Monthly Archives: May 2015

Exodus 18:1ff Sustainable Shepherding 5-17-15

©1998-2015
Fellowship at Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 31
Sustainable Shepherding…
Ex 18:1ff
5.17.15

Introduction…At first glance this study do-over from 2003 didn’t seem to connect with me much until the application at the end, and then it was like being hit with a bullet right between the eyes—deadly convicting. Why the sudden impact? Because we all have lots to do, or it seems that way at times. Well, so did Moses as he was leading the Children of Israel from their former Egyptian bondage and persecution through the wilderness to their Promise Land destiny. Can you imagine all the logistical nightmares and conflicts between three million people attempting to migrate from one corner of the world to just around the block? The task had to be daunting, and there was NO current leadership or management structure in place. No doubt there were tribes and families, and enough organizational structure to fight battles with, which they had just done with the Amalekites, but apparently, something more was needed—a system of administrative courts or judges or leaders where tasks could be meted out and problems resolved.

Is this not our lives, perhaps not so much with younger children, but certainly as they get older and have assignments to finish, chores to get done, problems and conflicts to solve, desires to fulfill and goals and dreams to ponder? And how does one manage all this? I am a perpetual list maker. I have lists on my marker board at church, on my marker board at home, in my little notebook that I carry with me and in my larger notebook that I carry in my backpack. I can make a list of fifty to hundred things to do in minutes. Sometimes, my lists overwhelm me and I want to run away from them because they seem never to get done. Some of the things on my list are overwhelming. I write them down like they are no big deal, and then over time come to realize that these desires or tasks may take years, even decades, to accomplish, as some have taken, and still others are still waiting to be checked off my list. Thus, I am not always so discerning about my lists. And my lists are not just about accomplishing impersonal things. In fact, many of them have to do with people, which may include difficult questions or conversations—some of these conversational approaches I must prayerfully incubate for days, weeks, months, even years.

So why do I think in endless lists and conversations with people that may take years to accomplish, if ever? Because I live. In fact, we all live… in what is now an imperfect world. Things break. People are broken. Relationships are broken. And as God’s redeemed and maturing ministering spirits or sons, this IS our task in a post-Eden fallen culture. It was once to manage a perfect garden with a helpmate, which I am not sure how all this looked or took shape, but that has now all changed.

Now we fight; now we work, and then rebel, sneak, lie, cheat, as well as, attempt to build productive coalitions that hopefully attack the never-ending, viral and devastating effects of evil or sin unleashed on a foolishly, naïve culture. In fact, I had a public defender, a very good one, tell me recently that if he could take away alcohol and drugs, there would be no need for public defenders. Almost all crime can be traced back to this slippery pursuit of immediate. short-term pleasure. Well, we tried taking away the alcohol for the very same reason several generations ago, and well, that was certainly an experiment in rearranging life’s moral clutter.

Bottom line: we all can have a lot to do because the world and people need managing and attending to, and if we are to do it well or with passion, we will have a lot to do, and if we have any hope of enduring, as we do it, we will need help.

And as his children, we have been given the basis for that help in our Spiritual Nanny or Tutor of sorts, His Spirit, but no doubt both within Israel’s vast journey within the Old Testament and the Church’s within the New Testament and beyond, the Holy Trinity of Relationship, the Godhead, Three in One, has determined that its children will perform their task of subduing or managing a fallen creation and culture—as brothers and sisters, learning to die to our sin an and selfishness, and, with the help of the Spirit, learning to work together as a team for a common Spiritual good in Christ.

A part of this study is about learning how to manage that Spiritual team of energy, vision, mercy, hope, love and passion effectively. Thus, whatever purpose God’s Spirit is leading you to shepherd, serve or grow with, don’t discount the purpose or value of Jethro’s wisdom to his son-in-law because whether you realize it or not, you are Moses in a fall world…with a whole lot to do, and if you think about it, probably more than you could ever imagine.

Your servant,

General Introduction: Moses, led by God, is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers many centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems. Last week God via Moses’ staff delivered the Israelites from two enemies: a lack of water and the fierce Amalekites.

This week Moses while attempting to solve all the Israelites problems is given a great piece of wisdom from his father-in-law who has brought out Moses’ wife and children to meet him.

Recent Studies…

Israel sing out its praise to Yahweh of Yahweh God’s delivering Israel from utter annihilation at the hands of Pharaoh’s massive army. Ex. 15:1ff.

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Now, with their backs seemingly up against another wall–the wall of daily sustenance in the desert, the whole community rises up to turn its collective fear and complaint towards God’s servants. Ex. 16:1ff.

In turn, along with the introduction of the Sabbath, a weekly day of rest, Yahweh meets his complaining children’s desperate needs with the remarkable daily provision of manna. Ex. 16:19-36.

Via the staff Yahweh had provided Moses with, God delivers Israel from two fierce enemies; a scarcity of water and the Amalekites. Ex. 17:1ff.

Israel has her first ally on her way from Egypt to her Promise Land, Moses’ father-in-law, apparently an important Midianite priest. Ex. 18:1ff.

Pray for Insight…

Read Passage several times…

Ask Questions…

18:13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.

Why was Moses judging the people by himself? Isn’t it strange? Why we would not think that 2-3 million people living and traveling together in the desert would not have a myriad of problems? After all they were people just like any other people. What kind of problems were they bringing him? Note: they had no law at this moment in time. They also had no organizational structure outside the tribal leadership.

14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

This could not have been fun to sit in this line all day—about like waiting in line at an amusement park on or West Highway 76.

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.

At least this is God, if they want to know God’s will. Why would Moses know the answer to every situation? Did he pray? Did God answer? Why didn’t God tell him that there was a better way or was God doing that through Moses’ father-in-law?

16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”

How did Moses know God’s decrees and laws? After all just a short while before, he was just a nomadic shepherd tending his sheep in the desert when he saw the burning bush.

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.

18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.

20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

A huge principle…teach them the decrees. Don’t keep them dependent upon you. Teach them how to think spiritually.

21 But select capable men from all the people –men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain –and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

Just like in the army—brigades, regiments, companies and platoons. Why both the hundreds and fifties? This sounds a little redundant.

22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

Just like our court system today with its smaller courts and it supreme courts, both state and federal. I like the concept of sharing the load.

23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

You won’t crash and they will go home satisfied. For one reason they won’t have to wait all day for a small decision.

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Why? Why had he not thought of this before? Or had the courage to implement it?

25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.

