Take your Bible-reading to a deeper level as you learn to recognize what your loving and all-powerful Father is communicating to you personally. Dr. Stanley maps out sixteen specific characteristics of a word from the Lord that will help you understand His directions. This practical message will grow your faith, inspire your Bible study, and ready you for service.

sometimes people won’t say well then

I’ve read the Bible but I just don’t

seem to understand it I can’t I would

read it more often if I understood it

well what I’d like to do is in this

passage of Scripture give you an idea

how to get more out of whatever you’re

reading in the world of God because

oftentimes we read it a little quickly

and we think we’re going ought to tell

me exactly what I need to know right now

and I want you to turn if you will to

the 3rd chapter of Exodus and I give you

though idea what’s happened before the

passage we going to read

you’ll recall that Moses kill an

Egyptian and as a result he spent 40

years on the other side of the desert

from Egypt and became a herdsmen and so

he had a great downfall in his life so

now this passage of Scripture begins

with Moses was pastoring the flock of

Jethro his father-in-law the priest of

Midian and he led the flock to the west

side of the wilderness and came to Horeb

the mountain of God on Mount Sinai and

then you know the part about the burning

bush and how God worked in his life and

how suddenly he saw and heard and felt

something that absolutely changed his

life so I want us to look at what

happened to him and I want us to look at

it in light of how you and I read the

scripture and not just the matter of

what it says but how do we read the

scripture and because the question you

not always want to answer is God what

are you saying to me you know I could

read any part of this but if I’m just

reading it external in and have no heart

in it most of it wouldn’t make sense at

times but I want you to understand how

to read the Bible reading narratives

that you could say well I’ve read that

before and I know what

happens but the big question is what

happened to you when you read it what

did God say to you had it had what

happened to you and most people don’t

read the Bible with that in mind they’re

looking for something for God to say

something to them but the question is

what is God saying to you in that

passage so remember Moses is on the

backside of the desert 40 years ago he

killed an Egyptian he’d been banished

he’s hurt and sheep now I think most any

of us would learn something within 40

years and so here he is doing what he

never would have dreamed he would have

been doing and so the first word I want

you to write down is the word personal

if you read the Word of God only as a

narrative and you sort of exclude

yourself from the environment and you’re

just talking about something that

happened years ago

you’ll miss God’s personal message in

your life so we read it asking the

question God what are you saying to me

and in this particular passage after God

having dealt with him at the burning

bush I want you to think about this he

says in the tenth verse and I’ll read a

few verses therefore come now and I will

send you to Pharaoh so that you may

bring my people the sons of Israel out

of Egypt but Moses said to God Who am I

that I should go to Pharaoh and that I

should bring the sons of Israel of Egypt

and he said certainly I will be with you

and this shall be assigned 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 so

