Day 335

Day 335

Pray (ACts)

Read - Exodus 5:1

Message - Alan Burke

Many of us have seen the transformational power of God in the lives of those whom we love and know. We have seen it when someone comes to faith, when they are saved from their sin by the power of God, when God by his Spirit works in their lives and we have experienced that work in our own lives. When it happens we can look and wonder and marvel at the grace of God. But we all know that it’s not plain sailing. Moses was an example of God’s power at work but it was far from plain sailing. 

Chapter four finished with the people of God responding to the word of God, hearing how the was concerned about them and had seen their misery. And what was the result of it? They bowed down and they worshipped (4:31). What a sight this would have been for Moses. I’m sure at this stage he was humbled, as well as encouraged at the power of God at work before him and the response of the people. But the task that lay ahead of Moses was only beginning, now it was to Pharaoh that Moses and Aaron went.

It is clear though from what they say, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go”, that they go to Pharaoh not fearful, filled with uncertainty about what would greet them, instead they are men who go with confidence. They believed like never before that now was the time, God was going to work. 

The Moses of excuses, the who am I Moses, the ineloquent Moses, the Moses who just wanted God to send anyone but him, had been transformed. All of this was by the work of God in his life, he had been called, equipped and sent by God and God had been at work bringing him to pharaoh that day. It was by the transformational power of God that continues from the moment that he believers, to the day he returns or that we die and go to be with him which ever comes first, it is a term that we may not be too familiar with but it’s called sanctification.

Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, (Eph. 4:23–24) and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness (Rom. 6:4,6, Rom. 8:1).

Sanctification means making a person holy, as God gradually works in us by his grace, by his goodness, wrought in us by his Spirit where we are more and more made into the likeness of God, where we gradually learn to hate sin, cease from sin, love more, practice holiness, it is God’s transformational work in us.

And this process should be seen in us just like it was in Moses! There will be times when it is more clearly seen than others, but we should at least be able to look back and see how God has been at work in us. Moses was about to face the harsh reality of how it wasn’t plain sailing there would be highs and many lows on the way but God was at work in the life of Moses just as he continues to be in the lives of all who believe.

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q 99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; (1 John 5:14) but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’ s prayer. (Matt. 6:9–13, Luke 11:2–4)