This past Friday night, my husband and I started our first ever couples' Bible study with a group of friends. I am excited that we may be able to do this together. I'm not counting on it working, but am looking forward to the possibilities!
We decided as a group that Dr. Tony Evans study on James that was available to us on video would be a good starter study.
I love DTE! He is an awesome teacher! Though we only made it through James 1:1, I have a great lesson to share!
Moses had a stick. It wasn't just any stick. It was a stick that he had probably hunted for. Looking to be sure that he found just the right stick. It had to fit his hand just right. It had to have been just the right length. This stick would have had some twists and turns in it, but they were all in just the right place. He may have even made a few customizations to this stick.
This stick became Moses' staff, his tool, his weapon. He would use it to test the depth of the same dunes, the depth of the water. This staff could be used to fend off robbers, dangerous animals and other threats to his family or flock.
Moses valued his staff because it was a useful tool to wrangle his flock, extend his reach, stable him as he walked through tough terrain. It gave him balance as he climbed mountains and crossed creeks. Moses carried his staff with him everywhere he went. He counted on it being strong and sturdy.
Then one day... God asked Moses to THROW IT DOWN!!
To THROW... IT... DOWN!
To let go of it and allow it to be used by God.
That's when this stick, this carefully crafted staff became so much more.
As the staff lay on the ground, as Moses watched unable to control the staff, unable to use the tool, unable to be aided by the staff, unable to have the security of the staff that he had become accustomed to, the staff became transformed into a SNAKE!
I'll bet he almost peed his pants!! hahahha God stepped in and turned his security, weapon, tool, aid into a stinking snake! Then... as if it were no big deal, He told Moses to pick it up by the tail! Moses had to transfer all of his dependency from the staff/snake to God. All of his expectancy from the staff/snake to God, all of his confidence from the staff/snake to GOD!
Once he did this, the snake again became a staff.
This staff was never the same again. Moses used this staff to guide his people through the desert, to part the red sea and to get water from a rock!
Since Moses gave his staff to God, God was able to use it for more than Moses could have ever imagained. And, Moses thought he could use it for everything to begin with!
What is your staff? What are you relying on? In what does your security and confidence lie? Are you willing to throw it down, risk it being broken, give it to God? Once you do... it will never be the same. When God gives it back to you, it will be more and better than you could have ever imagined!
I LOVE thinking about this!
We decided as a group that Dr. Tony Evans study on James that was available to us on video would be a good starter study.
I love DTE! He is an awesome teacher! Though we only made it through James 1:1, I have a great lesson to share!
Moses had a stick. It wasn't just any stick. It was a stick that he had probably hunted for. Looking to be sure that he found just the right stick. It had to fit his hand just right. It had to have been just the right length. This stick would have had some twists and turns in it, but they were all in just the right place. He may have even made a few customizations to this stick.
This stick became Moses' staff, his tool, his weapon. He would use it to test the depth of the same dunes, the depth of the water. This staff could be used to fend off robbers, dangerous animals and other threats to his family or flock.
Moses valued his staff because it was a useful tool to wrangle his flock, extend his reach, stable him as he walked through tough terrain. It gave him balance as he climbed mountains and crossed creeks. Moses carried his staff with him everywhere he went. He counted on it being strong and sturdy.
Then one day... God asked Moses to THROW IT DOWN!!
To THROW... IT... DOWN!
To let go of it and allow it to be used by God.
That's when this stick, this carefully crafted staff became so much more.
As the staff lay on the ground, as Moses watched unable to control the staff, unable to use the tool, unable to be aided by the staff, unable to have the security of the staff that he had become accustomed to, the staff became transformed into a SNAKE!
I'll bet he almost peed his pants!! hahahha God stepped in and turned his security, weapon, tool, aid into a stinking snake! Then... as if it were no big deal, He told Moses to pick it up by the tail! Moses had to transfer all of his dependency from the staff/snake to God. All of his expectancy from the staff/snake to God, all of his confidence from the staff/snake to GOD!
Once he did this, the snake again became a staff.
This staff was never the same again. Moses used this staff to guide his people through the desert, to part the red sea and to get water from a rock!
Since Moses gave his staff to God, God was able to use it for more than Moses could have ever imagained. And, Moses thought he could use it for everything to begin with!
What is your staff? What are you relying on? In what does your security and confidence lie? Are you willing to throw it down, risk it being broken, give it to God? Once you do... it will never be the same. When God gives it back to you, it will be more and better than you could have ever imagined!
I LOVE thinking about this!
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