“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well” (Ex. 2:15).

The Holy Spirit through Luke records of Moses, “And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?” (Acts 7:23-28).  Both the Old and New Testaments declare that Moses took a lead in seeking to deliver Israel but the leadership of Moses was not to be for another forty years (cf. Acts 7:30).  He would spend time in the wilderness that would be valuable to his future.  Consider three aspects of his training that have practical applications.

1. Taking a Wife and Having Two Sons. Moses wrote of himself, “And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land” (Ex. 2:21-22).  Luke records that Moses had two sons at this time (cf. Acts 7:29) as does Moses himself in the book of Exodus (cf. Ex. 4:20).  Moses gained valuable experience in the ruling of his own home.  The first proving ground of a great leader is among those with whom he has the greatest influence.  If there is a problem within the house, what shall be the situation concerning the household of God (cf. 1 Tim. 3:5)?  Moses would be married for forty years with two sons before God would call him to be the great leader of Israel.
2. Tending to Sheep. “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb” (Ex. 3:1).  Moses would not be the soldier type leader of an Egyptian but the shepherd type leader of a Hebrew.  He would go before the flock of God and lead as a true shepherd.  The great king David was first a shepherd before he ultimately became king over Israel.  Handling the daily responsibilities of sheep would give preparation for the arduous work with God’s flock.
3. Time with the Lord. Moses finally gets a course in spiritual training at age 80 (cf. Acts 7:30; Ex. 3:2-4:17).  He would learn about himself before the Lord.  He would learn that the power of leadership was not in himself but in the Lord who was with him (cf. Ex. 3:11-12).  He would learn that the Lord’s instructions are to be passed on and that the Lord’s word could be fully trusted.  He would learn that his weaknesses are the tools of God’s strength.  He would learn that human inadequacies could be overcome through teaching and application (cf. Ex. 4:10-12).  He would learn that quitting on the Lord is not an option.  The imperfections of Moses can show all leaders, present and future, that God can use the humble man.

Jimmy Clark

“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16).

There are two things in this passage on suffering that reveal facts about a Christian.  First, he is not to be ashamed in suffering for righteousness.”  Second, he is to glorify God in the suffering.  Peter along with John did exactly that, as it is written, “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).  A Christian is as unique a person in the world as light is to darkness (cf. Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:15).  Consider three of many traits about a Christian that must be manifested.

1. Truth Loving. Jesus stated of those who would come to the light, “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:21).  It is by the “word of truth” (James 1:18) that anyone becomes a Christian (cf. James 2:17).  One purifies his soul “in obeying the truth” (1 Peter 1:22).  Salvation is directly connected to the truth as those who will perish are characterized by the words, “they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10).  The church is clearly described as “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).  Truth is a trademark of God’s people and must never be compromised.
2. Tenderhearted. A second quality of a Christian is a tenderhearted disposition.  While the Christian does not love sin, he does love people and sympathizes with the struggles of man with sin.  One is to speak the truth “in love” (Eph. 4:15) flowing from a heart that heeds the words “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).  Peter wrote, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous” (1 Peter 2:8).  Those who are genuine followers of Jesus Christ are to have the same mind as the Lord.  As was Christ, being the great example, so are Christians to be.
3. “Thick-skinned.” Peter also wrote, “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).  Nothing about the Christian life is promised to be an easy path (cf. Matt. 7:14; 2 Tim. 3:12).  Christians are to develop a temperament that does not give in to the pressure to quit or retaliate.  Forbearing and forgiving are two qualities that are to be developed as the Lord was forbearing and forgiving to all.  Sometimes one just has to take it.  Here is true strength that even the world notices.  While it is indeed true that “the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41), the inner man is responsible to control the outer.  The longevity of relationships is tied to not letting the “little annoyances” destroy what is truly important.  The “good ground” (Matt. 13:8) is not characterized like the soil “when the sun was up, they were scorched: and because they had no root, they withered away” (Matt. 13:6).  Longsuffering and patience are continually mentioned in the New Testament as spiritual qualities of the Christian (cf. Eph. 4:2; Col. 1:11; 3:12; 1 Cor. 13:4; James 1:3-4).  Qualities that God commands Christians to have are not just possibilities but musts to apply.

Jimmy Clark

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

There are many ways that men have tried in dealing with sin.  One way that some use to seek to justify their shortcomings is through excuses.  Adam did this in the garden (cf. Gen. 3:12) as well as the woman (cf. Gen. 3:13).  Aaron blamed the people for the making of the golden calf (cf. Ex. 32:21-25) as did king Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 15:20-21) in his not obeying the Lord.  Excuses are found throughout the Bible as examples of what not to do when sin is exposed.  Consider some examples in the Bible where confession without excuses and forsaking brought mercy from God.

1. The Proclamation of Judah. Moses recorded the incident where Judah brought forth children through his daughter-in-law Tamar in Genesis 38.  It is through one of these children that the Christ would come (cf. Matt. 1:3).  When Judah did not fulfill his promise to Tamar in the giving of his son Shelah to her for a husband, she dressed in the clothes of a harlot and sat by the wayside where Judah would travel by.  Judah saw her and being motivated by the flesh contracted to give her certain things for his being with her.  She deceived him in the act and conceived twins with Judah in the process.  When it was told Judah that Tamar had “played the harlot” (Gen. 38:24) and was with child, Judah set forth the decree to have her burned (cf. Gen. 38:24).  When she revealed by the tokens of the man by whom she was with child that it was Judah himself that was at fault, the text states, “And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more” (Gen. 38:26).  No excuses were made and no further sin with her was done.  Such is a keen example of confessing and forsaking.
2. The Penitence of David. David’s attempt to cover his transgression in the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, and then the taking of Uriah’s widow to himself for a wife after she was already with David’s child (cf. 2 Sam. 11) brought a sermon by the prophet Nathan to David.  When David’s sin was exposed (cf. 2 Sam. 12:1-12), the text then states, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12: 13).  David wrote Psalm 32 against the background of this scene.  He stated in the psalm, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:5).  Here again is a great example of confessing and forsaking without excuses.
3. The Prodigal’s Confession. Jesus gave a parable about a young son who wasted his inheritance in a far country.  When he was at the lowest point of his life in dire need, “he came to himself” (Luke 15:17).  He arose and went home to his Father and said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:21).  The father went immediately into action to rejoice with the restoration and reconciliation of the son (cf. Luke 15:22-24).  No excuses were made.  This is what the Lord is seeking in a poor and contrite spirit (cf. Isa. 66:2).

Jimmy Clark