Hello, I'm happy to welcome you to "Faith Chapel." 00:00:30.93\00:00:33.93 I'm Pastor Rick Remmers from Chicago, Illinois. 00:00:33.96\00:00:37.85 Few years ago, there was a speedboat driver in a race 00:00:37.88\00:00:41.58 and he was in an accident. 00:00:41.61\00:00:43.01 He described that as he was going along at near top speeds 00:00:43.04\00:00:48.15 his boat hit a wake at an unusual angle. 00:00:48.18\00:00:52.68 It caused him to loose control 00:00:52.71\00:00:54.64 and his boat spiraled out of control 00:00:54.67\00:00:58.04 and he was thrown from his boat deep down into the water. 00:00:58.07\00:01:02.36 He was so deep in fact that 00:01:02.39\00:01:04.07 he couldn't even tell which way was up. 00:01:04.10\00:01:06.19 He had to force himself to be calm 00:01:06.22\00:01:08.32 and to hold still until his life jacket 00:01:08.35\00:01:11.34 finally started to pull him up to the surface 00:01:11.37\00:01:14.37 and then he could start swimming 00:01:14.40\00:01:16.15 and move on up to the top. 00:01:16.18\00:01:19.18 Sometimes, our lives feel like they're spinning out of control 00:01:19.21\00:01:22.97 just as that driver was 00:01:23.00\00:01:24.98 and we are seen so confused and frustrated, 00:01:25.01\00:01:27.68 we are not sure which way to turn, 00:01:27.71\00:01:29.54 we are not sure which way is up 00:01:29.57\00:01:32.26 but we need to learn the lesson that that driver did 00:01:32.29\00:01:35.38 and that we need to hold still and to look for the guidance 00:01:35.41\00:01:39.53 that God wants to bring to us in our lives. 00:01:39.56\00:01:42.50 God has many ways of leading us. 00:01:42.53\00:01:44.63 First and foremost he gives us instruction in His word 00:01:44.66\00:01:47.86 as to how we are to live our lives. 00:01:47.89\00:01:51.21 Today, we want to look at the experience 00:01:51.24\00:01:54.19 that Mosses had on Mount Sinai in order to understand 00:01:54.22\00:01:58.36 the lessons of guidance that God has for us. 00:01:58.39\00:02:01.97 Mount Sinai is also called in the scripture Mount Horeb. 00:02:02.00\00:02:06.35 It's in the interior of the Sinai Peninsula 00:02:06.38\00:02:09.68 and the Israelites arrived there 00:02:09.71\00:02:11.53 at the foot of Mount Sinai in their third month 00:02:11.56\00:02:14.86 after leaving their slavery in Egypt. 00:02:14.89\00:02:18.13 Today, scholars are uncertain 00:02:18.16\00:02:20.23 of exactly the location of the biblical Mount Sinai. 00:02:20.26\00:02:24.64 Many think that it's the north western 00:02:24.67\00:02:27.11 peak of two Ras Safsafa there in the Siani Peninsula. 00:02:27.14\00:02:32.13 It has an altitude of 6,500 feet, 00:02:32.16\00:02:35.31 roughly the size of the Smoky Mountains 00:02:35.34\00:02:37.74 here in the Eastern United States. 00:02:37.77\00:02:41.58 Just to the north of this mountain 00:02:41.61\00:02:43.69 there is a large plane, two miles long by a mile wide 00:02:43.72\00:02:48.00 that would have been about large enough 00:02:48.03\00:02:50.45 for the encampment of the children of Israel 00:02:50.48\00:02:53.02 as they waited for God to appear there at Mount Sinai. 00:02:53.05\00:02:58.50 What are the lessons that we learn 00:02:58.53\00:03:01.03 from Moses experience there on Mount Sinai? 00:03:01.06\00:03:06.11 We find in Exodus 3:1, 2 00:03:06.14\00:03:11.70 "Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro 00:03:11.73\00:03:14.53 his father in law, the priest of Midian. 00:03:14.56\00:03:17.16 And he led the flock to the backside of the desert, 00:03:17.19\00:03:19.87 and came to Horeb the mountain of God. 00:03:19.90\00:03:23.19 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him 00:03:23.22\00:03:25.41 in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. 00:03:25.44\00:03:28.12 So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, 00:03:28.15\00:03:32.34 but the bush was not consumed." 00:03:32.37\00:03:36.25 We find here that Moses was tending his sheep, 00:03:36.28\00:03:42.11 he had grown up in Egypt, he had the promise 00:03:42.14\00:03:45.82 that he would be the Pharaoh the king of Egypt 00:03:45.85\00:03:49.92 until he killed one of the slave masters. 00:03:49.95\00:03:53.76 He went off into Midian into the Sinai Peninsula 00:03:53.79\00:03:57.59 and there he tended sheep for 40 years. 00:03:57.62\00:04:01.09 Near the end of this time, he was there tending his flocks 00:04:01.12\00:04:04.53 and God appeared to him in this bush 00:04:04.56\00:04:07.57 that was in flames but not being consumed. 00:04:07.60\00:04:13.75 Moses had spent many hours, 00:04:13.78\00:04:16.41 many years on the side of Mount Horeb or Mount Sinai. 