Who? Moses, judge, the people, father-in-law, God, the parties, representative, capable men, men who fear God, trustworthy men, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, judges, capable men, all Israel, leaders of the people, Jethro.

Where? Around him, to me, home, from all Israel, on his way, to his own country.

When? The next day, morning till evening, whenever, now, at all times, at all times, then Moses sent his father-in-law.

What?

• Moses takes his seat to judge the people who waited the entire day.

• When Moses’ father-in-law sees this very inefficient and staggering load he asks Moses why?

• Moses responds that the people come to him seeking God’s will in their disputes, and he informs them of God’s decrees.

• Moses’ father-in-law challenges Moses that what he is doing is not good. They will both wear out.

• Moses’ father-in-law suggests to him to teach the people’s God’s laws and show them how to live.

• But first he must select capable, trustworthy men who are not corruptible from the power that they are about to receive.

• Men from all over the nation and appoint leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

• Let them decide the simpler cases and those they can’t, then have them bring them to you.

• You will be able to stand the strain and they will not grow frustrated and tired for having to wait so long.

• Moses implanted his father-in-law’s advice and then sent his father-in-law back on his way home.

Summary…When have one of our first great leadership lessons in the Scriptures: the selection of capable, honest leadership and administration of God’s kingdom. Teach people the law and how to apply it; then select very capable, godly, non-corruptible men to manage the decision making among the Israelites.

Why? (What truths do I learn about God, man, people, myself, life?)

• People are imperfect and not objective and therefore need leaders, rulers, judges, etc. to arbitrate their differences. In other words, as much as we hate to admit it, we need the referees.

• Sometimes we and even good leaders will try to do way too much, rather than delegate or ask for help, perhaps fearing people will turn us down or will not do as good a job as we would.

• There are more problems than we can imagine in the world. People are sinners.

• Jethro affirmed Moses’ ultimate responsibility to represent the people to God. He just gave him a better way to do it.

• Jethro advised and Moses followed through with the selection of capable, godly, non-corruptible men.

• This also has to be built on the foundation of Godly teaching, or a teaching of the underlying principles and foundations. The truth + capable leadership.

• Jethro and Moses also built a pyramidal appellate system for the more difficult cases.

• Jethro stayed long enough to see the system working fine.

• God had a purpose in bringing Jethro to his son-in-law. God uses people to give good counsel to other people.

So What?

2003 Application…

Struggle? Getting all the new Bermuda grass planted, watered and established properly, rocks and all.

Truth? God’s word teaches that via a combination of the theory and delegation, I should be able to accomplish a difficult task.

Application? I have used this system with respect to Sunday mornings, worship, home churches, the Learning Center and constructing our church. Now I am trying to make it work with respect to our Youth, Outreach, Visitor follow-up and assimilation into our Body, Facilities and Grounds, teaching and writing.

Show me how, Lord. Show me how. Show me the way. Give me my Jethro. Show me the light. Send me the help as well as the capable men to help me accomplish your goals for our church. I ask this mercifully in your son’s name.

2014 Update and Application…This is good to reflect back because so often we don’t. We just ignore or forget, but this forces me to ask and answer what did I learn in the intervening twelve years? Are things different? Did things change? How have I changed? Did I change or am I, as I have been noted of saying from time to time, just rearranging the same old furniture or clutter, or did things because of my faith, study and attempt to apply what I was learning change me or my life?

With respect to the grass, it did get planted, and it has been maintained over the years. Without water, the cool season has struggled mightily, and I mean mightily. And actually the warm season Bermuda appears like a motley mess right now. It’s been fertilized, but I am experimenting with NOT killing all the clover, henbit and chickweed, among other intruders. My assumption is that as things heat up, those varieties will die out, and the Bermuda may have more of a chance. But there does seem to be a threaded theme in much of what I do and that is without enough of the resources to get the job done, we get by. It’s not the best, and it’s not the worst. It could be much better, but it ain’t bad. So we continue on, in hopes of one day, who knows? And if not, then it was a great run, and by process of elimination, we learned a lot…a whole lot. Perhaps those behind us will do a better job.

As far as applying all this to my administering the church’s many tasks, I would say it is about the same as my managing the grounds. It could be much better, but it ain’t bad. At least it’s real. There are so many good people taking the initiative to do so many good things, within the body, the community and within their own families, and yet we still have our ministry holes, but at least what we do and who we are is for the most part NOT FAKE. It is the Real McCoy, and as far as heaven is concerned, I think that is far far more important. Our Father knows our maturity and immaturity, and he is present through his Spirit. We are dynamic, meaning NOT static, and what God wants to do with us, is his business and for his glory and purposes. Our responsibility is to seek Him and be obedient to his Spirit’s leadership as best we can. We leave the results and the bigger picture up to God. Amen.

So have I or we changed? Yes. Still making mistakes? Yes. Still learning the fine art of growing healthy sod or sheep? Absolutely. And thank God for his grace, blood, mercy and forgiveness because without it, we would be one self-condemned mess, but with it, we persevere…we grow…we learn…we love…we hope…we strive…we trust…we cry, laugh, grieve, believe, confront, teach, challenge, listen, serve, inspire, forgive, seek to understand and Spiritually influence and our certainly disciplined…we are. We are his beloved children, not based on our own righteousness, but his, and still growing up…

Thanksgiving…Seemingly a wonderfully productive day yesterday. Lots of variety… writing in the morning, pastoral visitation, listening to and loving on older people, finding and figuring out, with some prayerful help, believe it or not, how to get a new mowing belt on the church’s lawnmower, which was not easy due to the belt’s tension, then finishing up mowing the church’s grounds, then coming in late, and after taking a much-needed shower, watching an old tear-jerker WWII propaganda movie, the White Cliffs of Dover, with my wife, and then just having some special time with my wife as we ended our day, as well as, getting to read a chapter of the Washington biography that I am currently reading on…very slowly, which is so incredible, both in research, composition and subject matter. Last night, among other things, I was reading about Washington’s siege of Boston in 1775, with little to zero ammunition and countless obstacles to overcome, including short-term enlistments and a poorly trained New England-militia-based Continental Army. It was good just to read about how even Washington whined privately and how Martha overcame harsh traveling conditions to be with her husband every winter he was away from home commanding a very stretched military, which was every winter. They were two very special individuals. Thanks, Lord, for our day yesterday, and by the way, there have been many special ones here lately. And by the way, I need a lot more of them. There seems to be no end in sight of all that needs constantly attending to. Not only continue to multiply me, make me and those whom you do multiply into your Spiritual workforce better than me…for your kingdom and glory, NOT mine. Heaven forbid!

