The Crossing Wichita

Worry…a symptomatic problem in our society. We worry over anything and everything. We worry about our job, our school, our kids, and anything else you can come up with. There are so many things we can worry about. I talk to people all the time who are stressed out because they can’t control a certain situation. We live in a world where anxiety is at an all time high. It is sad to see teenage kids so worried that they fall into a pit of despair before they have even really begun to live. Why do they do that? It is because we have created an environment of stress. They have learned it from the adults around them. We are constantly blowing off steam and blaming it on our stress. We allow ourselves to be pushed to our limits.

I know there are slight variations, but I use the words stress, anxiety, and worry interchangeably. The truth is that we get anxious when we don’t have an answer and can’t control the situation. We feel like we have no options and are at the mercy of fate; or even worse, other people. When we get anxious our stress level rises and we begin to act and react differently than we would if we were at peace. For a follower of Jesus, this is not the pattern we should follow. The very situations that cause us anxiety is the position God wants us to be in; dependence. We get anxious because we are not in control, and that is exactly what God wants us to understand. Life is full of uncertainty.

Why do we feel the need to have all the answers? The truth is that anxiety leads us away from God. In 1 John 4 it says,

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

To be anxious means we don’t trust God, or we are afraid of Him. Fear is result of anxiety and worry. We are afraid of what we don’t know. But God offers us peace. He is the God of peace and He wishes to impart to you peace. When we live in His love we are surrounded by the assurance that there is nothing this world can do to us. When you are fully trusting in God and experiencing His love for you, you understand that He is all sufficient and able to deal with whatever you are dealing with. He has the ability to alter any situation and keep you right where you need to be. Regardless of what the world can do to you, God is able to meet your every need. Our life may not look like what we wanted it to look like. But be assured, if you are trusting in God it will look exactly like what he wants.

We don’t have to live this way. We don’t have to worry and stress. I know your kids are acting out and going astray…God knows. I know your job is not secure and you may be fired…so does God. I know that things look bleak and you are not sure where your next meal is coming from…God can provide. I know they are sick and may die…God is greater than the world. Jesus said, “I have overcome the world. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me”.

Instead let us follow the instruction given in Philippians 4:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Instead of worrying, spend that time making your request known to God. He is able to flood you with peace in the midst of very trying times. You can have peace regardless of what you are going through. This life is nothing compared to eternity. Don’t be troubled, anxious and worried. Pray, thank and present your situation to God. He will go beyond your understanding and give you peace. He will be the guardian of your heart and mind. Trust him today with your worry.

So, I’m thinking I would like to use the women’s restroom from now on. Before you get you panties in a bunch, this is a rated G post. I am going to go with the woman’s assessment of men; they are pigs. And I don’t really take offense at that comment only because I am making it. Really, men are pigs; they live in squalor. They think less about cleanliness than do women. Walk into any men’s restroom and what is on the floor around every urinal? Yeah, that’s right. And for you men laughing about it right now, you’re disgusting. I recommend that men either sit like women from now on or go to an etiquette class. How hard can it be? Anyway, before I get too carried away and ruin the G rating, I had a thought while being frustrated at my own gender.

I realized that most of us are just like men standing before a urinal. We see the target and yet somehow seem to miss a lot, which really isn’t the problem. The problem is that we don’t care and don’t consider what mess we are leaving behind for others to endure, and eventually for someone else to clean up. We all know that we mess things up quite often. We say things that miss the mark and we do things that make a mess. Living is made of up of these things on a somewhat regular basis. I made that mistake just yesterday. I used a tone of voice that conveyed a negative tone. However, I knew it was wrong and quickly cleaned it up. But too often we are callous and uncaring about it. Why are we so insensitive to our own actions? Just clean it up!

And in the end, someone has the disgusting job of cleaning it up. What we say and how we act is left covering the floor that others that follow behind us must trod. They will endure the mess we left. Our co-workers, our family, our friends, and worst of all our children. They will see how you just walk away from making a mess and think that is acceptable. Think about it; someone is the first mess maker. And others don’t think twice when they miss the mark because, well, someone else has already done it. And even the first person has learned that someone else will clean it up, and that it has been an accepted practice that started with the first urinal.

I know this may sound silly to you, but it makes perfect sense to me. Trust me, I have seen a lot of bathrooms and every one of them are the same. And there are also many families suffering the consequences and dealing with messes that have been taught and added upon. I think it is time that the people of Jesus take a stand against leaving messes for others to deal with and leaving an example that it is ok because it is socially acceptable practice. You pick your mess. There are plenty of them to choose from and you know what your’s is. But please, please, please, clean up your mess. I don’t like having to stand in it.