00:04:16.44\00:04:21.21 He knew what it was like to converse with God. 00:04:21.24\00:04:24.80 In fact, we find that sometime later he returns to this place 00:04:24.83\00:04:29.84 this time with the children of Israel with him 00:04:29.87\00:04:32.19 and in Exodus 34:28, 29 00:04:32.22\00:04:36.11 we read of Moses experience here on Mount Sinai later on. 00:04:36.14\00:04:41.39 "So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, 00:04:41.42\00:04:45.10 he neither eat bread, nor drink water. 00:04:45.13\00:04:47.61 And he wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, 00:04:47.64\00:04:50.61 the Ten Commandments. 00:04:50.64\00:04:52.51 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai 00:04:52.54\00:04:55.85 and the two tablets of the Testimony 00:04:55.88\00:04:57.72 were in Moses' hand 00:04:57.75\00:04:59.22 when he came down from the mountain, 00:04:59.25\00:05:01.04 that Moses did not know 00:05:01.07\00:05:03.29 that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him." 00:05:03.32\00:05:09.38 We need to recognize that 00:05:09.41\00:05:11.21 spending time with God changes us. 00:05:11.24\00:05:14.69 As Moses spent time in the mount, 00:05:14.72\00:05:17.74 as he was in the presence of God 00:05:17.77\00:05:20.42 he was-- he was changed and we are changed day by day 00:05:20.45\00:05:26.26 as we take time with God as well. 00:05:26.29\00:05:28.50 And the first lesson on receiving guidance from God 00:05:28.53\00:05:31.78 that we find from Moses on Mount Sinai 00:05:31.81\00:05:34.23 is that we need to have a place to talk with God. 00:05:34.26\00:05:38.08 Moses would go there and he would commune with God. 00:05:38.11\00:05:40.65 Now, this 40 days of fasting and communing with God 00:05:40.68\00:05:44.67 was really quite a supernatural event. 00:05:44.70\00:05:46.68 I encourage people to engage in fasting 00:05:46.71\00:05:50.45 but this was a supernatural fast. 00:05:50.48\00:05:53.64 It is not humanly possible 00:05:53.67\00:05:56.56 to go for 40 days with out food and water. 00:05:56.59\00:06:00.20 But Moses was spending time in the presence of God 00:06:00.23\00:06:03.26 and God sustained him through out this process 00:06:03.29\00:06:06.69 and there he spent time in the presence of God 00:06:06.72\00:06:10.08 worshipping, communing with God friend to friend. 00:06:10.11\00:06:14.34 So often we find the experience of Moses 00:06:14.37\00:06:17.67 described in the scriptures 00:06:17.70\00:06:19.07 and instead of God's communication with Moses 00:06:19.10\00:06:22.94 being described as prayer it simply is a conversation 00:06:22.97\00:06:26.65 that unfolds as Moses and God communicated friend to friend. 00:06:26.68\00:06:33.22 Moses is there in the mount and he experiences 00:06:33.25\00:06:38.15 what its like to commune with God. 00:06:38.18\00:06:40.56 Each of us needs to have a place 00:06:40.59\00:06:42.68 where we can come and we can meet with God, 00:06:42.71\00:06:45.65 where He can share with us His will for our lives. 00:06:45.68\00:06:49.20 Where He can encourage us and strengthen us. 00:06:49.23\00:06:52.67 Moses faced many challenges 00:06:52.70\00:06:54.26 as he led the children of Israel. 00:06:54.29\00:06:56.11 Day after day it seemed like there was a new crises. 00:06:56.14\00:06:58.82 `The people were trembling 00:06:58.85\00:06:59.88 because they didn't like the food that they had 00:06:59.91\00:07:02.62 or there wasn't enough water. 00:07:02.65\00:07:05.71 And Moses repeatedly would come back 00:07:05.74\00:07:08.23 and meet with God and receive the instruction 00:07:08.26\00:07:11.17 that God had for him. 00:07:11.20\00:07:13.39 I remember when I was in my early teens, 00:07:13.42\00:07:15.55 my grandfather was living in Boulder, Colorado 00:07:15.58\00:07:19.07 and I went and spent a summer with my grandparents 00:07:19.10\00:07:22.25 and work with my grandfather. 00:07:22.28\00:07:23.76 He was a custodian for the county courthouse. 00:07:23.79\00:07:26.38 A five story building and we'll go 00:07:26.41\00:07:28.28 in after hours in the evening and clean the courtrooms 00:07:28.31\00:07:31.36 and the offices that were there. 00:07:31.39\00:07:34.14 That left me free during the day 00:07:34.17\00:07:35.71 and I would go and they were just 00:07:35.74\00:07:37.63 across the street from church there 00:07:37.66\00:07:40.52 at the foot of the Rocky Mountains 00:07:40.55\00:07:42.71 and I would-- I would crossover and I would go 00:07:42.74\00:07:44.84 running and walking through those mountains. 