MOSES, WHOSE ARE YOU?

Who’s Your Daddy?

A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, “I hope he doesn’t come over here.” But sure enough, the man did come over to their table. “Where are you folks from?” he asked in a friendly voice.

“Oklahoma,” they answered.

“Great to have you here in Tennessee.” the stranger said. “What do you do for a living?”

“I teach at a seminary,” he replied.

“Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I’ve got a really great story for you.” And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple. The professor groaned and thought to himself, “Great… Just what I need another preacher story!”

The man started, “See that mountain over there pointing out the restaurant window. Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, ‘Hey boy, Who’s your daddy?’ “Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, ‘Who’s your daddy?’

He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. “When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, ‘Who’s your daddy?’. But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.

“Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, ‘Son, who’s your daddy?'” The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, ‘Who’s your daddy’. This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy

“‘Wait a minute!’ he said. ‘I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God. With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, ‘Boy, you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.’

INSERT PICTURES OF HOOPER AND BOOK

With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again.

Whenever anybody asked him, ‘Who’s your Daddy?’ he’d just tell them, ‘I’m a Child of God’.” The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, “Isn’t that a great story?”

The professor responded that it really was a great story!

As the man turned to leave, he said, “You know, if that new preacher hadn’t told me that I was one of God’s children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!” And he walked away.

The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her, “Do you know who that man was who just left that was sitting at our table?”

The waitress grinned and said, “Of course. Everybody here knows him. That’s Ben Hooper. He’s the former governor of Tennessee!”

Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they’re one of God’s children!

Exodus 3:10–22 NASB95

10 “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. 16 “Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 “So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ 18 “They will pay heed to what you say; and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. 20 “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go. 21 “I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 22 “But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.”

Exodus

THE BLESSINGS OF THE FATHER UPON MOSES:

YOU MATTER BECAUSE GOD HAS ENTRUSTED YOU WITH HIS NAME. (Moses felt like a nobody: “Who am I?”

THE LORD KNOWS YOU PERSONALLY.

THE LORD CALLS YOU TO LIVE ABOVE YOUR FEELINGS BECAUSE YOUR BEST LIFE OCCURS WHEN YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE FOR YOU.

God did not say trust your feelings like OBI WAN did for look. The Lord did not say Moses, let’s work on your self-esteem lets work more on self-determination so you are one person today and another tomorrow… But lets work on your identity in Me.

INSERT PICTURE OF LESLIE LUDY

SELF-ESTEEM VS. CHRIST-ESTEEM by Leslie Ludy | April 14, 2014

by Leslie Ludy | April 14, 2014

The message “love yourself” seems to be everywhere in modern culture - even in the church.  It’s a message that especially appeals to us as women. Today’s beauty and fashion industries promote a truly impossible standard for feminine beauty (i.e. “If you don’t look like a swimsuit model, you aren’t good enough!”), and consequently many of us are left feeling more insecure than ever. To combat the rampant problem of female insecurity, the self-esteem message often seems like a perfect solution. After all, if little girls can learn to “love themselves” regardless of whether society applauds them, they won’t struggle with low self esteem (and the poor choices that result from this attitude) as they grow older. And if women can learn to “feel good about themselves” regardless of their appearance of personal failures, they won’t wallow in self-condemnation and bring their marriages and families down in the process.

But learning how to love and feel good about ourselves is not the true solution to overcoming insecurity. Yes, it is important for us to understand how precious we are in God’s sight - so valuable, in fact, that He gave His only Son to rescue us. We should value our lives because we are made in the image of God; we are His creation. His love for us is truly unfathomable. And as Christian women, we are daughters of the King; redeemed and made into royalty through the work of the Cross. But when we make “feeling good about ourselves” a focal point, we quickly take our eyes off Christ and become wrapped up in self. 

Scripture tells us that we are not to have confidence in ourselves - but in Christ only (see ).

Philippians 3:3 NASB95

for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

In fact, Paul goes so far as to say that he counts all his personal accomplishments “as rubbish” compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ (see ).

Philippians 3:8 NASB95

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

Only in Christ can EVERYONE find value!

Let’s be honest, the world can be brutally competitive. Not everyone makes the team; not everyone gets promoted; not everyone gets to live in a house.