‎”If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Ge 4:7 – NIV)

When it comes to doing what is right we often times have a jaded perspective. We almost always do what is right when there is something to gain from it. We like to have other people see us doing right. We like for them to talk to others about the right we have done. And we certainly like to do what is right when there is a tangible reward. But what about when no one is looking? Cain was in the field alone with his brother and he killed him. He was jealous because his brother’s sacrifice was acceptable to God and his was not. The crazy thing is that God warned him! He told him that sin was coming, wanting to consume him. He warned him that if he did not get his head and heart straight that he would be ruled by sin. He didn’t listen.

We often wonder why our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears, why we feel defeated and wind up angry. When Cain brought his offering and it was not accepted that was exactly his response. It does not say specifically in the Bible the details of why Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was not. But there obviously was some direction given by God on this matter. It seems that Abel followed God’s direction to the letter while Cain did what he thought was good and brought it to God. God made a clear differentiation between right and wrong. He told Cain that if he did what was right he would be accepted. It was clear that his offering was not right.

Would you just take a moment and think about what you offer to God. Think about the fact that if you do what is right you will be accepted. And think about the times that you are frustrated and angry and ask yourself whether it was because you wanted God bless what He did not accept. And think about this; we have the power to rule over our sin that is crouching at the door waiting to consume us. We can say no to it and do what is right. We can be found acceptable by God. We just can’t be in a place of acceptance when you are allowing sin to rule our lives.

When I read the Bible there are certain parts that catch my attention every time. One of those is the story of Elijah. There are so many things in his account that make me go “hmm”. Today I am captured by the piece that talks about the drought that Israel was enduring. Elijah’s little brook had dried up because of it and God sends him to Zarephath, to a widow. When Elijah enters town the woman is collecting sticks for a fire to cook her and her son’s final meal. They are on the brink of death with no hope of salvation. The woman is totally hopeless when Elijah enters the picture. But Elijah tells her that God will make her little flour and little oil last until the drought has ended. Believing the prophet she first makes him a cake, which would use up what was left. And behold! There is enough to make one for herself and her son. And guess what? They never run out.

As I look into our culture I see many people that are in the same situation that this widow was facing. In that time a widow was without much provision. The people were supposed to care for her, according to God’s command. But her husband, the provider was gone. There are too many people that are experiencing hopelessness in our world. There are too many that feel they are about to eat their last meal. They feel as though their resources are expended and they are about to die. My heart breaks as I look upon a world in need who do not know the Great Provider. I have seen men exiting prison who cannot find a job or a place to live because people don’t want to deal with “criminals”. They are a group of people who really have limited options. But God is able to deal with this depravity and make even the most meager of things endure to supply our needs.

As we have seen in the story of Elijah and the widow, God’s resources are unlimited. And his mercy is unfailing. Those two make a great combination for those who would trust Him. But there is another element to this story. If Elijah had refused to obey God and meet up with that widow, she and her son would have perished. It was through the intervention of Elijah that this woman and her son were saved. There are so many people that need to see the people of God make a presentation today. The church needs to show themselves to the lost and the needy. It is only through our faithful representation as God’s servants that people’s needs will be met and saved. We have become lazy. We have food stamps, welfare and other government assistance and the church has let that become the offering to the people. This is not God’s plan. God instructed the church to care for the needs of the widows and orphans. God has called us to be the venue through which he provides for people. Many para-church ministries have sprouted up to offer this help. Those are awesome efforts. But unless the church takes an active role in feeding, clothing and shepherding the people, they may perish without ever knowing the goodness, graciousness and mercy of God.

It is a shame that we have allowed the church to exist outside this calling. We spend more money on brick and mortar than on people. We concern ourselves with bigger church than broader reach. I know that a single church cannot do everything. Which is why it is imperative that every church of Jesus Christ act as one body. We are all different parts that must function together to make the body work right. We often use that to say that each member of a particular church is a part. But it is true that each group of believers are a part and must serve the body as a whole. Let God be glorified; let the church rise up and be who God called us to be. May we search out those collecting sticks to prepare their last meal. May we give them hope and may we meet their needs so that they may come to understand a loving, caring, and merciful God.