00:07:44.87\00:07:47.66 I would enjoy stopping and enjoying the view 00:07:47.69\00:07:50.40 not only of the mountains but of Boulder, 00:07:50.43\00:07:52.91 down in the valley below. 00:07:52.94\00:07:54.73 And there was a place where I could spend time 00:07:54.76\00:07:58.00 communing with God, where I could pray, 00:07:58.03\00:08:00.42 where I could share my concerns where He could mold 00:08:00.45\00:08:03.51 and shape my life and my thinking. 00:08:03.54\00:08:06.53 A few years later, my later teens 00:08:06.56\00:08:08.80 I was working for Camp Mohaven in central Ohio, 00:08:08.83\00:08:14.52 and there I had a cabin full of boys to care for. 00:08:14.55\00:08:18.48 They had endless energy and it seemed like one of them 00:08:18.51\00:08:21.89 was always getting into trouble. 00:08:21.92\00:08:24.47 Each morning before they would wake up 00:08:24.50\00:08:26.85 I would get up early and just below the boys division 00:08:26.88\00:08:30.90 there was a-- a wooded area with a beautiful tree house. 00:08:30.93\00:08:34.57 And in the morning I would climb up into that tree house, 00:08:34.60\00:08:37.20 it was actually quite a large one, 00:08:37.23\00:08:38.46 large enough that-- that you could have 00:08:38.49\00:08:40.76 a whole unit of campers sleeping in there at night. 00:08:40.79\00:08:44.96 But I would climb up into that tree house 00:08:44.99\00:08:47.01 and look out through the woods 00:08:47.04\00:08:49.29 and I would see the sun burning through the-- 00:08:49.32\00:08:51.61 the morning mist coming off the Mohican River 00:08:51.64\00:08:54.77 and there I would take my scriptures and I would open up 00:08:54.80\00:08:58.56 and morning after morning spend time with God 00:08:58.59\00:09:02.11 receiving the patience and wisdom 00:09:02.14\00:09:06.05 that I would need in order to be a councilor of that day. 00:09:06.08\00:09:09.92 I had a place where I could meet with God, 00:09:09.95\00:09:12.79 where He would commune with me, 00:09:12.82\00:09:15.07 where I could take time and be filled with peace 00:09:15.10\00:09:18.24 before I went into a day filled with activity. 00:09:18.27\00:09:23.03 Few years later I was working at 00:09:23.06\00:09:25.52 Big Lake Youth Camp in central Oregon. 00:09:25.55\00:09:27.80 And there-- there was a rock 00:09:27.83\00:09:29.29 that I would go to in the morning 00:09:29.32\00:09:31.11 before the business of the day 00:09:31.14\00:09:33.29 and take the Bible and spend time with God. 00:09:33.32\00:09:37.35 Today I'm not living at a youth camp 00:09:37.38\00:09:40.39 but I have a chair that I go to and I'll take time with God. 00:09:40.42\00:09:45.56 Each of us needs to have a place 00:09:45.59\00:09:47.58 where we can go and we can meet with God 00:09:47.61\00:09:50.05 as we as Moses did at Mount Sinai. 00:09:50.08\00:09:52.71 A place that's quiet, a place where we can come 00:09:52.74\00:09:57.96 and set aside the business of the day, 00:09:57.99\00:10:00.34 set aside the-- the anxious thoughts that we have 00:10:00.37\00:10:03.68 and just let God minister to our hearts, 00:10:03.71\00:10:06.98 where He can guide us 00:10:07.01\00:10:08.17 where he can send His Holy Spirit 00:10:08.20\00:10:10.93 to give us the instruction that we need 00:10:10.96\00:10:13.32 in order to follow Him for that day. 00:10:13.35\00:10:15.80 He promises that He will lead us and He will guide us 00:10:15.83\00:10:19.10 but we need to be willing to take the time 00:10:19.13\00:10:21.28 in His presence to let us do that. 00:10:21.31\00:10:25.40 As Moses spent time in the presence of God there, 00:10:25.43\00:10:28.30 now Sinai, God communicated 00:10:28.33\00:10:30.62 some important specific things to him, 00:10:30.65\00:10:32.84 to guide him in his work. 00:10:32.87\00:10:34.93 In Exodus 3:10 we find that 00:10:34.96\00:10:38.59 there is instruction that God brought to Moses. 00:10:38.62\00:10:42.51 He says, "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh 00:10:42.54\00:10:47.87 that you may bring My people, 00:10:47.90\00:10:49.37 the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 00:10:49.40\00:10:53.43 The second lesson that we find on guidance 00:10:53.46\00:10:56.45 from Moses experience on Mount Sinai is that 00:10:56.48\00:10:59.47 as we spend time with God, He gives us a message to share. 00:10:59.50\00:11:03.62 In this case it was a message that Moses was to take 00:11:03.65\00:11:06.63 to the Pharaoh of Egypt to let his people go 00:11:06.66\00:11:09.76 so that they could worship Him, 00:11:09.79\00:11:11.01 so they could experience freedom, 00:11:11.04\00:11:12.69 so that they could receive the promise land 00:11:12.72\00:11:15.62 that God wanted to give to them. 00:11:15.65\00:11:19.65 He had a message to deliver to Pharaoh a little later on, 00:11:19.68\00:11:24.25 after the people had left Egypt. 