EXCUSES
Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Ten Most Used Excuses:
1. I forgot.
2. No one told me to go ahead.
3. I didn’t think it was that important.
4. Wait until the boss comes back and ask him.
5. I didn’t know you were in a hurry for it.
6. That’s the way we’ve always done it.
7. That’s not in my department.
8. How was I to know this was different?
9. I’m waiting for an O.K.
10. That’s his job--not mine.
We’ll say... I am not capable !!!!!
(Exodus 3:11-12:)
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
I do not know You well enough God.
13-And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Besides, they will not believe me anyway (Exodus 4:1-9)
1And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
7And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
8And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
I’m not expressive enough I can’t do it!!
(Exodus 4:10-12), And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
The first excuse that Moses give is one that we should recognize.
Moses suggested that God had the wrong guy for the job. He feels like he’s not qualified. Moses felt overwhelmed with the responsibility. He didn’t feel that he was up to the challenge. That wasn’t the case 40
years earlier, but now he feels that this job is just too much for him. Maybe Moses felt this way, because of his past failure in jumping the gun and killing an Egyptian,
because of he was a whole lot older,
because of the magnitude of the task
because of past rejections by the Hebrews
because of the time that had passed . . . Or because Egypt had changed !!!!
It is not unusual for people to feel like this when they are asked to do great things for God.... God answers Moses with some hard truth,......... "I will be with you." God don’t tell Moses that he is wonderfully gifted...... He don’t tell him that he has more talent than he realizes. He don’t tell him that his problem is low self-esteem.
He tells Him that what Moses lacks, God will supply.
I can’t imagine that any of the great servants of God ever felt qualified for what God called them to do. Paul told us in
Philippians that he had learned that "he could do all things through Christ who strengthens him." The key was not Paul’s ability, but God’s. In fact, God speaks to Moses as if this whole project is
a "done deal" He don’t say, "Moses, if you bring the children of Israel out" ............... it’s when you bring them out.
John 14:12: Jesus Said
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
But Moses doesn’t want to do what God has called him to do. (Does that Sound familiar to anybody?) Listen to this next excuse. Its so familiar it has a ring to it.Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ........................... `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, `What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?" God said to
Moses, "I am who I am. This is what for you to say to the Israelites: `I am has sent me to you.’" God also said to Moses, "Say
to the Israelites, `The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
This is my name forever, the name that you’re gonna remember me by from generation to generation........
Moses is concerned that he’ll be asked a theological question that he doesn’t have an answer for. What if they ask God’s name?
Because Moses don’t have an answer he don’t want to go.
Moses’ question wouldn’t that unusual. Have you ever not talked to someone about Christ because you were afraid they would ask you a question that you couldn’t answer? Have you ever told someone you couldn’t teach or lead a class because you "didn’t know enough"???????
If so, then you understand where Moses is coming from
Besides, they will not believe me anyway (Exodus 4:1-9)
God has just finished telling Moses that the Israelites will listen to Him. He told him that Pharaoh would resist but would
eventually be brought to his knees. And . . the Egyptians would end up giving the Israelites treasures before they leave.
After God says all this Moses says,............. "I don’t think it is going to work."
"What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say.... `The LORD didn’t appear to you’?"
Moses ain’t listening. Perhaps Moses has a different scenario in his head. Maybe he is imagining standing before Pharaoh’s
receptionist telling her that he was sent there by a voice coming out of a bush that was on fire but not being consumed. He knows that everyone will think he is crazy!.................... God had already told Moses that His plan IS GONNA WORK. Moses wasn’t paying no attention. Sometimes we don’t either. God tells us,
I will supply all your need
I will never leave you or forsake you
You can do everything through Christ who strengthens you
Ask and it shall be given....
The Holy Ghost will guide you in all truth
He tells us these things and we ain’t listening....................................................... It’s kind of like those neat toys your kids would get for Christmas. They come with simple instructions but we throw em down believing that we know better. We struggle, we get mad at the "stupid manufacturer" while all the time the instructions are right in front of us.
Let’s remember, the Lord ain’t requesting the help of Moses . . .
He is sending Moses. This is an assignment not extra credit. Moses try’s to use excuses, which is very popular in Christianity today.
In today’s language He would be saying, "Lord, you know, speaking in public ain’t my gift."
(4:10-12)
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
It is possible that Moses did have a problem
He may have had a speech impediment
He may have been "rusty" with his Hebrew or Egyptian
It is possible that he didn’t like speaking in public
There is certainly much to be gained by trying to discern what God has equipped you to do. It is good to try to identify your spiritual gifts but we should do so in an effort to find direction for our lives............ not in order to limit what we do for God. If the prophets handled spiritual gifts like we often do, most of the prophets would have never left home! They would have concluded that it was not "their gift". Moses is trying to hide behind His
inability but God is telling Him that He will not call Him to something that He doesn’t equip him for.
God says the same thing to you. If you will follow Him, He will give you what you need. If you’re willing to serve Him, He will equip you to serve Him well.................. You may not have a natural talent in a particular area but if God has called you to a particular work, He will give you what you need. There’s been many times in my life where I was called into situations I felt completely unqualified for . . . and yet when I took a step of faith and agreed to what God called me to do . . . He gave me the ability, strength, wisdom, the
words, the patience . . . whatever was necessary......................................................
Finally, Moses has run out of excuses. He can’t stall any longer.
But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Exodus 4:13-16
13And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
As I read the scriptures Moses seems to be saying, "I don’t want the job"...................... God’s anger burns against Moses................. He is stalling. He’s digging in his heels and bordering on throwing a tantrum.
He says, "I don’t want to!" and God says, "Tough! If you’re scared I’ll give you Aaron to work with you."
I wonder how many people are living miserable lives right now because they refuse to do what God has told them to do. Rather then moving forward, they continue to make excuses.
Instead of obeying God they try to come up with reasons why they shouldn’t have to obey. Instead of trusting God’s promise they trust their fears. Are you one of those people? .......................................................
Moses is out of excuses.
He has a job to do. He and Aaron are going to walk into an impossible situation with a God who shines brightest in impossible
situations. And as a result, Moses became the leader of Israel. As a result of Moses moving forward he came to talk with God as a friend.
In the end, Moses came to know an intimacy with God unlike any other
individual other than the Lord Himself.
But what if Moses hadn’t gone? What if he had flat out refused?
I think Moses would have faced the discipline of the Lord. He would
have forfeited the joy that came from living God’s way. But Moses didn’t refuse. Instead he was used by God in astounding ways.
Do realize that the same choice is before you? Are you making excuses so you don’t have to obey? Are you making excuses so you don’t have to do what you know God wants you to do or to go where He wants
you to go?..................................................... Are you making excuses for why you will not trust Him? Is there some excuse for why you have not made the decision to trust
His grace for your eternal life?
If you want to be greatly used of God you have to be willing to follow wherever He leads you. It’s time to stop hiding behind the excuses we are so good at making......... It’s time to stop resisting and start following.
It’s time to stop saying, "I can’t" and start saying, "He can". !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to stop debating faith and start practicing it.
It’s time to stop tolerating and
start Celebrating.........JESUS.....
It’s Jesus we need to celebrate........