I live in a pretty strange neighborhood. Not Freddy Krueger strange, but it’s location is kind of odd. It is a great community on the edge of a corn field. To the south is a trucking company, to the east is a trucking company, to the west is our neighborhood, and to the north…corn fields. There are a few miles of cornfields off the main drag before you reach our neighborhood. I have driven by them everyday, twice a day, since it was planted. Every day I look at the corn and wonder how long it will be before heads will pop out. I know one day it will stand tall and produce a harvest. But right now they are small shoots that seem to never change. I know they grow, a little bit every day. But I really can’t notice the change. If I took a mental snapshot from day one to now I could see the change, but looking at it everyday I don’t notice.

I am certain that this image is a huge stumbling block in our lives. We go about our lives day by day, passing the same fields, looking at them and never paying attention to the small details. It is complacency in some sense. It is over familiarity in another. It happens as parents that our children sprout from birth to 18 and we miss it, because we didn’t notice the small daily changes. You hear people say it all the time, “It seems like just yesterday…”. It is also true of those we love. We walk with them daily, doing life together. And then something happens, like an illness or other life tragedy, and we say, “where did the time go?” It happens in our own lives where sin creeps in. We notice it but pay it no mind because it never seems to grow. Only, it is growing; little by little. It is not until it bears fruit that we pay attention and try to do something about it. But by then it is full grown and very damaging and it may be too late.

I am not sure that I have some great revelation about what to do about complacency or over familiarity, other than pay attention. I have, in my own life, experienced this. And as I passed the corn fields the other day I sensed that I could be missing out by not paying attention to the details. I also know that seemingly harmless practices and activities in my life can grow up to bring huge trouble if I am not careful. I have decided to “slow my row” and put some priorities in place to make sure I pay attention. My faithfulness to God and my family are critical and worth taking time to pull over and measure the stalk to see how much it grew today. Maintaining healthy relationships with people who can measure my growth honestly, spending meaningful time with my wife, and having insightful conversations with my children about where God is at work in them are just a few of the things that will help me pay attention.

I guess it comes down to what is important to you and how far you are willing to go to make sure you pay attention to those things. The last thing I want is to get to the end of my life and lament over what I missed. I don’t want to walk my daughter down the aisle and shed tears over days and special moments missed. I don’t want to see my kiddos leave the nest and have to figure out who this woman is I am living with. I am not suggesting that all of these are necessarily at critical mass for me. But the point is, if you wait until they are before you take notice, it is probably too late. So, I encourage you today to take the time to pay attention to those things that matter: faithfulness and purity before God, your spouse and your children, and relationships that honor the Lord.

I used to be a typical guy; never reading instructions and never asking for directions. I think they call it a “man complex”. However, my wife has helped cure of that to some
degree. I just realized that after getting lost too many times and getting to the end of a project with extra pieces is not very productive. It seems counter to my nature to read directions. I am a man and should be able to figure out how to put it together, right? I have an internal GPS and should be able to figure out how to get from point A to point B without a problem. Not so much. I don’t know where we got that idea but it usually only makes me look foolish. I now read the directions and follow them. I usually end up with a completed project and a happy wife.

Too often we have this mentality with our spiritual life. We think we have some idea of what we should do and how it should fit and we charge in to get ‘er done. And like me, we usually have extra pieces and our project is not done right, and we get lost pretty easy. We eventually disassemble and put it back together the right way, following the instructions. And we usually (if we have any sense) will stop and ask directions before we end up many miles out of our way. Too often we are too stubborn and keep trying it our way when all we have to do is ask for help. And we wonder why things in our life are messed up?

The Israelites learned these hard lessons while trying to conquer the promised land. He had given clear instructions, but they still tried to figure it out on their own. The first victory in the promised land led to a bad situation for the people.

“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.” (Joshua 7:1)

God commanded them to destroy everything in Jericho, but one man coveted some things and disobeyed. And as a result the army of Israel was routed by the tiny town of Ai. Joshua was confused and he tore his robe and cried out to God, “why did you bring us here and allow us to be defeated? You said you would give us victory.” I love God’s response, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned”. Basically He said, “you didn’t follow the instructions. I told you to destroy everything and yet someone kept things for himself”. There are generally two reasons that our lives are confusing and not fitting together; those are sin and a failure to seek counsel.