Struggle…At first, I was wondering how I might reapply the core of this study’s truth? How stupid! This is my life, and I am NOT shepherding three million people through a hostile desert with little tangible provisions in order to reclaim lands from hostile tribes that are NOT going to want to give up what they are currently occupying, and doing all this with very imperfect, stubborn people. Wait, a second! THIS IS MY LIFE!

Truth… It seems nothing has changed. If you want to do something good, you will encounter obstacles, whether by the sheer number as Moses was dealing with or the overwhelming task assigned George Washington in 1775-76 or my life today. You can’t do it alone. But finding, inspiring, recruiting, empowering, shepherding, training, teaching, forgiving, being forgiven, caring for this leadership is still an incredible Spiritual balancing act. Jethro’s main point to Moses here—you can’t do it alone, so organize it, and then and only then, play your much more necessary final appeals role, much like our Supreme Court seems to be the final arbiter legal matters with respect to our own country. Secondly, in a fallen world, mixed with Evil, there will be no shortage or problems or complaints, therefore it can’t be about solving all those completely, but simply managing them fairly and in a timely manner. But as far as problems go, they will never ever completely go away, so therefore, one might as well accept them and seek the Lord’s leadership in dealing with them appropriately, and this includes bringing others along with you in this fight, in this management, in this struggle, and this is how they too grow up and realize their purpose.

Application…As I sit here for just one moment and prayerfully analyze my own leadership style, I find both the good and the bad in it. I think for the long term, I am probably not to bad. In fact, I think I have nurtured, revealed, taught a bit, encourage and empowered lots of potential leader types over the years. And in fact, I would speculate that this really is the church or the shepherds of the flock’s final responsibility…to raise up leaders…people who will make a difference in this world. I know this is how I have felt about my kids, even my wife, and much of my flock. Having a purpose; growing up; making a Spiritually healthy difference in a culture that is quickly and vastly retreating from much of an allegiance to or dependency upon its Maker.

So in the long run, not so bad. But I fear, in the short-run I give too much latitude…that I need to be checking on my undershepherds and leader types more. Why don’t I? Laziness? Fear of finding out things are worse than I thought? Or that someone is done or burned out and I have to go and find their replacement? Not wanting to bother people? Trying to do it by myself? All the typical avoidances and excuses. On the one hand this works out good because it allows people to struggle through challenges without being rescued too quickly. It also exposes people and especially servant-leader types rather quickly. On the other hand, I have got to wonder if some of my sheep or undershepherds are wondering where is this guy? Why is he NOT checking on me? Is he going to check on me? What do I do, if he doesn’t? Do I like this freedom or do I want more accountability, encouragement or help?

God, you know my many pastoral shepherding weaknesses and flaws. I stand open to your correction…your teaching. Lead me to those who need what you want to give them through your servant, including a little extra time and attention.

Your servant,

Joseph M. Cross

Your struggle?

Truth?

Application?

Your struggles?

Truth?

Application?

Scripture quotations, unless noted otherwise, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version‚ NIV‚ Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

Exodus 18:1ff Becoming a Friend Indeed 5-10-15

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 30
Becoming A Friend Indeed…
Ex 18:1ff
5.10.15

Introduction…Who is your best friend? Ever had one? Ever lost one? Where did that friend come from? Why were they your best friend? Were you their best friend? What did they bring to the table? What did you bring to the table? Did they help you? How and why? Did you help them? Are you still friends? If so, why? If not, why? Did something occur to damage the friendship? Some betrayal of friendship? Were you sure there was a betrayal or did you presume a betrayal? Or were you the one to betray the friendship? Isn’t it interesting how most typically, it is always someone betraying us that ends the friendship, but if that is true, and we are all the victims, then who are the betrayers? Is betrayal, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder? Where is God in this divinely-inspired relationship?

Before Jethro can fully help Moses and Moses’ stewardship, he must demonstrate his complete Spiritual loyalty and allegiance to Moses. There is nothing better than two friends who both have a deep reverence for God, or his Son, Jesus Christ. If both love God, then they will act God-like and resolve differences, and as they resolve differences, the Spiritual whole of the relationship will be greater that the sum of its individual parts separated. The Spirit seeks to build unity…true unity, and true unity is no easy thing to achieve, but once achieved, it is difficult to undo.

General Introduction: Moses, led by God, is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems. Last week, God via Moses’ staff, delivered the Israelites from two enemies: a lack of water and the fierce Amakelites.

Recent Studies…

Israel sings out its praise to Yahweh of Yahweh God’s delivering Israel from utter annihilation at the hands of Pharaoh’s massive army. Ex. 15:1ff.

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

In turn, along with the introduction of the Sabbath, a weekly day of rest, Yahweh meets his complaining children’s desperate needs with the remarkable daily provision of manna. Ex. 16:19-36.

Last Week: Via the staff Yahweh had provided Moses with, God delivers Israel from two fierce enemies; a scarcity of water and the Amalekites. Ex. 17:1ff.

Pray

Read Passage several times…

Ask Questions…

18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

What do we previously know about the father of Moses’ wife from Ex. 2:16ff? In 2:18, he is called “Reuel” (which means “friend of God’), and in 3:1, he is called “Jethro” (which means “his abundance”), as he is here? Why two different names? Both descriptions have him being a priest of Midian. Who did the Midianites worship or serve? How did they view Yahweh? Did they worship or serve other gods?

2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

Does Gershom mean “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”?

4 The other was named Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Does the same apply here to “Eliezer” also… does “Eliezer” mean “my father’s God was my help”? So Moses named both his sons after his past experiences…

5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.

So is Moses being reunited with his family?

6 He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

Why such a formal reunion? Was Jethro unsure about Moses now that he had defeated Pharaoh and was leading this incredible expedition away from Egypt and towards the Promise Land? Was he unsure whether Moses would reclaim his wife and children?

7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

With this action, Moses leaves no doubt that he is receiving his Midianite wife and children back.

8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had delivered them.

What a story to have heard…

9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 So Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.”

So Jethro is certainly in sympathy with all that Yahweh has done for and with Moses and the children of Israel, which means that in contrast to the fearful and threatened foreign powers, such as the Amalekites, who have just attempted to wage war against Israel, but were defeated, Jethro is clearly throwing in his lot with Moses and the Israelites.

12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

A spiritual treaty between Israel and the powerful Midianite priest Jethro in the presence of God has just been ratified. Israel has her first ally.