00:11:24.28\00:11:27.21 The people were gathered with Moses there 00:11:27.24\00:11:30.09 at the base of Mount Sinai 00:11:30.12\00:11:31.96 and God gave Moses a message for all of Israel 00:11:31.99\00:11:36.30 and by extension all of us today as well. 00:11:36.33\00:11:38.83 Exodus 19:3, 4 00:11:38.86\00:11:41.80 gives us the instruction that Moses received. 00:11:41.83\00:11:46.00 "And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him 00:11:46.03\00:11:50.09 from the mountain, saying, 00:11:50.12\00:11:51.82 "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, 00:11:51.85\00:11:54.28 and tell the children of Israel 00:11:54.31\00:11:56.08 you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, 00:11:56.11\00:11:59.21 and how I bore you on eagles' wings 00:11:59.24\00:12:01.56 and brought you to Myself." 00:12:01.59\00:12:03.99 We find here that God has a message 00:12:04.02\00:12:07.50 for Moses to take to the children of Israel. 00:12:07.53\00:12:10.53 He wants to guide them, 00:12:10.56\00:12:11.64 He wants to give them the Ten Commandments, 00:12:11.67\00:12:14.73 He wants them to understand 00:12:14.76\00:12:16.33 that He has led them out of Egypt for a purpose, 00:12:16.36\00:12:19.16 He wants them to understand that He will care for them 00:12:19.19\00:12:21.86 that as they need to cross the Red Sea, 00:12:21.89\00:12:24.63 He is willing to-- to part the water for them, 00:12:24.66\00:12:27.19 as they need daily bread He will provide the manna. 00:12:27.22\00:12:32.01 God had a message for Moses to give 00:12:32.04\00:12:35.34 to the children of Israel 00:12:35.37\00:12:37.70 and each one of us has a message to give His will 00:12:37.73\00:12:41.28 and we need to be willing to-- to go out boldly 00:12:41.31\00:12:44.28 and to share the message that God has for us. 00:12:44.31\00:12:47.87 Peter Cartwright, was a 19th century 00:12:47.90\00:12:50.53 circuit riding Methodist preacher. 00:12:50.56\00:12:53.21 And he was known for being an uncompromising man 00:12:53.24\00:12:56.08 and being bold and straight forward in his preaching 00:12:56.11\00:12:59.46 and one time he was told that 00:12:59.49\00:13:01.68 President Andrew Jackson was going to be in the congregation 00:13:01.71\00:13:05.71 when he was preaching and he was encouraged 00:13:05.74\00:13:08.15 to be guarded in the message that he presented 00:13:08.18\00:13:11.85 so that it wouldn't be offensive to the president. 00:13:11.88\00:13:14.55 When Cartwright got up to preach, he said, 00:13:14.58\00:13:16.66 "I understand that Andrew Jackson is here. 00:13:16.69\00:13:19.98 I have been requested to be guarded in my remarks. 00:13:20.01\00:13:23.46 Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn't repent." 00:13:23.49\00:13:27.99 The congregation just was aghast 00:13:28.02\00:13:30.46 that he would be so straight forward and blunt. 00:13:30.49\00:13:34.08 They were anxious to see the president's response 00:13:34.11\00:13:36.40 and after the service was over 00:13:36.43\00:13:38.88 President Jackson went and was shaking hands 00:13:38.91\00:13:41.37 with Peter Cartwright and he said, 00:13:41.40\00:13:43.84 "Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, 00:13:43.87\00:13:46.27 I could whip the world." 00:13:46.30\00:13:48.23 The president wasn't offended he recognized 00:13:48.26\00:13:51.10 that it was absolutely true. 00:13:51.13\00:13:52.66 And Peter Cartwright was simply being bold 00:13:52.69\00:13:54.75 with the message that God had given to him. 00:13:54.78\00:13:58.49 You and I need to be bold 00:13:58.52\00:13:59.90 with the message that God has give to us. 00:13:59.93\00:14:03.13 We find in-- in Acts that the apostles pray for boldness 00:14:03.16\00:14:08.78 because the message that they had to give about 00:14:08.81\00:14:11.27 a risen Jesus Christ was not well received by some people. 00:14:11.30\00:14:17.00 And the message that we have about Jesus Christ 00:14:17.03\00:14:19.25 isn't always well received either 00:14:19.28\00:14:21.23 but God calls for us to be willing to speak 00:14:21.26\00:14:24.46 with great boldness to step forward. 00:14:24.49\00:14:26.92 One of my favorite illustrations of this 00:14:26.95\00:14:29.08 is the two demoniacs in Jesus ministry. 