The Readjustment of the Work Load is Implemented

Scripture: Exodus 18:24-27

So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. 

Insights:  Today’s verses tell us that Moses took the advice of his father-in-law Jethro.  Scholars have debated over the years as to whether God allowed Moses to make this adjustment or whether God ordained for Moses to implement these changes.  I believe verse nineteen and twenty-three destroy such a silly argument.  In these verses Jethro stated the following phrases, “…and God be with you….” and “…God so commands you….”  From what we know about Moses, we know that he would not have implemented anything without first having approval from the Lord God.  It is implied through these two verses that Jethro also told Moses to get confirmation from the Lord.  Once Moses had received it, he did the only appropriate thing: he obeyed the command of God.  When we have heard from the Lord in regards to the area of adjustment we need to make, we must respond like Moses and obey.  Warren Wiersbe wrote, “In this rapidly changing world, Christian ministries must be flexible if they are to solve their problems and seize their opportunities.  The emphasis in the Bible isn’t on organization as such but on the kind of organization that involves qualified people who get the job done.  Self-defeating organizations embalm their structure and refuse to change.  The ministries that God blesses are open to change, so long as the principles of God’s Word are obeyed.”  Beloved, the world is indeed changing and we need to change with it in order to reach the lost world.  Hear me clearly; however, I am in no way suggesting that our message change.  Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, period!  The methodology, however, needs to be adjusted.  We need to again follow Moses’ example and go to the Father and ask Him what we ought to do.  After He has spoken to us, then we need to obediently respond with, “Yes, Lord, Yes!”  May our adjustments bring glory to the Lord God. 

Questions:

1. Is there anything holding you back from implementing the necessary adjustments in your life?
2. Are you willing to be flexible, without compromise on the gospel, to reach the lost world?

Prayer: Father, You have a perfect plan and I desire for Your will to be done here on earth as it is done in heaven.  May any obstacle in my life that might prevent me from serving You be demolished and let me implement the necessary adjustments You have called me to take.  Amen.

 

We Readjust the Work Load for Peace

Scripture: Exodus 18:23

"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

Insights: Over the last three days I have written about our need to readjust our personal work load as well as the body life work load found within the church itself. Today we are going to look at the very real byproduct of such an adjustment. Notice with me today’s verse. Jethro told Moses if he followed through with this plan, then all the people would go to their homes in peace. Peace is the natural byproduct of readjustment. Now, please understand that contextually this passage is specifically talking about an earthly peace between two individuals or groups that have been at odds with each other. Remember, the reason the people were coming before Moses in the first place was because they had disputes between each other and needed someone to be an arbiter between them. This readjustment brings this restoration more quickly in the human sense of the word. Moving more to a spiritual and even New Testament focus there is another kind of peace that this readjustment brings as well. It is the peace of God actively working in our lives. I think part of the reason this kind of peace comes on us when we readjust the work load of the body is because our focus changes. Friction, factions and divisions occur when our focus is off of the main thing and on minor things. In other words, when we have too much time on our hands to complain, grumble and moan, then peace is lost. When we are all working toward a common goal or vision, then we are unified for a purpose and that purpose is ultimately to bring God glory. When we are working for that objective an unspeakable and unexplainable peace comes in our lives. Beloved, let the peace of God permeate your life and the life of His church. Let the lost world see the difference between our kind of love and peace and theirs. Let God be brought glory because of our obedient response to Him.

Questions:

1. Are you experiencing peace with your fellow man?
2. Are you experiencing peace with God?

Prayer: Father, grant me Your peace and help me to live a peace with those with which I live, work, go to church, interact or even just meet. Let Your love and peace shine through me. Amen.

We Readjust the Bodies' Work Load, Part 2

Scripture: Exodus 18:21-22

"Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. "Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