he’s in this setting man he God has

spoken to him so the next one I want you

to jump down this specific God doesn’t

speak in generalities everything about

that is specific God says therefore I

will send you and you are to bring my

people the sons of Israel

our vision and so naturally he has a

question think about this when you read

the Word of God do you read it with with

God’s message to you in mind

his verse specific he said I have a

mission for you 40 years in the backside

of the desert

now y’all is speaking to him the next

word is an encouragement because anytime

God gives us a word of something he

wants us to do or how to do it

oftentimes he gives us a word of

encouragement because he knows we need

so when I think about that I look at

this tenth verse therefore come now and

I will send you to Pharaoh so that you

may bring my people the sons of Israel

out of Egypt it was a word of Awesome

encouragement think about this that was

his idea 40 years ago when he killed one

Egyptian he had the wrong means wrong

time everything about it was wrong and

now 40 years later God says all right

you ready and so he says I’m gonna send

you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my

people the sons of Israel of Egypt but

Moses said to God Who am I Who am I that

I should go to Pharaoh and that I should

bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt

and so the words encouragement because

oftentimes God will say something to us

in his word and usually he professes it

sometimes with encouragement sometimes

afterwards but God always wants us not

only to listen but to believe that when

he’s speaking to us you said well I

don’t know if anybody got spoken to how

would I believe him we believe God

speaks to us because He is God and

because he’s the God of love and how

does he encourage us he doesn’t just

encourage us by giving us things that’s

what most people think well look how

wonderful God is look what he gave me or

what about the time you were sick what

about the time you were going too

difficult in hardship pain sovereign

loss what did he hide love you then yes

he did so what I want you to say is in

these narrow

there’s truth the things that God wants

to say to us

that oftentimes we overlook the next

word is serious this is serious business

the burning bush was God’s Way of

miraculously getting Moses attention

attention from anything and everything

else that he had ever thought of and

reminding him that he’s the God of

Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that God is

still there that he hadn’t left him in

40 years though he is suffering from the

result of doing things his way and so

what does he say he says therefore come

and I will send you to Pharaoh Moses

said to him

Who am I certainly I will be with you

God says what an encouragement order

that is listen to that he didn’t just

say I’m gonna be with you he said

certainly that is resting this make sure

you know this I will be with you and

this should be the sign to you that it

is I who brought you the people out of

Egypt you shall worship God in this

mountain God always wants to watch this

carefully he wants us to understand when

he’s speaking to us walking God speak to

us anywhere anytime yes he could but I

think God wants to speak to us

oftentimes we’re not listening but our

minds are on other things our attention

is on other things

God loves you Jesus died for you and you

God intends for you to listen to him

because he has something to say to you

nobody’s beyond the voice of God because

he’s always calling always to get our

attention and so little by little he

speaks to Moses so what did God do to

get his attention he started a fire in

this bush that was not consumed he knew

exactly how to get Moses attention he

was a herdsmen he’d seen lots of bushes

he’d been in lots of situations but he’d

never seen a bush burned

that was not consumed in the burning now

listen carefully

sometimes God may say something to you

show you something send you somebody do

something in your life that you know

that it has to be God how many times

have I heard people say well you know I

want that but I had to be God had to be

good one it was something unusual God

spoke through a person that maybe you

don’t even like or he did something in

your life that you didn’t particularly

like he took something away from you or

gave you something but he got your

attention God always wants our attention

he wants our attention because he is

speaking to us he wants the best for us

heal God as if we listened to him but if

I’m not listening and paying no

attention I’m not gonna follow the will

of God so the next word is command now

it’s wonderful to listen to God and it’s

wonderful to think how wonderful God is

and had gracious and good he is but when

he gives the command what does he expect

one word what is it you got it obedience

and so listen to what he said in the

tenth verse he said therefore come now

and I will send you now that’s the part

I think all of a sudden really got his

attention it’s one thing to see the

burning bush maybe God speaking to

somebody but he said I’m sending you to

Pharaoh yes Pharaoh in Egypt mm-hmm the

Pharaoh that cast you out is dead but

there’s another Pharaoh I’m sending you

to Pharaoh so that you may bring my

people the sons of Israel out of Egypt

totally unbelievable halka sinned

send me there see me there to take 2

million people out of Egypt when Egypt

is armed like an armory god yeah I must

I must have misread that God say that

again come down and I will send you to

Pharaoh so that you may bring my people