1) Sin – Too often in our life we wail and moan about our situation when the problem is that we have sinned. God does not honor the best of intentions if sin is present in the process. God demands purity in us. Jesus died and rose again for our sin and we are cleansed from sin when we ask Him to be Lord and Savior of our lives. But life is not over at that point and we are in need of His loving grace and forgiveness every day. Just as the Israelites obeyed God and defeated Jericho, their success in Ai depended upon obedience. When sin crept in they were defeated. The glorious thing is that when it was addressed they went on to not only defeat Ai but many nations in the land they were promised. So, when your life is upside down and you think God is not involved maybe you need to search your heart and see if sin is present. Then repent and watch God give victory.

2) Failure to seek counsel – After the great victory at Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites feared the Israelites and tricked them into a covenant of peace. They pretended to be from a far off land and asked for peace because of the great things God had done through them.

“So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.” (Joshua 9:14–15)

They failed to ask God and they were duped. The people were pretty angry when they found out and wanted to kill them. But because they made a covenant Joshua made them wood cutters and water carriers. We get into trouble when we don’t seek counsel from God. We run into a situation thinking we are knowledgeable enough to figure it out and end up lost. We don’t ask directions from someone who knows.

Life is a complicated existence sometimes…okay, a lot of the time. But God has given us clear directions on how to live; holy and blameless. And he offers us direction along the way if we will only ask. I encourage you to take some time today and search your heart and if sin exists, repent. And when you are faced with situations needed direction, stop and ask God. Wait for His answer and follow his directions, and I am confident you will find your way. You don’t have to be a man to have a “man complex”.

My family just returned from a vacation to Disney World. It was a tremendous time to be together. We rode rides, ate great meals and enjoyed shows and attractions. One of the most fascinating rides to me was one called “Living with the Land” at Epcot. It was a 14 minute boat ride that let you see the exploration of producing food in places that until recently have not been able to produce much. They are exploring the use of aquaculture and other forms of farming. They are taking new leaps into how to produce food in dry places where the soil is minimal and water is scarce. I was amazed at the things they were producing in small soil samples and the method in which they were producing them.

I wonder if we need a little innovation in the church. I believe we need to begin considering how we can produce fruit in places that are dry and arid. The world in which we live needs to see fruit produced. But we are finding that the soil is not all that rich. We keep planting seeds and keep coming up empty. We live in a time where people are growing up apart from even the basic principles of moral and ethical standards, let alone Christ centered principles. I remember that when I was in grade school we went to a church during the day one week to have Bible school. I remember when it was ok to talk about God anywhere. But we are now encountering a generation that has grown up knowing nothing about God, or Jesus, or the Bible. It is not ok to talk about God. People are less inclined to hear what you have to say about Christ. He has become one among many in a culture inundated with “spiritual” things. While I don’t think we are totally shut out in talking about our faith, I certainly think we are headed in that direction.

So, as I reflect on that boat ride at Epcot, I think we could use a little of that mentality as a church. The soil is definitely not at rich as I remember it. It is becoming harder to grow and sustain a crop to harvest. I don’t think it is enough to just try harder. There is an old saying that you should, “work smarter, not harder”. It would serve us well to begin to think about how we can work smarter. We need to find ways to make use of what soil we have. We need to become familiar with the people we are trying to reach and find ways to communicate the Gospel of Jesus to them. We need to be willing to accept that what we once called “evangelism” is not always going to produce the same result. The landscape is changing, the condition of the soil is changing. We can’t keep doing the same things and expect to achieve the same results. We need to spend some time understanding and examining all facets of the culture around us and work to find ways that are the most effective at producing a bumper crop.

One of the key elements is being willing to share more than our words.

⁶ We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. ⁷ Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, ⁸ so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.  (1 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

It is not enough to simply speak the words to people. We have to be willing to share our lives. That means we are required to get a little dirty. It means that we have to spend time where we hope to be effective. It means that they have to know more than our name. It means that it is not enough to invite them to church. It means that we have to spend time in the trenches with them. It means that we have to get outside our comfort zone and be willing to get into their arena. We like to invite them to church and bring them into our neighborhoods and into our culture. But if we want to see a harvest we are going to have to spend a little time with them in their element. It doesn’t mean we have to partake with them. It means that we have to show them what it means to be salt and light to a dark place. I heard someone say once that a light is useless where there is no darkness. It is like owning a flashlight and only using it in the daytime. A light was meant to be used in the dark. But too often our light is only shining where it is not needed.

I would ask that you would pray with me about how we can become more intentional about producing fruit in a place where the soil is scarce. Pray how we can begin to share our lives and not just our words. And pray how God would use your light in dark places. I welcome your thoughts and would love to hear your heart. Feel free to comment here or send me an email at dave@thecrossingwichita.com.