Insights:  The next two character traits of a qualified man to serve as a judge under Moses is again attributes that ought to be common among every believer in Jesus Christ.  The first trait today is integrity.  The way Moses actually wrote it was “men of truth”.  A person of truth is going to be a person of integrity.  Integrity is who you are when no one else is around watching you.  If you are willing to live a life in obedience to the Father when no one else is present, then you are one living a life of integrity.  If, on the other hand, when you are alone you jump into every sinful vice of which you can think, then you are not a person of integrity.  A person of integrity is going to be truthful no matter what it may cost him or her.  The second trait today is contempt for sin.  Moses wrote it this way, “Those who hate dishonest gain.”  He was specifically describing one who was willing to take a bribe in order for a ruling on a case to go a specific way.  The root issue at hand, however, is hatred toward sin.  Was the judge one who had sufficient hatred toward sin and a desire for righteousness that he could perform his service without bias?  The same is true for a Christ-follower today.  Beloved, we are to be men and women who faithfully pursue Jesus and desire Him to transform our lives through the purging process of sanctification.  The result of such work is hatred toward sin.  Let me wrap up yesterday and today.  As the Body of Christ, we need to make certain the work load is properly readjusted so that every member of the Body is performing the appropriate tasks based on their spiritual gift mix.  As believers who have been forgiven such a great sin debt we ought to have a proper fear of God because of His sovereignty.  With these two adjustments made we ought to be people of integrity who hate sin.  I pray these four attributes are true of your life. 

Questions:

1. Do you live a life of integrity?
2. Do you hate sin like the Lord does?

Prayer: Father, I falter so often in these two areas.  Forgive my evil ways and transform me into one who does live life above reproach and has an intense hatred toward sin.  Purge my life from this evil.  Amen.

We Readjust the Bodies' Work Load, Part 1

Scripture: Exodus 18:21-22

"Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. "Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 

Insights:  The next aspect of the passage deals with the readjustment of the bodies’ work load.  Moses had to readjust his work load and as a result the body life of the people of Israel also needed to be readjusted.  The same is often times true in the body of Christ.  There were four character traits required of those who were supposed to fulfill this role as judges and the reality is if one is truly born again, then these same traits ought to be exemplified in their own lives.  Today we will look at the first two traits and tomorrow we will look at the last two traits.  The first trait is ability.  In a New Testament context when one receives the gift of eternal life found in Jesus Christ then the Gift, which is the Holy Spirit, comes in one’s life and seals them for the day of redemption.  Now that the Spirit is living within you, He manifests gifts in your life.  You may have the gift of teaching or intercession or any number of other gifts mentioned throughout the New Testament.  The primary point is you are gifted which makes you able to carry out the Lord’s commands.  The second trait is that of fear toward God.  I have often spoken and written about our twenty-first century lack of fear as it pertains to the Lord.  Psalm 130:4 states, “But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared (NIV).”  That verse almost sounds contradictory in nature, but if we understand that forgiveness can only come from the gracious act of a sovereign Lord, then we are better able to understand the need for fear to be present in our lives as believers of such a powerful Lord.  His power and might saved us from a retched end and there ought to be awe in regards to His majestic grace.  If your life is not characterized by these first two traits of an individual established for service, then you need to ask the Lord if you are really His child. 

Questions:

1. Do you know in which ways the Lord has manifest His giftedness in you?
2. Do you have the proper fear of the Lord which testifies to His sovereignty?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the ways in which You work in my life.  You are worthy to be feared because of Your sovereign forgiveness.  Help me to serve You through the giftedness You have given to me.  Amen.

 

We Readjust Our Work Load

Scripture: Exodus 18:19-20

"Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

Insights:  This week concludes our study in Exodus chapter eighteen.  Along the way we have examined a time of reflection, rejoicing and realization.  This week we will look at a time of readjustment.  In hindsight I wish I had labeled one of my points in the very first week as work and not faithfulness.  Here is what I mean.  In this eighteenth chapter there has been a theme that has run a consistent course and that them is work.  In other words, in the sermon titled A Time of Reflection, one of the points was we reflect on God’s faithfulness (I wish I had said work here).  In the next sermon on rejoicing, one of the points were we rejoice because of God’s work.  Then in third sermon on realization, one of the points were we realize God calls us to work.  And then in yesterday’s sermon on readjustment, one of the points were we readjust our work load.  As you can see there is a constant theme that ran throughout the entire eighteenth chapter and that theme was work.  On this side of eternity, because of the fall, our work is hard a laborious.  When we finally get to eternity with Jesus, we will still work, but our work will be utterly joyous and satisfying.  We will work without the constraints of sin in our lives.  Looking a little more closely at today’s verses we see Jethro has given Moses counsel in regards to his work load.  At this point Jethro has just told Moses what he is doing is not good for him or the people.  He is now giving Moses godly counsel to change how he has been operating in the day to day business of the people and is encouraging him to redistribute the work load.  There are times in our lives, we need to reexamine our productizing and ask the Lord if what we are doing presently is the best and most productive.  If it is not, then we need to be will to readjust our work.

