Purpose
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Moving with the Cloud
Moving with the Cloud
Moses - A man With a Purpose
Moses - A man With a Purpose
Moses means “is Born” Or “Is Drawn Out of” (the waters)
You are here today because you have been drawn out… You were framed for a purpose and now you have been drawn out to fulfill your purpose.
But things have happened… there have been many unforeseen obstacles. They have tried to sabotage the purpose for which you were drawn out!
Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah:
“When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”
But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful.
Before Moses was born there was a stop attempt to end his life before it even began...
But God sent help and stopped Pharaohs plans.
No one, not man, not king can stop the purposes of God in your life.
If you decide and choose to say Yes to Him nothing but yourself can stand in the way.
Moses was born in hiding. When his mother couldn’t hide him anymore she made a basket and put him in the river, while Miriam stood afar watching.
Pharaohs daughter found him and preserved his life.
Purpose Frustrated
Purpose Frustrated
Moses attempted to fulfill his purpose but it didn’t go as well.
Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews.
Moses’s heart was in the right place. He cared about his people and wanted to help them.
how many times have we stepped out with a good heart and a good attitude and then find yourself running for your life?
Hurt and lost?
After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.
His planning wasn’t the best… He thought that heart was all that was needed.
The next day, when Moses went out to visit his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. “Why are you beating up your friend?” Moses said to the one who had started the fight.
People will not understand your purpose at first. The closest people to you will usually find it difficult to understand what you are doing.
The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?”
Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Everyone knows what I did.”
The rejection of the people brought insecurity and fear into Moses’s heart. His purpose now was unclear...
And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian.
When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down beside a well.
Moses fled and looked for a different place
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father’s flocks.
But some other shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Then he drew water for their flocks.
Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife.
Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he explained, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
Moses thought had found his purpose in a different land because here he was useful… here he could defend people and they would be grateful...
Purpose Renewed
Purpose Renewed
God Meets with Moses and calls Moses to fulfill his purpose
One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God.
Our Purpose comes from God and exist by His power for His Glory!
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
Its not our strength or abilities but by His power
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.
The Fire… There is a good fire and a bad fire… There is a fire that purifies, intensifies, heats, produces energy… and there is a fire that consumes, destroys and burns up energy… The fire of God and the fire of the flesh.
This was the fire of God
“This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”
What kind of fire burns but doesn’t consume?
When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.
“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.
It burns on holy ground… sounds pretty spiritual. But holiness is a decision we make to dedicate ourselves to, to set ourselves apart for a purpose. As a husband dedicates himself and sets himself apart for his wife.
The non consuming fire of God is present in a holy place.
I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
God knows what He is doing.
Moses was afraid
Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.
God shares His purpose with moses and the reason why
So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
God involves Moses in His desire to free His people
Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.
God shares His burden with Moses
Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
God sends Moses back into his purpose
The Dilemma
The Dilemma
I have tried, it didn’t work.
But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
Who am I? His identity was conflicted. Moses thought his identity didn’t include going before Pharaoh, or leading the people out of Egypt.
What do you think your identity is?
Moses looked at himself and all he could see was inadequacy, failure, weakness...
But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”
He thought no one would believe him or listen to him
But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
He didn’t know who God was...
But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
Moses was relying on His own ability
But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”
You are not enough alone!
But together with God you can do all things He asks of you.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
God never intended for Moses to fulfill His purpose alone, or in his own strength.
Moses finally figured it out at the end of the story… and the beginning of their journey to the promised land.
One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’
This is a different Moses, he knows who God is and who he is
If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
He understood his place and God’s place
The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”
Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.
Moses now won’t go unless God goes with him
How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”
So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”
And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”
God wants to show us His Glory… In fulfilling our purposes before God in His presence with His involvement and guidance.
Are you moving with cloud today?
