This is the first in the Transformational Leadership Series. We will examine Joshua, Joseph, Ruth and others.
28/09/2010 is the day the churches in Zimbabwe will gather to pray for their nation. Do join them in prayers on that day. More details here and here.
Heb 11:23-29 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. (24) By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, (25) choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. (26) He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (27) By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. (28) By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. (29) By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
Moses was called into ministry at the age of 80 in a position of leadership. He was challenged to lead the Israelites of of Egypt. He spent his first 40 years getting education from one of the top nations at that time and then another 40 years tending sheep. His mission is to lead the people out of Egypt and present to them the 10 Commandments and keep the people on course religiously and logistically.
The people wanted to go back to Egypt. They were fed “manna” which means “what is it?”
When God called Moses in Exodus 4, his first reaction was to tell God to look for Aaron. He didn’t think he was up for the job because he was not eloquent. He gave 5 reasons (excuses): insignificant, ignorant, impotent, incompetent, irrelevant.
There are three areas in life God wants us to change when he calls everyone.
Skills Formation
To do things right. God doesn’t just call us to do something without teaching us how to do things right. Moses was trained in the Pharaoh’s court. He could stand in line to the throne.He thinks he is somebody.
Then, he spent the next 40 years in he wilderness of shepherding.
He realized he’s a nobody.
Nothing in our lives happen by chance of accident. Everything happen for a purpose. God develops in our entire life. He doesn’t stop.
It is important to start with the end in mind. We should love our job. If we make the right choices, we will not have a mid-life crisis. We spend 1/3 our of time with our job, we might as well enjoy it.
God wants us to do well in our vocational work because this is when we are trained and prepared for our calling later. When we are really good at what we do, people will take note. If we are confused about our vocation should pray. Some people are in a line of work because of what they studied. Most of the time, the decision (or choice) is made by someone else.
Do not look down on our vocation. Do it and do it well.
He then spent 40 years leading the people in the wilderness. Not only God will train us in our skills but he will also guide us in the spiritual formation.
Strategic Formation
Strategic formation is about doing the right things. Implement change is one of the hardest things to do in a corporate, the family or the church.In first years as a prince of Egypt, he learned how to govern.
At that time, there were 3 million Egyptians and about 603,555 men and 2 million people. If we were to line 2 million people in a line, it will reach Ipoh.
In Exo 18, Jethro, the father-in-law came to see him. He was a long queue of people seeking help from Moses. Many are angry because they had to wait for a long time.
Jetro advised Moses to pick leaders and delegate. Moses took that idea and implemented it.
In Ex 18, we see how Moses appointed leaders.
Spiritual Formation
Moses’ first choice was to be a Pharaoh or Moses.God wants people with depth rather than just the breadth.
Moses did not want to be known as a child of an Egyptian. At the time Moses was born, many babies were killed. God protected him.
Moses was rich, very rich.
God has to take Moses into the wilderness to deal with him in this area.
Moses chose to be Moses. Moses made a decision to give that up (luxurious life.) He chose a life of faith. If he has chosen the life of an Egyptian, he would have ended up as a mummy with a name tag in a British museum.
His name even appear on the Star yesterday.
If we choose to obey God, we may end up getting what we would have wanted anyway.
Mat 16:24-27 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (26) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
His 2nd choice is where – the palace or the wilderness.
Egypt represents the world and all that it has to offer. Christians may find it hard to leave Egypt too. We may have made decision for food instead of fasting. We need to allow God to take the Egypt out of us.
What was Moses’ motivation? He knew where he was going and he saw the unseen. If we cannot see the unseen, it’s easy for us to be attracted to the materialistic things we can see.
When we go for a mission trip, we may find out a lot of Egypt in us. We may realize things are not so attractive as before.
What is the hardest thing to do? It is to die to self a million times. God brought Moses into the wilderness to become a nobody so he can be someone whom God will be everything to. Paul said he keeps dying everyday.
When the people complained to Moses, he asked God to kill him instead of the people. The only way this can happen is for a person to have died first. Moses died in the wilderness and came out as a nobody.
Two things came our of the depth.
1. Conviction to put first things first. (keeping the Passover.)
By faith, Moses observed the Passover. He kept God in the picture. God is always in his mind.
We all need to be humble and die to self.
2. The courage to do God’s work God’s way
To a nobody, God becomes their strength. God is their everything.
Can God use me?
p.s. Missed this. Realized when Jesse talk to me in the car after the service. "Don't go places where your gifting and talents take you but your character cannot sustain you."
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