the sons of Israel out of Egypt Moses

said to God just what you and I would

say what would we say Who am I

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh

that I should bring the sons of Esau

bishop that is God you you knocked on

the wrong door you you have you have the

wrong person you rang somebody’s a

doable but not me I’m a fugitive I’m an

enemy as far as Egypt is concerned you

listen to God you don’t but you don’t

put God in the box when God says I want

to send you somewhere all I want you to

do something means what he says

now inescapable write that word down

inescapable when God chooses to do

something in your life when he chooses

to use you in a certain way to speak to

someone to win them to Christ or to do

something count whatever it might be

it’s inescapable that is an odds of God

he doesn’t change his mind because you

don’t like him because you think you

can’t afford it because you don’t know

what somebody will say well you don’t

you question their particular review

point that’s not the issue

God says I’m gonna send you I’m sending

you to Pharaoh and when God listen when

God says this is what I’m gonna do

you you don’t change God’s mind so the

next word is frightening you say well

why do I use the word frightening well

verse 11 but Moses said he got Who am I

and he said certainly I’ll be with you

and this should be the side to you in

desire who have sent you when you

brought the people out of Egypt you

shall worship God at this mountain and

so was he frightened yes the do you and

I ever have a right to be frightened

when God tells us to do something I’ve

heard many people say over the years

when God called me to preach I said

absolutely not I can’t

scared to death I couldn’t stand up in

front of anybody I couldn’t remember

anything and I know I’d forget people

are frightened and so what was God’s

answer this this is an awesome answer

what was God’s answer so look at verse

13 then Moses said to God behold I’m

going to the sons of Israel

and I will say to them the god of your

father’s has sent me to you now they may

say to me what’s his name this was the

answer just tell him I am sent you what

I am just tell them that I am Who I am

and thus you shall say to the sons of

Israel I am has sent me to you I am has

sent me to you what would you have said

to that who is I am the great I am

that’s who he is he’s a sovereign God of

the universe and he introduced himself

to Moses by saying you tell him that I

am the maker of all things the one true

God has sent you to free my people out

of Egypt the hell could God have said so

much he could have said well I have

armies are this any other but if when he

said I tell them that I am said Here I

am I am Who I am the sovereign God of

the universe in control of all things

therefore I sent you what should that

say to him well first of all they would

understand that but he said that’s what

you had to say to them

he also made him a promise he said I’m

going to send you and I’m gonna be I’ll

be with you and this is me this should

be assigned to you so remember this

whenever God tells us to do anything we

have the promise of his assistance his

presence his power his his whatever we

need he’s there God what never sends you

empty-handed to do a task when you trust

the Jesus Christ your personal Savior

what happened to you one thing that

happened to use this he came into your

heart to dwell and the Holy Spirit who

now inhabits you speaks through you has

all the answers you and I need to be

obedient to God he says I’m gonna be

with you you and I can write this down

you can write this

this verse that is that God will always

be with you no matter where you go where

he sends you what goes on in your life

he says I will never leave you nor

forsake you have you ever felt forsaken

by God I have once forsaken by God was i

believing in yes I was but the

circumstances I felt forsaken I knew he

hadn’t forsaken me but I felt it but I

found that I also realized I don’t live

by my feelings I live by the truth the

truth of the word of God and so

therefore I could claim his presence so

he made a promise I’ll be with you and

then he was his word of assurance to

them he said in verse 19 but I know that

the king of Egypt will not permit you to

go except under compulsion so I will

stretch out my hand strike Egypt with

all my miracles which I shall do in the

midst of it and after that he will let

you go think about that he said well I

don’t think God would be that clear to

me yes he would

I’ll tell actually our God will be he’ll

be clear enough that you understand what

he’s recording of you God would never

tell you to do something where that

happened you understand how and you know

reminding you that he will aid you in

the process of word of assurance then

the requirement is another word remember

what he said to him at the burning bush

who is his requirement he said I want

you to take off his shoes I want you to

recognize just listen I want you to

recognize you’re standing on holy ground

not on shoe leather not on sandals on

holy ground

it’s you me God says the fire and holy

ground

there is a reason and so he said take

his shoes off now once in a while when

working in our life he’ll require

something of us and we thanks foolish so

Lord I don’t I don’t need to do that if

God tells you to do something that man

he won’t do he won’t tell you did

something wrong but he may require of

you something that appears to be foolish

to you let’s say if God spoke to my

heart about something and he said to me

I want you to give him that sport coat