The longer I live in this world the more I realize how broken it is. Each day I find myself with new and fresh frustrations centered around how un-Godly we are. I see so many silly arguments and petty quarrels that turn into major debates on the television and within our communities. And this is not only the world, but the people of God as well. I am amazed at how many Christian folk are quarreling, not only with the world but with themselves. We too often pursue what we want and not what we need.

I understand parting ways in brotherly kindness to head in separate directions for the sake of unity and kingdom advancement. But we are too often parting ways with malice and hatred because we can’t agree. And what are the issues? You name it. For as many people there can be that many arguments. It disturbs me a bit that when we talk to people about religion one of the first questions we ask is, “what kind of church do you go to”. Or in my case, as a pastor, “what denomination do you represent”. For that to be one of the first questions says that we have a serious problem with personal preference. For a “Calvinist” and an “Armenian” to come together is near heresy because of differences in theology. To me this is frustrating and annoying.

I have a really good friend. He is always there for me and we talk often of theological issues. He is a very prominent “Calvinist” pastor. He is a great man of God that I think very highly of. He has done more to help my ministry than most anyone else. And he has never refused me for any difference we may have. I love him a great deal and count him as one of my closest friends. He is far more educated than I and has more “church” experience. He never makes me to feel like he is smarter or better.

All of this to say that it doesn’t have to be the way it is. We don’t have to be known by what church we attend. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is God, come to earth to die to save us from our sin, and rose to defeat sin and death, what is the problem? This great friend of mine has some wisdom from his experience. There were times that I would complain about things because I thought things should be a certain way and others didn’t agree. He would say, “I agree with you. I would do it that way. But it is not a matter of being right (not speaking of Biblical truth, but preference), it is a matter of being effective.” His point was that we all have preferences and ideas of what would work best. But we should be more focused on what is the most effective way to reach people for Jesus. We must do all we can to ensure that God’s kingdom prevails in our lives and in the lives of those we can reach.

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. (James 4:1-6, NLT)

I wish that we could focus less on styles of worship, denominational preferences and personal likes and dislikes and come together in unity for the sake of the Gospel. I am finding as a church planter that you can work outside the boundaries of denomination. But I am also finding that people are sometimes territorial and if you don’t fit their mold they can’t work with you. I am, and have for a long time, been frustrated with the fact that the body of Christ is segmented so much that we don’t seem to want to come together to help each other. We have days of prayer together and pastoral alliances. But for the most part, we don’t cross lines. There are exceptions. And for those exceptions great and Godly things are happening. I have a few of those people in my life and it is a true blessing. Another great quote from this guy I love, “We have enough things we agree about that we shouldn’t spend our time focusing on the things we don’t.” And what does the world see in the church? They see a bunch of people doing their own thing who can’t get along. Why would they want anything to do with that?

We call ourselves distinct and not divisive. We have different churches because people like it different ways. That speaks to our selfish desire to have church the way we want it. I want to see the church through God’s eyes and help people to see it is not about preference, but about holiness. It is not about what I can get, but about what I can give. We pursue what we want and that is not always what we need. My prayer is that God will work through His Spirit to break down the walls that separate us and bring us together in unity. Because I believe that the world can be mightily affected if the people of God will focus on what they do agree about and not what they don’t. I believe that we are better together and can reach far more people with the love of Jesus.

Exodus 33:12–16 (ESV)

Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

We too often confuse the word different with distinct. We like to be different. We think that will make us stand out in a crowd…because we all like to be noticed, right? We accomplish this through our dress, our words and our actions. We talk about having a different kind of church; one that is not the norm in the western culture, one that reaches people where they are.

I have been a pretty common guy most of my life. My modus operandi is to get along and fit in. And no matter how hard I tried to be different, I was pretty much the same. Because looking, talking and acting different didn’t change who I really was. I remember a time in my life where I didn’t like myself very much. I rebelled because I spent my entire life pleasings others and decided it was time I got pleased. It wasn’t pretty, trust me. I acted different and made a mess of lots of relationships. But even in that time being different didn’t change who I was. At the core I was the same person. Who I really was eventually rescued me from the character I was exhibiting.