00:14:29.11\00:14:32.12 Jesus had-- had spent the night crossing 00:14:32.15\00:14:34.45 the Sea of Galilee with His disciple 00:14:34.48\00:14:36.49 and they pullover on to the shore 00:14:36.52\00:14:38.49 and as they were getting out of the boat there are two 00:14:38.52\00:14:41.17 demon possessed men that come down 00:14:41.20\00:14:43.28 and they have been terrorizing the villagers around there. 00:14:43.31\00:14:46.25 And the disciples run away 00:14:46.28\00:14:47.64 and leave Jesus to face these two praised men. 00:14:47.67\00:14:52.41 Jesus casts the evil spirits out of them. 00:14:52.44\00:14:54.98 They go into a herd of pigs in fact and drive the pigs 00:14:55.01\00:14:59.77 into their drowning in the Sea of Galilee. 00:14:59.80\00:15:03.42 Jesus, spent some time talking with those demoniacs 00:15:03.45\00:15:06.54 but rather shortly the people from the village come 00:15:06.57\00:15:10.23 and they say to Jesus we cannot deal with a prophet 00:15:10.26\00:15:14.41 that has the kind of power that you do, please leave us. 00:15:14.44\00:15:18.30 And so Jesus gives instructions to these two demoniacs. 00:15:18.33\00:15:21.59 He gives them instruction to go back and to share 00:15:21.62\00:15:24.78 what they know about Him with their family and friends. 00:15:24.81\00:15:31.03 Now, they didn't have much time to learn from Jesus. 00:15:31.06\00:15:35.18 They didn't have time to study out every thing about Jesus. 00:15:35.21\00:15:40.18 But they had a testimony what Jesus had done for them. 00:15:40.21\00:15:44.16 Jesus had set them free from the power of Satan 00:15:44.19\00:15:48.05 and they rejoiced in the freedom 00:15:48.08\00:15:50.69 that Jesus had brought to them. 00:15:50.72\00:15:52.27 And so they go back they didn't have seminary training, 00:15:52.30\00:15:55.39 they hadn't understood all of the scriptures 00:15:55.42\00:15:57.79 but they went back and shared what Jesus had done for them. 00:15:57.82\00:16:00.92 They had a message and they gave it faithfully 00:16:00.95\00:16:02.96 and we find that later on when Jesus returned 00:16:02.99\00:16:05.47 to those villagers the people openly welcomed Him 00:16:05.50\00:16:08.45 because those two demoniacs had been faithful 00:16:08.48\00:16:10.95 in sharing a witness of how Jesus had lead them. 00:16:10.98\00:16:16.69 You and I may not feel very qualified 00:16:16.72\00:16:19.49 to speak on behalf of God. 00:16:19.52\00:16:21.79 But each of us has a testimony of the peace and the assurance 00:16:21.82\00:16:25.32 and the promise that Jesus had brought to our lives. 00:16:25.35\00:16:28.34 And we can share that with other people 00:16:28.37\00:16:30.19 when other people are experiencing 00:16:30.22\00:16:32.13 devastation in their life, 00:16:32.16\00:16:34.59 when they're facing perhaps a diagnosis of cancer. 00:16:34.62\00:16:37.57 When they face the death of a loved one, 00:16:37.60\00:16:39.88 when they face the loss of a job 00:16:39.91\00:16:41.64 and the future is uncertain for them 00:16:41.67\00:16:43.46 we can share the hope and the promise 00:16:43.49\00:16:46.25 that God has given to us for the future. 00:16:46.28\00:16:49.33 Each of us has a testimony 00:16:49.36\00:16:50.86 and we can freely share that with people who are around us. 00:16:50.89\00:16:55.07 Another lesson that we find from Moses experience 00:16:55.10\00:16:58.04 there on Mount Sinai is that when we spend time with God, 00:16:58.07\00:17:03.00 He changes the course of our life, 00:17:03.03\00:17:05.21 He doesn't leave us the way that we are. 00:17:05.24\00:17:07.91 He brings change and transformation to us 00:17:07.94\00:17:10.70 and we can be thankful for that 00:17:10.73\00:17:12.04 although sometimes it brings uncertainty 00:17:12.07\00:17:15.86 and a feeling of being unsettled as well. 00:17:15.89\00:17:18.67 Moses was changed instead of being a-- 00:17:18.70\00:17:21.30 a humble shepherd who year after year 00:17:21.33\00:17:24.03 would care for his father in law's flocks 00:17:24.06\00:17:27.41 he was called to be a great statesmen recognized 00:17:27.44\00:17:30.33 down through the centuries as being a great law giver. 00:17:30.36\00:17:35.02 We find that Moses was also transformed 00:17:35.05\00:17:37.57 from taking care of sheep 00:17:37.60\00:17:39.47 to taking care of a huge group of people. 00:17:39.50\00:17:44.44 He was to be the one that would organize them, 00:17:44.47\00:17:46.71 that would lead them on behalf of God 00:17:46.74\00:17:49.63 and his life was changed. 00:17:49.66\00:17:52.24 Moses went from relative obscurity, 00:17:52.27\00:17:55.50 there in the Sinai peninsula 00:17:55.53\00:17:57.96 to becoming a great historical figure. 