and then Aaron's too. There is such an intimacy of engagement here. You have to be quite close to someone to "be with their mouth." God, the One who loves His people told Moses that He personally will be with his mouth. He personally will be with him and be his private Tutor who will tell him what to do. God longs for that same relationship with us; to be with us and to teach us, but in order for Moses to be able to learn from God, he needs to listen to Him. He needs to listen for that instruction first before he can speak and do. In order to receive this promise from the Lord, we need to stop and listen, let Him get close to our mouths and allow Him to tell us what we should do.

Promise 13 from Exodus 4:11a-12

Ex. 4:11a-12 - "The Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth?... Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.'" Lately (written Nov. 11) I've found myself having difficulties finding words that I want to say, especially while I'm on my clinical practical placement. When I have to verbalise the clinical reasoning for the choices I make, often times I feel daft when I can't express myself the way I want to. I'm sure this is what Moses felt; that he would appear daft because of his poor expressive skills. It's easy to be fearful at times when we need to present ourselves to people as a professional. I accept this promise, straight from God, for myself that He will teach me what I am to say. Because He is teaching me, as opposed to speaking for me, then what He gives me I can continue to use in each occasion where I find myself anxious about speaking. Thank you Lord!

Promise 12 from Exodus 4:8

Ex. 4:8 - "If they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign." There is something very prophetic in this verse, even though this falls in the middle of God's conversation with Moses about the two signs; "staff to snake and back," and "one moment leprous hand the next moment back to normal." God is talking about the belief of His people, "If they don't get it the first time, maybe by the last sign they will believe." When Jesus walked on the earth, He performed many signs and wonders, many of the Israelites still did not believe that He is the Messiah, not after the first sign "When the dove descends on Him and God proclaims and introduces His son," not after all the other signs of healing people and casting out demons and not even after the last sign, when He ascended into heaven. The message for us here is "Don't give up trying." Jesus didn't give up His ministry and doing miracles when the people still didn't believe, the Holy Spirit gives us the power too to perform signs and wonders, through Him. "Jesus said, you will do what I do and even more because I will be with my Father in heaven." Jn. 14:12, and even though people may not believe after the first sign or even the second, we must continue to press in and believe that God will grab hold of His people as He empowers us to do His work. We need to hang onto the "maybe"; "If they don't believe you after the first sign then just maybe they will believe you after the second."

Promise 11 from Exodus 4:1,5

Ex. 4:1,5 - "Then Moses said, 'What if they will not believe me?...' but the Lord said to Moses.... that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Israel, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you'." Moses was fearful, and rightly so because the last time he saw his kinsmen in Egypt they wanted to kill him. His question to God revealed his fear. "What if they don't believe Me?" Our concern shouldn't be, "What if people don't believe US, but what if they don't believe God?" I'm not so sure that God's illustration of the staff turning to a snake and back again, and Moses' hand turning leprous and healed again was just equipping information for Moses, but I think it was God testing Moses to see if Moses believed Him and believe He will do what He said He will do. If Moses couldn't trust in God's word then how could he persuade the Israelites to trust in it? Likewise, if we can't trust that God is good for His word and we are more fearful that man wont believe us, then how can we possibly convince others that God's word is true and that He will fulfil His promises? Our faith in God frees us to go in confidence into "all the world" sharing with others what God has shared with us.

Promise 10 from Exodus 3:20-21

Ex. 3:20-21 - "So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it...; I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty handed." These verses are very specific to the events that will take place in Egypt, yet we can take some promises for ourselves from these, because they reveal the very heart and power of God. God can and will "strike" or amaze a place with His miracles. Look how full towns and cities were upturned when they saw the miracles through Jesus and the disciples. The same can and does happen today! He can and will grant His people, us, favor in the eyes of those to whom we are sent. We will go to them with hands full and leave full..... full of blessings. That is God's character and His power that is available to us just as it was made available to Moses and to many others. We don't need to be shy about going forward to set people free, God goes before us and He performs His miracles through us in the places where He calls us to. Thank you Lord!

Promise 9 from Exodus 3:19

Ex. 3:19 - "But I know the king of Egypt will not permit you to go except by a strong hand. " Often times we think that God is only going to ask us to do 'safe' things (with the exception of going into the military or becoming a fireman). We think that He won't purposefully send us in front of an enemy or we believe that He is just as surprised as we are when opposition strikes. God knew, and even told Moses, that his mission was going to be a tough one, but He also explained to him what the victory will look like. There will be victory! God is not surprised when difficulties arise, He doesn't have to scramble to figure out how to help us get through them and He knows the outcome, He holds the victory in His hands, Thank you Lord!

Promise 8 from Exodus 3:17

Ex. 3:17 - "So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction...." - God tells Moses to tell the people, "I said this...." I think He is making the statement that He is good for His word. If He says it, it will be done. And He says "I WILL bring you up out of the affliction." Take it, receive it! Claim it as your own!

Promise 7 from Exodus 3:16

Ex. 3:16 - "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, "The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had appeared to me, saying, 'I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.'" This message is straight forward. Moses was passed a message straight from God. This is like the very first pony express mission. "Send this to leaders of Israel, let them know that I'm totally concerned about them and tell them not to fret any more cause I'm on the case.... relief is on its way!" God wouldn't express His concern about something without offering a follow-up or response to that concern. He is concerned about us too. He promises that relief is on the way from whatever it is that oppresses our hearts and minds. Amen!

Promise 6 from Exodus 3:14b.