Whos?

Wheres?

Whens?

Whats?

• Moses’ father-in-law hears about the incredible and miraculous delivery that Yahweh God has performed for Israel and Moses and clearly decided to reapproach Moses and Israel with Moses’ Midianite family.

• Jethro, after hearing Moses official recounting of all that God had done for Moses and Israel, rejoices in this deliverance, recognizes Yahweh God as the source of this miraculous salvation and celebrates a feast in Yahweh’s honor and in the presence of the elders of Israel and in which Jethro offers a sacrifice to Yahweh God.

Bottom line…Moses’ father-in-law, apparently an important Midianite priest, becomes Israel’s first ally on her way from Egypt to her Promise Land.

Whys? (What truths do I learn about God, people, life or myself?)

• This passage sets the scene for the very next passage in which God will use Jethro to advise Moses on how to more effectively manage his people since one man can’t do a very good job with perhaps millions. It would seem God is validating that God can and does use people we would not necessarily consider insiders to reveal his practical wisdom, but first Jethro must demonstrate his alliance with Moses and Israel and his reverence for Israel’s God, Yahweh, and Jethro, by returning Moses’ children and wife to Moses, as well as listening to Moses’ accounting of God’s deliverance and offering a sacrifice to Yahweh with Israel’s leadership present is clearly Spiritually and politically aligning himself with Israel and his son-in-law. Jethro will pose no threat to Israel. He will not side the pagan foreign nations whose land Israel must travel over to get to their Promise Land, nor the pagan nations in the Land. Jethro is choosing sides and is proving to be a practical and faithful ally to Moses and Israel, something both desperately need as Israel is about to enter, via her mediator, Moses, into her symbolic marriage covenant with her deliverer, Yahweh God. Thus one treaty precedes another.

A nation is being birthed and prepared for her homeland…her place in history and among the earth’s inhabitants. God is doing something very special here, and in Jethro, Yahweh provides for Israel her first and very much needed ally and friend.

So what do we do with this? Loyal friends are important and God can provide them from anywhere. How do we know that they are loyal? Do they come to us? Do they take the time to hear our story? Do they genuinely rejoice in our story of special deliverance and so much so that they worship with us? If so, then you might want to listen to their practical wisdom, as Moses is about to do, because they are the real deal. They are God’s messengers or angels sent to support us.

So What?

Thanksgiving…What a week. Last weekend was amazing with our friend Nancy singing and her willingness to share her very powerful, new and fresh story. It was everything I had hoped for initially six months ago, and then several months ago, when I learned of her Spiritual disability of sorts, much more. Nancy waited and trusted me. I trusted God, and God came exploding onto the scene. After that, lots of counseling, some unexpected. It seems more and more, my job, my gift and my ministry is to help untangle conflicted and confused thinking. I listen, I pray, I help untangle so that people, even if only momentarily, have rest or peace. I also got to write more, finishing up my first draft of the contribution of the general Hebrew word for “love.” I also got some special time with my wife, which I was indeed thankful for. My love, devotion and honor for her grows daily. I am a blessed man.

Struggle…Something is bugging me; not quite sure what it is. Trying to sort through my own conflicted pieces of a God’s divine puzzle. The truth. What does God have in store for me? For Fellowship? For my people? How are we to abide in the vine by trusting the Son’s atonement and learning to love, and especially pray, and allowing the Spirit to shape our consciences as we pray, for others. If our ministry…our abiding, begins with prayer, as Jesus seems to indicate to his disciples in John 15:7 and then John himself reiterates in his letters, then what form should those prayers take, and where will those prayers lead us—all of us?

Truth…We can’t do it alone; we need help. Who will help? Who, how and where will God Almighty raise up others to help us through the massive Spiritual undertaking of learning how to love and pray for others as Jesus loved and prayed for us? He will send us allies. Genuine allies. Those we can trust. If they come, listen, rejoice, worship and throw in their lot with us, especially in the face of constant foe, then they just may be of God, and therefore, invaluable in their wisdom. Such was the case for Moses; may it be the case for us. Send us Jethro’s, Lord. Send us, your Jethro’s.

Application…You have brought help from the unlikeliest of sources, God. Thanks for surprising gifts. Help us to be discerning, but when that discerning is complete, let us more effectively shepherd your desperately needy and searching flock.

Your servant,

Joseph M. Cross

Your struggle?

Truth?

Application?

Exodus 17:off When the Foes Keep Coming 5-3-15

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 29
When the Foes Keep Coming…
Exodus 17:1ff

Introduction…What’s on your heart right now? Now? Are you at peace? Or are you burdened down with fear and worry? Are you arms lifted up and outstretched to heaven’s eventual triumph or are they fallen in fear and discouragement?

In both these divine rescues, Moses will be directed to use the rod or staff that God had given him to shepherd his people to deliver them, despite their lack of trust that indeed they will be delivered. Has God given you a staff? Something by which he will use to prove his deliverance in your current predicament?

Our hope or desire is never to be in stress or challenge, but without the stress or challenge, there is no dependence, no cry out to God for his deliverance, no hope of his love and no strengthening of faith or trust that he will provide because he has provided in the past. If you want to be freed from being an abused serf in someone else’ abundance to owning a piece of your own heaven, then be prepared for constant, challenge, risk and danger in getting there. But with that risk-filled journey comes a divine Deliverer—God—and that my friends, is the real journey…trusting the Invisible, the Divine.

General Introduction: Moses led by God is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers many seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems.

Recent Studies…

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Last Week… First the People are commanded to gather and keep enough manna only for that day; Second, they are told to gather twice as much on the sixth day and to save a portion of it for the seventh day because this day is to be a day of rest that belongs to the Lord. And yet despite God’s clear commands, some will still disobey God, attempting to gather too much manna or gathering it on the Seventh day. Both attempts fail, angering both Moses and Yahweh. Finally, Israel is told to set aside into perpetuity one daily sample so that generations to come may know how Yahweh God provided for his people during on their way to the Promised Land. Ex. 16:19-36.

Pray

Read Passage several times…

Ask Questions…

First Story…

Exod. 17:1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

Where is the Desert of Sin? Why was it called Sin? Was it a bad place? Is this where we get the biblical word “to sin,” as “to miss the mark” from? How far did they travel at any one time? Ten miles? Twenty? I can’t imagine how far over two million people can travel in a day, and how far of a line would the traveling caravan have stretched? Each new embarking had to be fraught with the peril of finding little to no water. What a seemingly impossible and desperate journey of trust, faith and courage. You can’t go back to Egypt. There are nations living in the land you are traveling to and there are so many people traveling there under harsh, desert conditions. It was certainly a journey of trust and dependence.