00:17:57.99\00:18:01.81 Moses went from being inarticulate, 00:18:01.84\00:18:05.00 lack in confidence 00:18:05.03\00:18:06.29 in being willing to speak before Pharaoh. 00:18:06.32\00:18:08.89 To becoming someone who could speak 00:18:08.92\00:18:10.68 not only before a great monarch 00:18:10.71\00:18:12.95 but before millions of people as well. 00:18:12.98\00:18:16.21 We are often fearful of the changes 00:18:16.24\00:18:18.53 that God wants to bring to our lives. 00:18:18.56\00:18:21.00 We often times wonder what-- 00:18:21.03\00:18:22.96 what will God call us to do differently 00:18:22.99\00:18:26.02 and it brings them out about a certain amount of uncertainty 00:18:26.05\00:18:30.03 but God says that He will be with us 00:18:30.06\00:18:32.27 and He wants to change us in a way 00:18:32.30\00:18:34.84 that not only is helpful and beneficial for us 00:18:34.87\00:18:37.57 but as a blessing to other people 00:18:37.60\00:18:39.48 and gives glory to God. 00:18:39.51\00:18:41.36 He calls for us to be willing to accept 00:18:41.39\00:18:43.91 His guidance in our lives. 00:18:43.94\00:18:48.83 A 350-- 350 years ago, there was a shipload of travelers 00:18:48.86\00:18:53.91 that landed on the northeast coast of America. 00:18:53.94\00:18:57.77 These were brave people willing to crossover the ocean. 00:18:57.80\00:19:00.84 In the first year they-- they established their homes 00:19:00.87\00:19:04.51 and settled into a town together. 00:19:04.54\00:19:07.06 The next year they decided they would-- 00:19:07.09\00:19:09.08 they would organize a town government 00:19:09.11\00:19:11.13 and so they elected leaders that could-- that could help 00:19:11.16\00:19:14.58 take care of the social needs that they had. 00:19:14.61\00:19:18.21 The third year that town government decided that 00:19:18.24\00:19:21.19 they needed to built a road 00:19:21.22\00:19:24.31 five miles westward into the wilderness. 00:19:24.34\00:19:27.22 But the next year 00:19:27.25\00:19:28.66 the people tried to impeach their town government. 00:19:28.69\00:19:31.95 They said why in the world do we need a road 00:19:31.98\00:19:34.26 that goes five miles west into the wilderness? 00:19:34.29\00:19:37.44 A few years, before they had been willing to go 00:19:37.47\00:19:39.74 thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean 00:19:39.77\00:19:42.80 willing to face all the uncertainties 00:19:42.83\00:19:44.65 of a trance Atlantic ship trip and now, they were at a point 00:19:44.68\00:19:51.11 where they weren't willing to go few miles into the woods. 00:19:51.14\00:19:54.49 They had so settled into their own homes into their community. 00:19:54.52\00:19:58.90 And sometimes we can become so settled into our plans, 00:19:58.93\00:20:02.71 so settled in to our routines of life 00:20:02.74\00:20:05.10 that we are not so sure of we want God 00:20:05.13\00:20:07.37 to bring the change to us. 00:20:07.40\00:20:09.26 We are not sure if we are willing 00:20:09.29\00:20:11.21 to allow God to guide us 00:20:11.24\00:20:13.57 into the next chapter of our lives 00:20:13.60\00:20:15.78 and we want to be reserved and holdback 00:20:15.81\00:20:19.14 but God has a purpose and a plan 00:20:19.17\00:20:22.05 and He says that He will guide us. 00:20:22.08\00:20:25.18 One of the ways that He does that the most concrete way 00:20:25.21\00:20:28.86 that He does that is through His word. 00:20:28.89\00:20:31.44 And with Moses He gave the Ten Commandments 00:20:31.47\00:20:35.29 that Moses was to share with the children of Israel. 00:20:35.32\00:20:37.93 He was to record them so that down through the ages 00:20:37.96\00:20:40.54 we would continue to have 00:20:40.57\00:20:42.26 God's instructing guidance for our lives as well. 00:20:42.29\00:20:46.03 And some how in our culture today we look at the laws 00:20:46.06\00:20:50.04 being something restrictive and something to be feared 00:20:50.07\00:20:52.88 because it doesn't allow us to do what we choose to do 00:20:52.91\00:20:55.82 but the scriptures have a completely different 00:20:55.85\00:20:57.70 perspective of the law, it's a very positive one. 00:20:57.73\00:21:01.00 In Psalm 119:33 and onward 00:21:01.03\00:21:04.83 we find this description of the law. 00:21:04.86\00:21:06.98 "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, 00:21:07.01\00:21:10.05 And I shall keep it to the end. 00:21:10.08\00:21:12.11 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law. 00:21:12.14\00:21:14.77 Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 00:21:14.80\00:21:18.25 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, 00:21:18.28\00:21:20.94 for I delight in it." 00:21:20.97\00:21:23.50 God has the commandments that He has given 00:21:23.53\00:21:27.48 that are to be a delight, a joy in our life. 00:21:27.51\00:21:30.33 It says, we follow them that we find great fulfillment 00:21:30.36\00:21:33.51 that we find ourselves 00:21:33.54\00:21:34.75 having positive relationships with other people. 