Weekly Tip #7, Spring 2016
Are We Listening To God?
In the book of Exodus, God had equipped Moses to perform some powerful signs as he was commissioned to approach Pharaoh to request the freedom of all Israel from Egypt. But Pharaoh put up a stiff resistance and would not listen to Moses. Here is the exchange in chapter 5:
1Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 But Pharaoh said, “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.”
The result of this request initially caused greater suffering for Israel, as recorded in verses 10-11:
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’ ”
Here was the Good News in chapter 6:1, 6, 8:
1 But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
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.
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.’ ”
Now The Bad News
9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
The important truth here is that we need to listen to God, follow His instruction as found in Scripture, and wait on His timing. God is in control, He is faithful and He will accomplish His will. We need to trust Him and never doubt or lose heart. This can be very difficult to do in tough circumstances, but in the end we will be blessed because God has a purpose. Be sure to listen to God.
Confirm Your Leadership For The Future
Critical to your ministry, is the training, testing and confirmation of your leadership team for the fall season. God has called us to multiply our ministry through discipleship so that the ministry will continue for generations to come. If you are personally moving on or you’re seeing some of your team leaders graduate, transfer, or move out of town to a new place, take the steps now to find replacements. Do not strand or stall the ministry by not replacing yourself or others who are leaving. Leave a legacy of solid leadership for years to come in your ministry situation and location.
Check out this article on how to form a leadership team that will be helpful.
Here is a good article on the art of delegation. This will help as you challenge people to leadership.
Talk to you next week,
Ben with Cru