There is a huge disparity between different and distinct. To be different means that we are not alike in character or quality. But to be distinct means that we are not alike in nature. So while I acted differently (my quality and character were lacking) what made me distinct did not; and eventually I snapped out of it. It think this is the grandest problem we face in modern Christianity. The people of God and the church of God are trying to find ways to be different; to show the world that they stand out. We change our music, or we allow casual dress, we restructure the order of service, and a multitude of other things. But all of this is cosmetic and only the changes the way you look, and does not change who you really are. None of those things are bad. In fact, I like casual dress and modern worship music. But that does not define us, and should not become our identity.

What matters (to God and to people) is how we are distinct. As Moses said, “For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” Yes, it is the very presence of God in your midst that makes you distinct; that makes you stand out from all the other people of the earth. It is not whether you are cool or hip in your worship service. It is whether the presence of God abides in your midst. He is the power to change lives and heal brokenness. He is the protector and provider, the only One that draws people to Himself. We are merely a conduit through which He operates. We, like Moses and the Israelites, should not move unless the presence of the Lord goes with us.

So not matter how different we are, we are nothing unless we are distinct. Our prayer should be that God would dwell among us; that His presence would be that defining thing that sets us apart. That is what will draw people. It is our nature that needs to change. And it is God who transform our nature. If we want to reach the world we have to ensure that God’s presence is paramount in our passion. The world will be changed by a church that desires more than anything that they walk with God. Instead of modeling the world let us model holiness. Do you wish to be different or distinct?

As I read in the book of Exodus this morning I am reminded of the condition of our world. God has called Moses to return to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh release the Israelites from their slavery. Even Moses is skeptical of the plan because he doubts himself and his abilities, as well as fearing Pharaoh and the repercussions that it might bring. Moses is constantly reminding God that he is not a good mouthpiece, and he offers many excuses. “I cannot speak well”, “send someone else”, “why would Pharaoh listen to me”, “who do I say sent me”, “why would the people listen to me”. These are all the very things we proclaim as excuses to God for why we are not active in speaking the Gospel to others. It was offensive to God and He became angry with Moses for this bombardment of excuses. Nevertheless, God overcame every excuse and encouraged and provided for Moses.

The bottom line is that the people that are dear to God, those He loves, are in bondage and He wants them set free. And He is sending us into a desperate and dangerous place to proclaim the name of the Lord Almighty and demand that His people be freed from their bonds. Let us not be frightened or offer excuse. Let us not fear the Pharaoh of our day that would oppose us and demean us. These are the people that would say, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” They are those that would then increase the burden on God’s people and drive them deeper into despair.

As we proclaim the name of God and call people from slavery we will face the enemy head on and he will not willingly allow any of his subjects to be freed from their labor. He will only add to their labor and cause them to further despair and cause them to complain all the more. Moses was sent because the cries of the people in Egypt reached the ears of God. But when Moses and Aaron arrived and confronted Pharaoh, and he increased their labor, the people were angry with them. They felt that Moses and Aaron had now made their life a living hell and rejected their efforts to set them free. When Moses repeated God’s words that He is the Lord, and He will deliver them from bondage and give them a land of their own, they did not listen because of their “broken spirits and their harsh slavery”.

This is where we stand today; in the midst of people who are broken in spirit and under harsh slavery. They are people who are made to make bricks for their master’s kingdom. All that they labored for was used to make their master great. None of the bricks were used to build homes and shelters for themselves. Today so many labor to build things that are devoted to their taskmaster. All the “stuff” accumulated is not for themselves or for their true King. It is perishable stuff that serves only the lord of the land. They are consumed with their labor and cannot think of anything else. They don’t have time to think about God or the freedom He has to offer. They refuse the words from God because they have broken spirits and because of their harsh slavery.

But we, the ambassadors of Christ, are called to walk into the courts of the slave owner and demand that he set God’s people free. We are called to examine “what is in our hand” and allow God to use it for signs and wonders that demonstrate the power and purpose of our God. We are called to overcome the excuses and the resistance of the people and pursue freedom for them. We will not be met with a red carpet and a key to the city. The slave owner will not willingly release those that profit him. But it is God’s design that we demand it and allow Him to harden and soften hearts as He sees fit.

It was not Moses that freed the people; it was the mighty hand of God. We are called to lead them and proclaim the message God puts in our mouth. We must not be hindered by the threats of the enemy, nor the discouragement of the people. Simply carry the staff God has placed in our hands and speak the words He puts in mouth. But we must do it faithfully and consistently. Would you join me today in stepping into the role of seeing God’s people released from the bondage of slavery that Satan has placed upon them? Would you stand with me in proclaiming the message of freedom to those yoked with burdens and serving a slave master?