00:21:34.78\00:21:37.90 It's in following His law that we experience 00:21:37.93\00:21:42.07 the greatest blessing in our life. 00:21:42.10\00:21:44.34 And so He calls us to follow His laws and His instructions. 00:21:44.37\00:21:49.41 Unfortunately we often times come up with our own laws 00:21:49.44\00:21:53.50 that run counter to Gods. 00:21:53.53\00:21:55.30 We have our own will and we have life commandments 00:21:55.33\00:21:58.34 that we have accepted from other people 00:21:58.37\00:22:00.00 and usually these are negative messages 00:22:00.03\00:22:02.25 about the things that we can't do 00:22:02.28\00:22:04.66 and we come to believe that, 00:22:04.69\00:22:06.21 that we have to go into a certain occupation 00:22:06.24\00:22:09.03 or we believe that we can't do anything 00:22:09.06\00:22:10.98 or that we are not worth anything. 00:22:11.01\00:22:13.61 And yet in God's word He assures us 00:22:13.64\00:22:16.34 that He values us greatly. 00:22:16.37\00:22:18.83 He assures us that He has a plan 00:22:18.86\00:22:21.85 and purpose for our live. 00:22:21.88\00:22:25.28 Robert Fulghum is a creator, writer 00:22:25.31\00:22:28.31 and he has written a book entitled 00:22:28.34\00:22:29.74 "All I Ever Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten." 00:22:29.77\00:22:32.45 And while it seems a little bit simplistic 00:22:32.48\00:22:35.48 it shares some good wisdom for us. 00:22:35.51\00:22:38.56 "Most of what I really needed to know about how to live 00:22:38.59\00:22:41.64 and what to do and how to be I learned in Kindergarten. 00:22:41.67\00:22:45.38 Wisdom was not on top of the graduate mountain, 00:22:45.41\00:22:47.91 but there on the sand box at the nursery school. 00:22:47.94\00:22:50.93 These are the things, I learned share everything. 00:22:50.96\00:22:54.67 Play fair. Don't hit people. 00:22:54.70\00:22:57.22 Put back things where you found them. 00:22:57.25\00:22:59.80 Clean up your own mess. 00:22:59.83\00:23:01.87 Don't take things that aren't yours. 00:23:01.90\00:23:04.48 Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. 00:23:04.51\00:23:06.34 Wash your hands before you eat. 00:23:06.37\00:23:07.95 Flush. 00:23:07.98\00:23:09.02 Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. 00:23:09.05\00:23:11.12 Live a balanced life, learn some and think some 00:23:11.15\00:23:13.78 and draw and paint and sing and dance 00:23:13.81\00:23:15.21 and play and work every day some. 00:23:15.24\00:23:17.37 Take a nap every afternoon. 00:23:17.40\00:23:19.17 When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, 00:23:19.20\00:23:21.98 hold hands, and stick together. 00:23:22.01\00:23:23.75 Be aware of wonder. 00:23:23.78\00:23:24.82 Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. 00:23:24.85\00:23:27.26 The roots go down and the plant goes up 00:23:27.29\00:23:29.22 and nobody really knows why or how, 00:23:29.25\00:23:32.85 but we are all like that. 00:23:32.88\00:23:34.79 Goldfish and hamsters and white mice 00:23:34.82\00:23:36.65 and even the little seed in the plastic cup 00:23:36.68\00:23:38.86 they all die so do we. 00:23:38.89\00:23:41.34 And then remember the book about Dick-and-Jane 00:23:41.37\00:23:43.58 and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all, Look. 00:23:43.61\00:23:47.87 Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. 00:23:47.90\00:23:49.70 The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, 00:23:49.73\00:23:52.66 ecology and politics and sane living. 00:23:52.69\00:23:56.57 Think what a better world it would be if all, 00:23:56.60\00:23:59.65 the whole world had cookies and milk 00:23:59.68\00:24:01.69 about three o'clock every afternoon 00:24:01.72\00:24:03.72 and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. 00:24:03.75\00:24:06.24 Or if had a basic policy in our nation or other nations 00:24:06.27\00:24:09.41 to always put things back where we found them 00:24:09.44\00:24:11.92 and clean up our own mess. 00:24:11.95\00:24:13.78 And it is still true, no matter how old you are 00:24:13.81\00:24:17.09 when you go out into the world, 00:24:17.12\00:24:18.82 it is best to hold hands and stick together. 