2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?”

Why did they quarrel? Were they about to die of thirst? Why does Moses ask, “Why do you put the Lord to the test”? Did this represent Israel’s doubting that the Lord would provide for them?

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

On the one hand this is understandable. Why would God do this? On the other hand, he has always provided before. Why would he not now? Is this “putting God to the test”? Oh, the struggle…to trust, based on previous provisions, or to doubt and panic?

4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Because they can see you. They can’t stone a cloud. Been there and done that.

5 The LORD answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

Crazy faith?

6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Horeb? Is this also Sinai, where the Children of Israel will receive the Law? Is this the place of their wedding with God, where they will receive their covenant and Law? How did this water come out of a rock? Was it like a spring?

7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Second Story…

8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

Are we at the same place or have we journeyed further? And who are the Amalekites? Were they fierce or were they just threatened? And how many? And is word out and the nations lining up to defend their lands?

9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

Finally, a military force. And once again, the supernatural staff that turns into a snake and that smote the Nile, the Red Sea and now a rock to deliver water, is about to figure into the Children of Israel’s deliverance once again.

10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.

11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

That’s a long time to hold up one’s arms. Why attach the battle’s success to Moses’ raised arms?

12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other –so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

A most logical and ingenious solution…keep the hands up anyway you can…

13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Who were these people? Why did God want to wipe them out?

15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.

16 He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Is God using the Children of Israel’s sojourn to judge pagan nations?

Who? (1^st) Israelites, LORD, Moses, our children, elders of Israel, (2^nd) in addition to the first story: Amakelites, Joshua, Aaron, Hur

Where? (1^st) from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place, Rephidim, out of Egypt, on ahead of the people, the Nile, rock of Horeb, in the sight of, Massah and Meribah, (2^nd) at Rephidim, go out, on top of the hill, in my hands, held up, under him, on one side, one on the other, under heaven, the throne of God

When? Tomorrow, as long as, whenever, when Moses’ hands grew tired, then the Lord, from generation to generation

What?

• The Israelites travel to Rephidim where there is no water.

• They begin to doubt and quarrel with Moses because of the lack of water. 2-3

• Moses cries out to God because they are about to stone him. 4

• The LORD directs Moses, along with the elders, to walk ahead of the people and to strike the rock of Horeb. 5-6a.

• Moses does and water comes gushing out. 6b

• Moses called this place Massah and Meribah because the people grumbled and doubted God’s presence. 7

• Then the Amakelites come out and attack them. 8

• Moses tells Joshua to go out and fight them. Moses will take the staff of God to the top of the overlooking hill. 9-10

• As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites were winning, but when he would drops his hands they began to lose. 11

• So they provided a rock for his to sit on and they held his arms up until sunset. Eventually the Israelites defeated the Amakelites. 12-13

• The Lord commanded Moses to write this down. 14

• After which he built an altar and named it “The Lord is my Banner.” 15-16

Summary…Via His staff, God delivers Israel from two fierce enemies; a scarcity of water and a fierce foe.

Why?

• People doubt quickly, even when God has provided many times before. In other words, people have short-term memories, and they panic. Been there and seen that.

• When desperate, the mob will point its finger or focus its blame on visible leadership. Someone has got to take the fall. If we can’t fix it, then the nation must have blood. It can’t be just to cry out to God for help.

• God is faithful. He delivers and protects his people, his charge…his responsibility.

• It is God who is our source of power and strength.

• God allows life’s different dangers to threaten us in order to see if we will trust in him.

• Leadership can’t do it all by themselves; they need those whom they lead’s support.

• It is appropriate and good to commemorate God’s deliverance.

• In delivering one person or set of people God may be judging or disciplining another person or group of people. God is multitasking in his purposes.

So What?

2003 Application…

Struggles…a busy day, finishing up this lesson, participating in a wedding at our church, finishing up the message. Sunday evening. Next week, Jordan has a college baseball tryout; I am trying to find a tractor, plant some grass on the ball field and prepare for the Carpenters’ return to our church, as well as Father’s Day, etc.

Truths…Don’t panic in the midst of a fierce foe; trust God even up to the last second.

Application…Keep walking ahead with the staff of God in my hand. The staff today, I would assume would be God’s Spirit—his power becoming my power—as particularly manifested via prayer and his word. I am going to trust God to get me through this next crucial week or so, walking by faith that indeed he will see me through.

On an average day, 288 million gallons of water, enough to fill St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch stadium in 33 hours, will bubble up from the earth beneath at Big Springs near Van Bure, MO.

2015 Application…

Thanksgiving…God has been faithfully gracious to me on so many levels here lately. My life is a thanksgiving. People have helped me at just the right moment too many times to mention; I had an amazing afternoon with my Spiritual daughter, who went to sleep that night dreaming of the Spiritual story that I had been waiting to tell her for ten years—that her safety and security is NOT in a guy, but eternally secure in her kinsman redeemer, Jesus. I am indeed blessed.

Struggle…trusting God that as he has so often delivered in the past, that he will deliver again and that it will be his weekend with our college friend Nancy, the most interesting person on the planet, here to sing and share at Fellowship this weekend. I want it to be a good weekend for her, for us and for Fellowship.

Truth…That as God has always provided for us in the past, he will continue to provide for us on our journey home. And yet, without hardship or stress, there is no provision, no trust, no deliverance. The world can be a very difficult place. Leaving Egypt, traveling to Canaan, and going through the desert to get there are all threats. Can we trust his provision in the midst of little being like heaven or perfect?

Application…Today, this weekend, Sunday, this season in my life…these past thirty years at Fellowship, or almost forty years of deeply growing in my faith, or almost fifty since I trusted his sacrifice as an atoning payment for all my sinful imperfections, which is much, all represent my journey of having left the enslaving security of my own personal sinful Egypt and traveling through this world or life’s dangerous desert journey to my heavenly promise land, saturated with milk and honey. And with each trial or trying adventure is the moment in which I can panic, grumble and rebel because I see threat or to cry out to my Redeemer and trust his eventual deliverance. Each moment…Nothing has changed, except that with each trial and corresponding desperate trust comes greater confidence, hope, love and trust. I accept the journey. I want the Promise Land without the struggle, but I accept the journey. I accept the dangers. I accept the threats, but I also accept your deliverance…

Your struggles?

