Sun.’s Devo - Moses’ Calling

Read: Exodus 2:11-3:22; Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14 When Moses had grown up, he went to visit his own people and saw how hard they were being worked. He witnessed an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrews. Thinking no one was watching, he killed the Egyptian and buried his body in the sand. *** The next day, he found that his deed was known all over Egypt by the Hebrews and the Pharaoh. He had to flee to Midian to save his life. There, he met the seven daughters of the priest of Midian at a well. He saved them from the shepherds and watered their flocks. When returned home so early, their father asked why. They told him of the Egyptian who had rescued them. Their father, Reuel, had them go and invite Moses to their house. *** Moses came and ended up staying with them. Reuel eventually gave his daughter, Zipporah, to marry Moses. They had a son named Gerson which means “a stranger there.” *** Years later, the Pharaoh died and God spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai through a burning bush. He called Moses by name and told him to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. He told him He was the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He had heard the cries of his people and had come down to save them from the power of the Egyptians and Moses would lead them out of Egypt in to their land. It was a good land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hives, and Jebusites now lived. *** Moses doubted his capability to lead them, but God told him he would be with him and they would come back and worship him on this very mountain. *** Moses asked God to give him a name to call himself. God answered Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He was to tell them that I AM had sent him. *** God then sent him back to Egypt to speak to the elders and to tell them that He had sent Moses to rescue them from their oppression and bring them to their own land. *** God told Moses exactly what was going to happen and what the outcome would be which sounds simple, but walking it out was much more difficult. God has told us the same thing. He has promised us that we would inherit the earth and rule and reign with Him and that Satan would be underneath our feet, but the working it out is much more difficult. He has promised us our sons and daughters would return to the God of their youth, and yet this is hard to walk through when what we see is contrary to that at the time. We have to learn to walk by faith just as Moses did. *** God told Moses that the elders would accept his message and they would go with Moses to see the pharaoh. They were to ask the Pharaoh to let them take a three-day tourney into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God. The pharaoh would not let them do this, so God would strike the Egyptians with all kinds of miracles. Then the pharaoh would let them go. They would leave with their children wearing the wealth of the Egyptians. *** We are at this place as a nation. We have been promised to be released from the oppression of the Deep State and its power but it is not been easy. It is a battle, but we know that we will come out triumphantly wearing the wealth of the wicked. The kingdoms of this would will become the kingdoms of our God. *** In Matthew, the three disciples had just seen Moses and Elijah with Jesus and asked Jesus why the teachers of the law insisted that Elijah must come first before the Messiah comes. Jesus agreed with the teachers, but explained that Elijah had come and they abused him (speaking of John the Baptist). They would do the same to the Messiah. *** When they got to the bottom of the mountain they were met by a crowd. The disciples had been trying to deliver a boy from demons and couldn’t. Jesus called them a faithless and corrupt generation. He rebuked the demon and he was healed. *** The disciples asked him why they couldn’t cast out the demon. He told them that they didn’t have enough faith. Then he told them it didn’t take much faith, just a little. With just a little faith they could move mountains. *** Once again, Jesus told his disciples the plan of his death and resurrection which caused them to be filled with grief. *** When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax asked Peter why Jesus didn’t pay the Temple tax. Peter went to find Jesus to ask him. Before he could ask, Jesus asked him if kings made their own citizens pay taxes or did they taxed the people they had conquered. Peter said, they taxed the people they had conquered. (That should give us a clue as to who we are since we pay taxes out of the wazoo!) *** Peter answered it was the ones who were conquered who paid the taxes. Jesus told him that they were citizens of the Kingdom so they shouldn’t have to pay the tax, but since the people of this world wouldn’t understand this, Jesus told Peter to go down to the lake and throw a line in and open the mouth of the first fish he had caught. In it he would find a large silver coin. He was to pay both of their taxes with it. Jesus paid our taxes and his on the cross. We are now free to enter the Temple of the Lord without any shame or payment. *** Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you that you have freed us from the power and penalty of sin. May we walk in this freedom and come boldly before you.