well Lord he you know I’m not mourning I

have and the sons it may not fit him

give him the sport coat I can argue all

day

I may have 24 coat so it may be my last

one but the important thing is we obey

God and do what he says soon as simple

as it may be and he said to him what did

I say take off your shoes do what I tell

you to do and many people miss the will

of God because before God brings them to

the be thing that will make a difference

in their life he takes some say he takes

a step by step then he says what’s the

goal the goal is real clear the goal is

to set my people free

God will never tell you to do something

for which he does not have a reason a

purpose or goal and listening carefully

that the sooner you and I are willing

and ready and able to obey Him and

simple things little things then what

will he do he will test them with larger

things and greater tests and Greta says

but with each one comes a blessing many

people live the whole Christian life

this heaven God’s best because their

faith only got three feet long when God

had intention a mile long

trust me for big things trust me trust

me for all that I can do for you and yet

we limit him because because we can’t

see our way clear he doesn’t tell what

was this and here’s what you do as for

as long as you can see you way clear

know then his reassuring who are listen

he says

he says I’m going to stretch out my hand

in this 23rd

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

they’ll let you go God’s awesome promise

and what’s the promise if you’ll notice

in all these passes the promise is his

presence his wisdom his power God’s

working if somebody asks you does God

change what would you say well most of

you don’t have any idea let’s just think

about this for a moment

does God change in his character what

about his power there’s no change in

anything God is omniscient he knows all

things he doesn’t know some things today

in something the moretz the way we

operate

he knows all things he has all power and

when he says I will be with you and he

says here’s what I’m going to do I know

that I gonna let you go I’ll stretch out

my hand and strike Asia with all my

miracles which as you do in the midst of

it and after that he will let you go

they will let you go 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

he says look not only am I not only am i

gonna free you but here’s what you’ll

happen when you leave you’re gonna have

their gold and silver and pots and pans

and everything that Egyptians treasure

you’re taking it with you they took a

lot of faith for man in sandals and now

in bare feet to believe that God would

use him on all those Egyptians with all

their might and power and chariots and

soldiers and a bunch of Hebrews headin

toward a sea across the sea free from

Egyptian bondage forever it took faith

it took obedience to God now he said

what do you want you list all these

words up here because I want you to

think about it when you read a passage

of Scripture

ask yourself some questions ask yourself

some questions God what does this say to

me you can ask him anything

he will share with you what you need to

know to be obedient to him in other

words God is so willing to fill us up

with himself

and to meet every single need of our

life they will trust it and this passage

is a wonderful passage about a man who

40 years on the other side of the desert

had nothing what does that say that

forgiveness but what does it say about

chastisement what does it say about

being disobedient to you and paying the

consequences there’s some sins that are

very very very costly let’s put

ourselves in that passage thing what I

think what was that burning bush I’ll

tell you why because Moses who would

never have believed out of the blue we

would say that God would speak to him 40

years later as a mere Shepherd and tell

him they go back and beat Pharaoh

challenged him and then personally leave

all of the Hebrews out of Egyptian

bondage

without firing a shot nobody believed

that but that’s exactly what God did

well you may know in your heart God’s

been speaking to you and you’ve been

putting it off maybe you’re not even

really sure what God is saying but would

you be willing to say to him today Lord

I don’t know what you’re saying but I

humbled myself before you and I’ll make

it my priority to listen to you quietly

listen to you until I hear what you want

me to do if you’ve never trusted Jesus

Christ as you say yeah I can answer that

question he wants you to ask him to

forgive you of your sins place your

trust in him rely upon him and watch him

begin to work in your life

things you would never dream over you

know what God will do far more in your

life than you expect if you will ask him

well why she carefully ask him and obey

him step by step

it all ends up in obeying God trusting

him no matter what he says and watch it

work amen father we thank you for being

who you are being patient with us

helping us through those difficult times

we know that we will never see a burning

bush as Moses saw it we don’t need to we

don’t need a bush we just need the cross

and what we see at the cross is your

love goodness mercy kindness generalized

to help you know it’s all there

we say thank you for loving us thank you

for forgiving us teaches the truth teach

us how to walk in it and teach us how to

be obedient and we pray that you’ll use

each of us to bring yourself glory and

honor and Lord not that we would bring

people out of bondage by the thousands

but one at a time with a personal

testimony of your grace in our life in

Jesus name Amen amen

you