But Jesus says, in my Father’s house there are many rooms. And I go prepare a place for you that you may be where I am. And I’ll come back for you. Anyone can make God’s team. Not all play the same position, but everyone has a position and a part to play. Grow in the competency and in the talents God has given you. Then when He calls don’t worry about having it all together or having all the abilities. Don’t make excuses. Make yourself AVAILABLE.

2. THE LORD WILL COACH YOU. (God: “I am indeed concerned; gather the elders…)

Isaiah 30:21 NASB95

Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Jeremiah 33:3 NASB95

‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Isaiah 30:21

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Melanie

I am always fascinated…….

…….by the fact that I am teaching my daughters the very same things that we are teaching our clients on a daily basis. Similar issues and challenges come up, whether we are 9 or 49, they just look different depending on our age.

📷Yesterday was a really exciting day for us. My daughter made it to the high jump track meet and she was the only girl from her school that qualified. Our friends came to cheer her on and took her out for a celebratory slurpee afterwards. It was a great day!

Then, as I was tucking her in to bed she seemed upset, which was obviously surprising to me after the exciting day we had had. When I asked her what was up, she replied with “I can’t believe that guy kicked over my slurpee today! I am so mad.” That was what her mind focussed on. That afternoon while we were enjoying slurpees in the sun with our friends, Maddie’s slurpee (that was sitting on the walkway!) got kicked over.

And, while laying in bed after all the days exciting events, that’s what she was focussing on…….the guy that kicked over her slurpee.

What do I say to this?

And so, as I always do, I started teaching her what we are teaching adults every day. Unfortunately it seems to be our natural tendency to focus on what�� didn’t work in our day (or life!) unless we train our brains to think differently. I love teaching this to my girls and I really hope that because they are learning it now, it will be more natural for them to implement this mindset in their adult lives.

So, here’s how the conversation went…….

There were two things to consider. First: Our friends came to her high jump event to cheer her on and then took her for a celebratory slurpee (which is a big treat in our world!).  Secondly: Her slurpee got kicked over. Both are true.

I then asked her “how do you feel when you think about the guy that kicked over your slurpee ?“ 

“MAD” she said angrily, jumping right back to the emotion of it.

And then I asked her “how do you feel when you think about your friends coming to watch you, so proud that they wanted to take you for a slurpee?”

“REALLY GOOD” she answered with a huge smile she couldn’t hold back (even though I’m sure she was trying……it’s easy and perhaps natural to want to hold on to the anger).

“So………………..what do you think would be a better thing to think about as you drift off to sleep tonight? We know that both are true, but one has you feeling mad and the other has you feeling happy.  If you want to fall asleep feeling good then you need to make the choice to think about the thing that makes you feel good. ��But, it is your choice.”

Thankfully she decided to drift off to sleep feeling full of love and happy inside.

She is 9 years old. And she made a choice. She could have stayed stuck on the guy who kicked her slurpee over because, at 9 years old, that’s a big deal! But after I helped her recognize that thinking about her friends made her feel happy, she chose to focus on that. All she needed was some guidance to recognize the choice that she had.

Sometimes as adults we need guidance too.

Most people weren’t taught this as a child, but thankfully it can be learned at any age. It is a mindset. Our thoughts and where we focus our attention affects everything. It affects how we feel in our lives, it affects how we interact with other people (both personally and professionally), it affects our successes (and failures)………….everything.

God had to train Moses to focus on God’s ability to use Him. To take the focus off of past failures and look to the future.

3. GOD ALWAYS HAS YOUR BACK. (I will grant this people favor)

Isaiah 52:12 NASB95

But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Psalm 28:7 NASB95

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

a.

APPLICATION:

Luke 1:17 NASB95

“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.”

Just as Moses needed to know his place in our Heavenly Father’s heart and life, so our children need to know their father’s love and guidance.

For children, what can you do today to honor your fathers? How can you display excitement? Will you approach your father for coaching? Dad’s want you to succeed.

Exodus 20:4 NASB95

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Exodus 20:12 NASB95

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

Exodus 20:7 NASB95

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Fathers how will you continue to develop your children’s faith, competence and confidence?

Exodus 20:10 NASB95

but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.

Exodus 20:11 NASB95

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

Participating in the faith community.

Exodus 20:12 NASB95

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

Father daughter date.

Father son outing.