00:24:18.85\00:24:24.77 God's commandments are not complicated, 00:24:24.80\00:24:28.21 they are simple instructions 00:24:28.24\00:24:30.30 for how we can live our life day by day 00:24:30.33\00:24:32.61 and experience the fullness and the completeness 00:24:32.64\00:24:35.94 that God has in store for us. 00:24:35.97\00:24:38.56 He wants to guide us, 00:24:38.59\00:24:40.24 He wants us to experience a full and complete life. 00:24:40.27\00:24:45.93 The lesson of Moses on Mount Sinai 00:24:45.96\00:24:50.00 gives us some great wisdom 00:24:50.03\00:24:51.99 that we can use in our lives every day. 00:24:52.02\00:24:55.83 First of all what is God saying to you? 00:24:55.86\00:24:59.95 Are you taking time everyday to spend in God's presence 00:24:59.98\00:25:04.39 to allow Him to speak to you? 00:25:04.42\00:25:06.45 Are you willing to listen 00:25:06.48\00:25:08.16 as He gives you guidance and instruction? 00:25:08.19\00:25:11.59 What are the commandments that God has for you certainly 00:25:11.62\00:25:14.72 there's a Ten Commandments that apply to us all 00:25:14.75\00:25:17.53 but often times there are specific question, 00:25:17.56\00:25:20.04 specific challenges that we face in life 00:25:20.07\00:25:22.51 and God has instruction in His word 00:25:22.54\00:25:24.93 that will help us to make wise decision. 00:25:24.96\00:25:28.97 What is the message that God is giving you to share? 00:25:29.00\00:25:32.59 Who was it that God is calling you to share with? 00:25:32.62\00:25:35.59 Who was around you in your home 00:25:35.62\00:25:37.97 where you work in your neighborhood 00:25:38.00\00:25:40.00 that God wants you to share the good news 00:25:40.03\00:25:42.73 of who He is and what His plan is? 00:25:42.76\00:25:47.48 Another lesson is that God wants to change 00:25:47.51\00:25:51.58 the course of your life. 00:25:51.61\00:25:54.13 He has a plan for you and He will lead you day by day 00:25:54.16\00:25:58.40 change by change giving you courage, 00:25:58.43\00:26:01.00 giving you strength in order to do it. 00:26:01.03\00:26:03.91 We need to have the wisdom to be willing to follow. 00:26:03.94\00:26:08.41 A school teacher once lost her life savings 00:26:08.44\00:26:11.29 in a bad business scheme 00:26:11.32\00:26:13.39 that had been explained to her by a swindler 00:26:13.42\00:26:15.34 and she had bought into it and decided to invest 00:26:15.37\00:26:18.43 and after everything 00:26:18.46\00:26:19.49 that she had spent her life working for was gone. 00:26:19.52\00:26:22.59 She finally went to the better business bureau 00:26:22.62\00:26:25.59 and she explained what it happened 00:26:25.62\00:26:28.27 and what she had lost. 00:26:28.30\00:26:29.33 And they said, why on earth did you come to us earlier? 00:26:29.36\00:26:32.56 You could have checked with us 00:26:32.59\00:26:34.15 the references on this businesses man. 00:26:34.18\00:26:37.43 Didn't you know about the better business bureau? 00:26:37.46\00:26:40.23 And this woman responded, oh, yes, she said, 00:26:40.26\00:26:43.04 I have known about you all my life 00:26:43.07\00:26:45.74 but I didn't come to you because I was afraid 00:26:45.77\00:26:48.36 you would tell me not to invest. 00:26:48.39\00:26:52.34 A foolish decision unwilling to hear the instruction 00:26:52.37\00:26:58.09 that could have saved her so much heartache. 00:26:58.12\00:27:01.11 And so often we approach God in the same way. 00:27:01.14\00:27:04.90 Unwilling to ask for His guidance 00:27:04.93\00:27:06.91 concern that He'll lead us in a way 00:27:06.94\00:27:10.03 that is unknown and yet God is our Creator, 00:27:10.06\00:27:14.52 He is our Savior and He is our soon coming King. 00:27:14.55\00:27:17.90 He knows every day of our lives, 00:27:17.93\00:27:19.91 He knows every event that will happen in the future. 00:27:19.94\00:27:22.81 And so when we come to Him for guidance, 00:27:22.84\00:27:25.48 He will take us and lead us in the way 00:27:25.51\00:27:28.26 that we would choose to go 00:27:28.29\00:27:29.87 if we knew the end from the beginning. 00:27:29.90\00:27:32.07 God wants to guide us just as He did with Moses. 00:27:32.10\00:27:36.03 And I encourage you to take time each day in His presence, 00:27:36.06\00:27:39.89 to seek the ways that God is wanting 00:27:39.92\00:27:42.39 to change the direction of your life, 00:27:42.42\00:27:44.68 to share the good news of who He is 00:27:44.71\00:27:47.41 and what He has with others around you 00:27:47.44\00:27:49.97 and experience the joy of knowing 00:27:50.00\00:27:52.46 that God is leading you everyday. 00:27:52.49\00:27:55.05