Questions:

1. What work are you presently doing that needs to be readjusted?
2. Are you grateful God has given you the blessing of work or are you resentful that you have been called to work?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I am not grateful for the work You have called me to do.  At the same time, more often than not, I am truly grateful and I thank You for Your good plan and purpose.  Open my eyes and reveal to my heart the areas of work in my life that need to be readjusted.  Amen.

Our Access to the Power of Elijah

Scripture: James 5:16-18

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Insights:  Today we look at the final area of hope in regards to the fathers in our nation.  That area of hope is prayer.  Notice the first thing James referenced to prayer is healing.  I want you to notice the context of that sentence.  The healing prescribed here is a spiritual healing. Yes, we are to pray for the sick around us, but this is specifically about the spiritual healing of the heart.  Our fathers who have abandoned their child(ren) or have become absentee fathers are in desperate need of spiritual healing and it starts with us praying for them.  Then James explicitly tells us the prayer of a righteous individual accomplishes much.  In other words, prayer is powerful.  Remember back to yesterday and the kind of attitude John the Baptist was going to restore to the fathers.  He was going to turn their disobedience into an attitude of righteousness.  A righteous individual is one who lives life under the Lordship of Christ Jesus and that is from where the true power comes.  James finally gives us an example of powerful praying from Elijah.  Now remember yesterday, John the Baptist was to walk in the spirit and power of Elijah.  I emphasize this part of the passage because of what James tells us about Elijah in today’s verses.  Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours.  In other words, Elijah was a sinner just like we are.  What made him different than us then?  It was his active, vital and intimate relationship with God.  When sin did enter into his life, he was quick to repent.  When decisions had to be made, he went to God first, not last.  When courage was needed, he called on the Lord to provide it.  Everything this man did was centered on the Lord and because of that relationship, his prayers were powerful.  Your prayers and mine can also be powerful if we will commune with God!

Questions:

1. Are you willing to pray effective prayers on behalf of your child(ren)?
2. Are you willing to pray effective prayers for the fathers with whom you are being called to disciple?

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful You have given us the gift of prayer.  This two way conversation is the life blood of our relationship in so many ways.  Change the focus, shape and scope of our nation and the men who live here.  Raise a generation of men totally committed to You.  Let Your name spread as a result of Your greatness.  Amen.

Attitude of Righteousness

Scripture: Luke 1:17

"It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Insights:  Today and tomorrow we get to see the hope in light of the dismal portrayal of society we have painted over the past few days.  Verse seventeen is the angels proclamation to Zechariah about his son John the Baptist.  The angel is telling him that his son is going to be the forerunner to Jesus and his primary task is to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival.  Specifically, his job is going to be to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children and to demolish the disobedient heart and turn it into a heart with an attitude of righteousness.  Here is where the hope gets placed on the canvas.  In his own power, John the Baptist would have been incapable of carrying this mission out.  The angel, however, told Zechariah that his son would walk in the spirit and power of Elijah.  So, to what kind of spirit and power did Elijah have access?  The same one in which we have access.  The difference, however, is the Spirit and power of God wound come on Elijah for a time and then would depart from him.  We on the other hand ALWAYS have access to the Spirit and power of God because He lives IN us if we are born again.  When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God came into our lives and sealed us for the day of redemption.  He lives inside of us! Because He lives in us we have the source and power to live our lives in an attitude of righteousness.  No longer do we have to live subject to disobedience. We can daily, hourly, moment by moment ask the Spirit of God to give us the ability to be godly fathers to our child(ren).  Tomorrow we are going to look a little deeper at Elijah and one aspect of his life, but it reflects to us our primary tool we have as fathers for our child(ren).  Make certain you come back tomorrow for the final component of our hope in raising godly children which will change society and the next generation.

Questions:

1. Are you living life under the surrendered power of the Lord Jesus?
2. Does your life reflect the attitude of righteousness about which the angel spoke?

Prayer: Father, I realize that the only way I am capable of being the type of godly father You desire me to be is through Your power.  Let Your Spirit have complete rule and reign in my life and allow me to walk in obedience to You as I raise my child(ren) to know You.  Amen.