Truth?

Application?

Exodus 16:19-36 Sustainable Bread 4-25-15

©1998-2015
Fellowship at Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 28
Sustainable Bread
Ex 16:19-36

Introduction: How would you feel if you skipped a meal? Okay, not the biggest loss in the world, but what about two meals? Now that is starting to push the envelope a bit? What about an entire day? Not the easiest thing to do, but it can be done, for some, is sadly the case? What about multiple days? Can you imagine fasting, perhaps just on juice and water, for an entire week? What about forty days? We take our daily food provision of food so for granted, so that even if we skip a meal or two or a few days worth of food, we can get very, very cranky, do we not? Now let me ask you another question? What about your daily Spiritual food allowance? Can anyone really imagine going very long without some thought or interaction with God or Spiritual truth? And yet some do it all the time. Some do it their entire lives. I can only imagine. My real concern is what kind of filter does that leave one for living life and making daily decisions? Where do ones ethics, values and morals arise from? Can this type of person really be trusted when it is all said and done? How do we know that when the chips are down, that in the end, this person won’t cut and run? We don’t. And yet, God’s children do. Why? Not enough Spiritual food. Not enough God. Not enough Spiritual nutrition. Want to have a reasonably healthy body, then eat well, sleep well and get plenty of exercise. Want to have a healthy mind, then Spiritually eat well, rest well and get plenty of Spiritual exercise in as you seek to fulfill your redeemed purpose in Christ—learn to love others well.

In the end, do you believe and trust that God’s Spirit will not only provide for my physical needs, but my Spiritual as well?

So here is my question: why might Yahweh be preparing his people for receiving his larger law in later chapters of Exodus via connecting their provision of daily manna with his Sabbath rest? Just something to think about, because that is what is just about to happen. The Spiritual and the physical are about to join. A legitimate resting from one’s labor…that is one in seven…is paramount to resting in God for one’s ongoing daily provision. Think about it.

This is an interesting section. Twice God seeks to meet his people’s needs and gives them specific directions how they are to do this? Twice some test him and fail to follow those specific directions. Twice someone gets angry. The first time, Moses; the second time, God. This chapter lays the powerful groundwork for the universal truth that God will meet our daily needs, while at the same time asking us for one day a week, set aside solely for enjoying him and his provision for those needs.

General Introduction: Moses, led by God, is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers nearly seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems.

Recent Studies…

The sons and daughters of Israel sing out their praise to Yahweh because in what Yahweh God has just done in not only delivering Israel from utter annihilation at the hands of Pharaoh’s massive army, but in utterly annihilating Pharaoh’s army, Israel’s future, including her travel to and then being planted within her promised land is also secure. Ex. 15:1ff.

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Pray

Read Passage several times…(if more than 12 verses, I would read only twice).

Ask Questions…

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

What are they supposed to do this? Eat it all during the day and perhaps through the night, but by morning is the manna decayed or rotten? So for some reason, this food is highly perishable? Interesting, would refrigeration have kept it fresh? Was this to show that God would and could meet their daily needs? Why not store it up? (This seems huge to me…)

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

Isn’t there always some who will try to cheat or bend the rules, test the limits? What are maggots? Fly larvae? Even if they had baked it, did it still go bad?

21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

Like dew on the ground that disappears with the morning sun? Does this mean, like water, it was highly volatile, turning from a more liquid dew to water in the atmosphere? Amazing…

“My first frost flower…..kind of a heart shape.

Perfect.” by Nancy Jesser Halsey (Posted on Facebook on November 13, 2014).

22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much –two omers for each person –and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

Why did the leaders feel this necessary to report this to Moses? Was this what they were supposed to do? Were the leaders concerned that the people should not have done this, just as they shouldn’t have on the other days when the manna had become rotten with fly maggots or larvae? And why did it work on the sixth day, but not any other day? Was this a miracle of God? How much is an omer? And notice, somehow divinely, much like your cell phone bill depends upon how many cell phones one has, the gatherable manna is pro-rated for the number of people per family, so that on that sixth day, if you had 6 people in your family, you were allowed to gather 12 omers for two days worth of manna, but if you had seven people, one could gather 14 omers, and if you gathered 15 omers, or one omer too much, then I suppose that extra omer would rot? So, in essence, much as the cell phone companies can track a persons calls and call minutes, texts and data usage, God, who created the laws of physics to do this kind of tracking to begin with, was able to do this with Israelite manna collection, even on that sixth day? Amazing…

23 He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: `Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'”

So a person could both bake and boil manna?

Was this their first Sabbath because obviously, Yahweh had NOT given Moses Israel’s Laws or entered into a covenant with her yet? There was about to be a Law for Israel, but not yet. So the need to rest on the Sabbath is more important than the need to gather manna daily, not that gathering manna had to be necessarily difficult, which does beg the question, how long did it take to gather manna, and was it difficult or time consuming or easy? This says a lot about the importance of the Sabbath.

24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

So, almost like a test, gathering twice as much manna on the sixth day did not result in the manna’s becoming full of maggots on the morning of the seventh day? Another miracle? A weekly suspension of natural laws related to the manna? What is God trying to teach Israel? Trust me? Listen to me? Worship me and I will meet your daily needs? I can make the bread rot one day and not the next.

25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today.

The manna didn’t even appear. Again amazing. So with the gathering of the daily manna, gathering too much of it that it became rotten with maggots, gathering twice as much on the sixth day and it not rotting with maggots on the seventh day and there being no manna to gather on the seventh day now clearly anchors or establishes the Sabbath in the minds and hearts of these early Israelites. The Sabbath was real. God was resting, and so should they. A precedent had been set—a day to recharge the batteries…and someday, a day to worship.

26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

What does Sabbath mean? Why did they call it Sabbath? Because it was the seventh day or a day of rest, when one ceases from their labors?

27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.

Just as there were some who had to test gathering too much on a normal day, some had to test gathering manna on the seventh day?

28 Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?

This testing of God’s commands now provokes Yahweh who asks their leader and soon-to-be mediator of the covenant a question.

29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.”

Wow! Not even go out and play? Not even go out and worship? What was God trying to teach the people? Do our bodies, minds and souls need this kind of rest? I feel like mine does from time to time. Done; no juice; empty…

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Did they just sleep? Lie around? Play games inside? Talk? What did they do?

31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

What is coriander seed? Honey…so it was sweet?

According to the book of Exodus, manna is white, like Coriander seed, (although modern-day coriander seed is yellow/brown).

