Moses - An Unlikely Choice: Growing in the Wilderness (Exodus 3:1)

Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice

Sermon: Growing in the Wilderness

Scripture: Exodus 3:1

Date: June 2, 2019

 

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian.  And he led the flock to the back fo the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.  (Exodus 3:1)

What advice would you give to someone who wants to grow in their relationship with the Lord?

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;  (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

God is able to use all the seasons of life for His glory and for our good.

One of the keys to life with Jesus is to surrender each season to Him for His purposes.

The word Horeb means dry or dried up, that is, "dry," "desert."  It was the general name for the mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a part.

The wilderness season for us may be:

• caring for aging parents for a long time with little or no help
• stubborn physical ailment that seems like it will never go away
• soul-ache from a rebellious child or unfaithful spouse
• moving to a new place, job, or school
• the loss of a good friend
• a thankless job

Here are 4 things we can trust God for in the wilderness or dry seasons:

1. Growth is taking place that you cannot see
   • Remember this: when Moses felt qualified, he was not, and when he felt unqualified, he was.
   • Deuteronomy 8:2
   • It will reveal some things that cannot be revealed any other way: pride, dependency on feelings, too much desire to be noticed, serving God for the results.
   • God's purpose is never to ruin but always to refine.
     • When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie/My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply./The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design/thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.  ("How Firm a Foundation")
   • There is no such thing as instant growth.  You can't microwave maturity.
2. God is there when you cannot feel Him
   • "You know that feeling when God is right there,e this close, and you can just feel His loving arms around you, and you can literally hear His voice whispering in your ear, telling you how much He love you?  I don't.  I never have."  -Brant Hansen
   • "Our feelings have nothing to do with whether God loves us or is still involved in our lives."  -Brant Hansen
   • "There is no basis in Scripture for the idea that if God is still involved with you, you'll have good feelings.  Unless, that is, your actual god is your good feelings."  -Brant Hansen
   • "I'm here 1) by God's appointment; 2) in His time; 3) under His training; 4) for His time."  -Raymond Edman
   • "Small disciplines done consistently lead to big results over time."  -Craig Goeschel
   • Psalm 16:7-8
3. God sees when nobody else does
   • In the wilderness, we learn that God sees when nobody else does, and, hopefully, we learn that that is enough.
   • Deuteronomy 3:10-11
4. God is not wasting time even though you may feel like it
   • Moses calls Horeb the "mountain of God' by anticipation, with reference to the manifestation of God.
   • Exodus 24:15-17