“The Missing Link”

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 07/14/24 (2nd Sunday Message)

hashtags:

#guidinglight #pastorjim #Spirit #heart #willpower #surrender #love #showinglove #loveofGod #loveofChrist #repentance #serving #forgiveness #Godworks #savedtoserve #overflow #protector #Expectation #worry #Favor #deliverance #listeningears #Godspeaks #blessings #servingGod #heartafterGod #treasure #complaining #God’speace

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

Message Title:

“The Missing Link”

This is a message from a few years back.

Exodus 1:6-10

6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

The new king did not know about Joseph. He knew the Israelites weren’t “Egyptians.”

They lived in the land…but they weren’t native.

Verse 11-14

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.

They were enslaved for hundreds of years. Somewhere between 400 and 430.

So what happens?

Exodus 3:1

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Moses goes to see why the bush doesn’t burn up. When he gets closer to where God is…God calls him. Why did God spend time calling his name?

Because God is letting Moses know he knows who he is.

God Knows Each Of Us By Name!

John 10:3

3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

By name…

The Lord knows us by our name.

the thing your mother and father gave to you. You aren’t here without God noticing you!

But there’s something about the name you should know.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

The Lord tells us something about that name.

BeFORE the name…

Before Jeremiah was born, he was set apart…he was appointed as a prophet.

Before he was born.

The Lord knew him.

Before his parents gave him a name… The Lord knew him.

Before he was created…

The Lord called him to be a prophet.

The same goes for you.

Before You Were Born The Lord Gave You A Purpose For Something!

It’s part of a greater plan the Lord has for you. Before you were formed…

God had a plan for you.

God had a purpose for you. This is what he’s about to tell Moses.

Exodus 3:5-6

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord knew Moses’ name.

He knew what he was currently doing. (Don’t come closer)

He could see what he was wearing. (Take off your sandals)

He could see where he was standing. (Where you ARE is holy ground)

The Lord Knew Everything About Moses And He Knows Everything About You!

He is aware of all things concerning you!

The Lord knows where we are in life right now. he knows the things we think about.

he knows everything about us!

Exodus 3:7-9

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land…

God tells Moses that he has seen what has been happening. God tells Moses that he has heard them crying…

God tells Moses that now he is concerned.

Verse 8

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians.

God is saying he’s going to take matters into his own hands.

Verse 10

10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

We’ve said before how God is going to do it… But He is sending Moses as his representative. Moses…your purpose is to GO LEAD THEM OUT! Just like Moses:

There Is A Work Required For ALL Of Us!

This work requires an action. “Go Moses!"

John 15:16

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit

—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

God chose us… He appointed us… To DO something!

There is work required. We are called to do it.

When God Called You, He Called You To DO Something For Him!

Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

When you receive the Holy Spirit… You will do.

God gives us directives to “serve” for him.

So the question:

How Are You Serving For God?

Question:

What do you do for a living?

This is a question for your occupation.

Now what do you do for the Lord?

“We do our best to live right and come to church.”

But “how are you serving?”

How are you fulfilling your assignment?? Why is this important??

God told Moses that there were a NATION of people enslaved.

He had SEEN what was happening…

He had HEARD them crying out to him… And NOW he’s gonna do something.

Moses…I have a job for you.

I’ll do the work…you just go down there.

There Are Things The Lord Is Calling Us To! Are We Doing It?

Some of us may be trying to find the right time to walk in our purpose.

Some of us might not know what it is… But here the Lord is telling Moses directly…

Go! It’s time!

If you are hearing this today.

It’s Time To Get Going!

But this may cause us to ask questions:

(Question:)

Why Wouldn’t God Do It Himself?

It’s an apologetic question also.

As in a deep question people want to attack the faith with.

Why does God allow suffering? Why doesn’t God stop this… Why doesn’t he stop that…

Why didn’t he just wipe Egypt off the map.

Well…that’s what YOU and I are for!

Maybe God would do more if more would go!

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Created to do good works…

“Created To Do!”

Whatever way God wants for us to serve. But it is US that are to do it.

Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

It is GOD who works…

God who works where? God works in YOU.

To will and ACT!!

Act means to do something.

So God works THROUGH us.

What Has God Placed In You?

Jeremiah had the gift of prophecy. Moses had the gift of Leadership. Jethro had the gift of Administration.

Paul had the gift of Discernment and Evangelism Joseph had the gift of Prophecy.

Joshua had the gift of Leadership. Ruth had the gift of Serving and Mercy.

But what about you?

Many of you have the gift of: Wisdom

Teaching Giving Healing Serving Administration

Is My Gift The Missing Link?

Are we serving in the area where the Lord has told us? Is OUR gift the thing missing right now?

Some of us are walking in our gifts/calling.

We are doing the thing and using our gifts the way the Lord told us to. some of us are serving outside of our calling.

Some of us found an easy way to “serve.” but we aren’t actually using our gifts…

and the area we’re called to is lacking. some of us are not serving at all.

we may consider ourselves busy with life. we might not want to do it.

we might not even believe in ourselves to do that gift.

- happens to us a lot.

But if the Lord gave us that gift… there is a NEED for us to use it!

When Was The Last Time You Took A Gifts Test?

It’s important to serve.

It’s what we were called for…

but the Lord CALLED us to do something.

It’s time to make sure that WE are not the missing link.

Today we’re going to set up how you can find out what your gifts.

{Recap}

The Lord knows you.

The Lord has created a purpose for you. Are you walking in your purpose?

Are you using your gifts?

Do you know your gifts?

When you KNOW what God has placed in you…

you can see how you can walk in your purpose better.

Israel was waiting on the Lord to deliver them. The Lord sent Moses.

Who Is The Lord Going To Help Through Us? Let’s Find Out!