32 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: `Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.'”

What is an omer? A quart? Why did God want to do this? To prove to later generations that this was not a myth? That it really was true?

33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.”

Clay jar? Why would it not rot? Another miracle? I wonder how long it did last? Where did it eventually end up–lost with the ark (or box) of the covenant ? Did they keep it in the ark (box) containing the covenant (treaty/contract) that God and Israel are about to sign (or agree to)—that he will be their God and they will be his people?

34 As the LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept.

But what is the Testimony? The ark? Did they have it yet? Wasn’t this later?

35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

That is a long time. So despite their eventual disobedience at Kadesh Barnea which turned a short journey into a forty year wandering, God still provided for their daily needs…interesting? Did they grow tired of the manna?

36 (An omer is one tenth of an ephah.)

What is an ephah?

Who? Moses, them (Israelites), No one, some of them, everyone, he, each person, leaders of the community, LORD, some of the people, everyone, no one, the people, people of Israel, Aaron, Israelites

Where? On the ground, went out, stay where he is, go out, in the desert, in front of the Testimony, came to a land, the border of Canaan

When? Then Moses said, until morning, began to smell, each morning, when the sun grew hot, on the sixth day, tomorrow, a day of rest, a holy Sabbath, until morning, eat it today, today, six days, seventh day, the Sabbath, seventh day, then the LORD, how long, Sabbath, sixth day, two days, seventh day, seventh day, generations to come, when I brought you out of Egypt, then place it, generations to come, forty years, until they reached

What?

The Gathering of Just Enough Manna for Each Day

• Moses commands the people to not keep the manna until morning…or a whole day…use it up or throw it out that night (because God is going to provide again tomorrow). 19

• However Moses becomes angry because some test God anyway and keep it until morning; it becomes full of maggots and smells. 20

The Gathering of Twice the Daily Amount on the Sixth Day

• Each gathered as much as he needed each morning until the sun melted the dew away. 21

• Then the leaders of the community reported that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much. 22

• In contrast to every other day, Moses tells them that this seventh day is to be a day or rest which is sacred or belongs to the LORD. Therefore, they are bake or boil it on the sixth day and save it to the next day. 23

• They did this and sure enough, unlike the other days when some tried to save it, and it rotted, this day the manna does not spoil. 24

• Moses then told them to eat it that day because not only would it not spoil, but more importantly there would be none to gather in the morning in the first place, thus making this next day a special day of the week. 25-26

• But again we have people who test the Lord and fail to follow his clear instructions. They went out on the seventh day, and there was no manna, much like many businesses feel that they can’t afford to close on a Sunday. 27

• This time the LORD gets angry and asks a prophetic question to Moses: “How long will you refuse to keep my commands?” 28

• He goes on to say that I want you to keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath…as a day or rest. That is why you are to gather twice as much on the sixth day (presumably Friday) and not go out on Saturday. 29

• So the people did rest on the seventh day (Saturday). 30

The Saving of a Sample for Generations to Come

• Ultimately the people called the bread manna. It was white and tasted like sweet wafers. 31

• Moses then said that the LORD had commanded them to take a jar, put about the same amount of manna they gathered everyday in it and then place it before God for generations to come. So Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony to be kept. 32-33

• Israel ate the manna for forty years until they reached the Promised Land (note: had they obeyed at Kadesh Barnea and takend the Promise Land as originally commanded, eating of manna might have only been for a few months. Instead due to their disobedience, their dependence upon manna lasted for over forty years).

Summary….

This Week…First the People are commanded to gather and keep enough manna only for that day; some disobey. Their extra manna spoils, and Moses becomes angry concerning their testing of Yahweh’s commands. 19-20.

Second, they are told to gather twice as much on the sixth day and to save a portion of it for the seventh day because this day is to be a day that belongs to their Deliverer, Yahweh God, and they are to rest in his provision. Again, a few test God by going out to gather manna, and there is no manna. This time God becomes angry. 21-30.

Third, Israel is told to set aside one daily sample before Yahweh so that generations may know how Yahweh provided for his people. 31-36.

Bottom line…God provides in a very unique manner. And make no mistake about it, it is God meeting the need. Why else would the manna rot every other day they attempted to keep it overnight, but on the seventh day, it did not rot and was not on the ground. God had a purpose: for the nation to not only trust that God would provide for his people on a daily basis, but that one day in seven they were to recognize this daily provision by not going out to gather the bread.

Tissot The Gathering of the Manna (color)

Why? (What truths do I learn about God, man, people, myself, life?)

• Obedience and trust matter to the Provider; details count as well.

• God can and does provide for his children daily.

• God desires some form of worship or recognition. Some ceasing from the normal or daily activities to recognize that he is the one that is ultimately meeting and providing for our needs.

• Some people will test the limits or the boundaries of God’s provision regardless.

• That much like Moses, God too will express his feelings about his children’s lack of trust and obedience.

• That God didn’t just make plain bread, but made it desirable by ensuring it was also sweet to the taste. My family once had a maid who also cooked and who added a little sugar to turnip greens and squash to make them more desirable to us younger kids. Thank God!

• God knows and understands our need to rest and recuperate. Life is not all about work. Though work does provide for our needs, and there are some who like to work and some that don’t like to work. In the end, there must be a balance. Too little is costly and so is too much. Too much may sound good in theory, but in the end, it leads to burn out. Therefore there is a portion of our life’s budget that should be devoted to taking a break…resting. The grind should not go on forever, and in so doing, this should prevent the burnout that so many so often feel, especially concerning their labors.

• In the end, God is a good, kind and fair employer. He provides just enough work to keep us out of trouble, but not too much to turn us into slaves to our desires or insecurities.

• It is important to remember things—especially important moments of God’s provision We do this in baptism and the Lord’s Supper—we remember not only how our Lord was baptized or immersed and observed that last Passover with his disciples, but we commemorate both our new birth in Christ as well as his sacrifice to atone for our sins until his Return.

So What?

2003 Application (one year after we moved into our new church home)…

Struggle? My seemingly trivial concern made large.

Major concern for the moment…only for this moment…is my grass. This may seem trivial to some. But it is important to me for the following reasons. I over-seeded and fertilized the Bermuda seed over the rye grass in the outfield just over a couple of weeks ago. Therefore the seed did not have as much access to the soil as it normally would have. The seed is so light and would have landed softly on the rye grass. So we mowed it to further spread the seed. Then the rains stopped and we just had to depend upon our in ground water system (thank God for that).