Ex. 3:14 - "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM', and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" - It has always baffled me why God told Moses to tell the people that His identity, His name is "I AM". It's the only time I can think of where "to be" turns from a verb to a proper noun and its action takes on form. We are called "beings" but I still think that is a bit different from what God is identifying Himself as. This is what I believe God is meaning. When He calls Himself "I AM"' 'To be' means to have an existence. It is there, it is present. It can be identified through at least one of our senses, this is how we know it is here in our midst. For 400 years God appeared to be non-existent to the Israelites, God is sending the message to them that this will not be the case any longer. Through Moses, He is calling His people into His presence. He is declaring His existence to them. They will now be able to encounter Him through their senses. They will be able to see, hear, feel, taste and or smell His "being". His presence will meld with their presence. And that's what He does for us. He "shows up" in all His being so that we may encounter our great God, our Maker, our Creator, our Heavenly Father, our King. Thank you I AM!

Promise 6 from Exodus 3:14

Ex. 3:14 - "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM', and the He said, 'This you shall say to the sons of Israel. 'I AM has sent me to you.'" - "I AM has sent me to you!" This phrase keeps swirling around in my head over and over again. It's difficult to get our heads around that truth that the Great I AM is the one who calls us an sends us out. The great Almighty, Sovereign God chooses and goes with us. How can we even stand in His presence? How can we even think to walk in tandem with His steps? It's only by His grace and through His strength and love that He lifts us up and guides us forward

Promise 5 from Exodus 3:10-12

Ex. 3:10-12 - "Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?' and He said, 'Certainly I will be with you.!'" - When God called Moses, He said, "Come now", usually when there is an invitation that uses the word "come" it means you are joining the person that is inviting you. Moses missed the invite, he said "Who am I that I should go?" God didn't address the "Who am I part" but the "go" part and then He clarified telling Moses, "I didn't say, 'go', I said 'come', because certainly, 'I will be with you'." You see, whenever God calls us to a place to do His work, He isn't telling us to "go" but to "come". "Come join Me in My work." Like many of us, Moses didn't think he was the right man for the job. He repeated to God the same question that was planted in his mind by the Israelite back in 2:14, he said "who are you to think that you can be a judge or prince over us?" Moses believed those negative words that were spoken over him, "Who are you that....?" So he asked the same thing of God, "Who am I that I should go?" Moses believed he wasn't worthy because he believed the 'unworthiness' that was spoken over him by man. But God makes us more than worthy. God knew that the question that the enemy had planted in Moses' mind through that Israelite man was rubbish. Too rubbish to address, so He didn't, because to Him it was a non-issue (well until later on when Moses verbalizes more doubt, then God chooses to address it). God chose Moses to join Him in His work, that is what gave Moses the worthiness, not for what he had done but simply by who he is in God's eyes; a beloved son.

Promise 4 from Exodus 3:7-8

Ex. 3:7-8 - "The Lord said, 'I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians...'." I just love this, He saw the affliction of His people and then He "came down" to do something about it. He came down out of compassion. You notice He didn't say He came down for the purpose of punishing the oppressors? He came down to deliver His people, to save them, then to give them gifts; the gift of a spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. He came down to love on His people. Did you read earlier in verse 6? After He introduced Himself to Moses, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. I'm sure that one day, 40 years prior, when he killed the Egyptian, came flooding into his mind, I'm quite sure that his first thought was that God found him in his hiding place, the desert, and was now going to punish him. But did God even mention a word about Moses' past and the terrible thing he did? No, He just went on talking about how He was going to save His people, Moses being one of them, and to give them gifts. God is a compassionate God, He chooses even murderers to do His great works. He is not God, "the punisher" but God the "lover", the Sovereign One. He comes down to us and chooses us, hand picked, to be with Him. What a great God we have!

Promise 3 from Exodus 3:3-4

Ex. 3:3-4 - "So Moses said, 'I must turn aside now and see this marvellous sight, why the bush is not burned up.' When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, 'Moses, Moses!' and he said, 'Here I am!'" - In verse two it says Moses saw the burning bush and saw that it wasn't burning up. God didn't call out to him to get his attention, it wasn't until Moses purposefully turned to look full into the face of the bush that God called out to him. God waited until He had Moses' full attention, his undivided attention, then He called his name to draw his attention even further. Moses had no idea that the bush was all about him and all about God til' God made that connection for him by calling out his name. Its only when we give God our full attention that God connects the dots for us. He reveals to us those things or people in our lives that are the joint purpose of us and Him. Its during those times when we are looking straight into His face, that He reveals His plan and what our action should be to His plan. When we are looking straight into His face we hear Him calling our name!

Promise 2 from Exodus 2:23-25

Ex. 2:23-25 - "Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel and God took notice of them." - Israel cried. They cried out to God. They couldn't stand the harshness of their bondage any longer. And God heard them, remembered them and looked upon them. When we finally reach resolve that we can't handle our bondage anymore and truly want to do something about it, then God will turn to us, remember us and look upon us. If we continue to be in bondage to either repetitive sin, debt, gluttony, relationships that don't bring glory to God, addictions, etc...., by apologising to God each time we "fall" then turn around and "fall" again, God is not going to concern Himself with us in those areas. But if we reach that point where we truly desire freedom from those bondages and resolve to cry out to Him and to surrender to Him, He will hear those cries and do something about it. We need to take that first step however and cry out to Him in a once-and-for-all repentance, then He will fulfil His promise to free us.

Promise 1 from Exodus 1:17, 20-21

Ex. 1:17,20-21 - "But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them." - Shiphrah and Puah feared God more than they feared man. It took a lot of guts to stand up to the king of Egypt and to not do what he asked, knowing that they could lose their lives. But they knew that the danger of crossing the king was far worth the risk because they knew God, they knew that God would save them. And He did! He provided families for the two ladies as a blessing for their faithfulness. God will bless us when we act out of a greater fear for Him, rather than man.