Now I have to go on vacation for two weeks. Which is not too bad, except for the fact that I have the sides/ foul lines and in front of the church to plant as well and will have to manually water these sections.

Because the seedbed needs to be lightly water 3-6 times a day, this is a lot of work and water management, moving hoses and sprinklers. It will require all most constant attention until the seedbed is established, which should take about three plus weeks.

Add to this that the ground has to be prepared/scratched and, at some point in time, some rocks will need to be picked up.

Finally all the seed needs to be planted by the end of July/the first of August. The reason for this is that the seed needs 70 degree nights to properly germinate and this has been the coolest summer in quite some time (hardly any 70 degree night so far through June).

So bottom line, I have a seedbed that needs to be properly prepared, and I have seed that needs to be critically constantly watered. I need heat—warm nights. I need lots of water…and water moved around properly. Or it all waits again until next year…which can happen. That’s why giving up two weeks in July for vacation is tough, but this is the only time Rhonda can go because of her work. She would stay, but I can’t do that to her nieces and nephew, since we rarely get to see them because they live in California. We really need to go.

Truth? Joe, God knows your need. He will provide your daily needs and not before.

Application? Can I trust him? Can I trust him with respect to my vacation or a momentary season of Sabbath (rest)? We have not taken any time off in two years besides an occasional weekend—which I am trying to do better at, utilizing my associate pastor to teach more in my place.

It is time to go. Trust me, Joe. No matter what happens. Can you trust me with almost blind faith? Can you rest in me? No matter what happens? Whether the grass grows or not, whether the seed germinates or not? Whether the rocks are picked up or not? Whether there is any rain or not? Whether it is warm enough at night or not? Whether there is enough water or time or help or not? Can you trust me?

Yes, Lord. I can and must. I place this field, its preparation, its seed, its water, its temperature in your hands…succeed or fail. It belongs to you. I hope to achieve my objective within the timetable I desire, but if you see fit not to, I will accept your will. It’s your field LORD, not mine. And you know when you want the family of God to play on it and not a moment sooner.

Note: I have learned a lot over the years with respect to planting, watering and fertilizing grass. I have also made tons of mistakes. The grass is still there, at least on the ball field. It appears to be a variegated mess of both cool and warm season grass, along with lots of broad leaf weeds, but it survives. Not having a consistent watering source for the cool season grasses under the trees and around the church has been more of a nightmare. I have replanted on more than one occasion. Attempting to allow it to go dormant during the hot summers has been for the most part a failure. But I was such a novice and so nervous 12 years ago when we last studied the Life of Moses. In the end, life has moved on, along with lots of hard work and with some successes and many failures. That’s just life. With just about every thing there is a learning curve, a preserving and surviving. We have survived, this much I can say. How well have we done is much more to difficult to measure.

2015 Application…

Thanksgiving…It feels like for the most part it has been a productive week. Last Sunday went fairly well. I think I made my point, though slightly rushed near the end. My flock was thinking about the depths and honesty of prayer, including asking for what we need and why we are asking it. In the end, if we really understood we were talking to the Creator of the Universe, we might stop lying to ourselves, because we are certainly not fooling God (1 John 3:18ff), for God knows all and is greater than our hearts according to John. Ineffective, shallow prayers only dull the specificity, truth and power of what we are asking, not only on our own behalf, but on behalf of others, which is perhaps much much more critical to sustainable, Spiritual fruit bearing.

Also did some intense, but hopefully profitable counseling, a lot of much-needed mowing, and enjoyed some intimate time with my wife this weekend. It was a good week.

Struggle…While I am being held accountable to finish up some holes in Sustainable Love, which is really, really wonderful, I feel like there are a lot of people I need to pastorally check on. Regardless of how well a pastor attempts to study, compose, teach, write, counsel, manage and pastor, just like a patient probably needs an annual checkup or physical, the sheep need periodic checkups or check-ons by those who have been tasked the responsibility of watching over them. In other words, it still takes one-on-one to make sure that they understand and are applying what is being taught or valued.

Truth…More effort or work to fully secure or satisfy one’s future needs is a futile canard. It can all be, and quite often is, taken away in a moment, either by death or by personal or historical ruin. Nothing is for sure. Nothing–except God, and Evil, as the Scriptures teach, until the Creator judges this fallen world and replaces this corrupted world with his New Heavens and Earth. But God has promised to meet our daily needs (Matt. 6:25ff), and in so doing, when we do focus, work, trust, seek his leadership, care for others and rest in him, what we are supposed to have for our ultimate good, regardless of the times (Romans 8:28ff), be they blessing or persecution, will be graciously provided for us, and that my friends, you can take to an eternal bank where there is never a shortage of peace of mind that one can draw upon at any moment of any given time or situation. Amen. Amen.

Application…It is not about getting everything done. That will never never never ever happen. Why? Because it can always be better, and there will always be needs…wants, desires. This is NOT and never will be a perfect world, not until Christ returns, and even then, despite the King of Kings presence, it will have its sinfully, flawed corruption. What does all this mean? I work for a King, and I take his orders. Much like was the case when I worked on a farm as a young boy, if he wants me to work in one field one day and somewhere else the next day, that is his divine prerogative….because I have the promise that he works everything out for my…our…good and that he will never leave me, nor forsake. What else is there? I have God. End of story. I have my reward…my provision…my comfort…my hope…my joy…my strength…my pleasure…my purpose…my stewardship. And much like my imperfect attempts to grow and maintain the church’s grounds and grasses, so will be my pastoring and anything else I attempt to do. Whether I like it or not, I am in process, even at the ripe old age of 58, even after having pastored the same essential flock for almost thirty years. We will survive, and it will be far less than perfect, and that is okay. Very imperfectly, I am about my Father’s business, and as I am about it, he has promised to meet my daily needs, and so far – for more than thirty, in fact, all of my life, he has. What more is there really? Peace of mind? He has given me that too, but not based on the outward circumstances, but His Spirit who is constantly teaching me God’s truth. Provision, purpose, peace of mind…I am blessed. We are blessed.

Sincerely,

Your servant,

Joseph M. Cross

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Imperfect Pastor

An Imperfect Pastor for An Imperfect Church

Monthly Archives: May 2015

Exodus 18:1ff Sustainable Shepherding 5-17-15

Exodus 18:1ff Becoming a Friend Indeed 5-10-15

Exodus 17:off When the Foes Keep Coming 5-3-15

Exodus 16:19-36 Sustainable Bread 4-25-15