weaknesses isn't the end, just the beginning!

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Exodus 4:1‭-‬17 ESV

I wanted to share this with you, because as you read Exodus 4:1-17 we read that Moses... This man who is held high and we'll respected in the Jewish community. This man who was used by God to deliver the Israelites from captivity of the Egyptians. This man who spent a considerable amount of time with God on mountain and received two tablets with the ten commandments that were hand written by God. Only to smash them in anger because of the actions of his fellow Jewish community. This man, by the grace and power of God was a vessel used to achieve extraordinary things and yet we read I Exodus 4:1-17 that he experienced fear, doubt and anxiety just like any other person on the planet. He wasn't a special case like superman for instance. Moses was born into slavery, set apart and kept hidden for as long as his mother could (because pharaoh ordered that any baby boy born would be killed. This was to stunt the rapidly growing population of the Jews) He was placed in a basket and put to float on the river Nile. To be seen by Pharaoh's daughter and eventually raised by the Egyptians. When Moses was older he murdered an Egyptian for acting so cruelly towards his fellow Jews. This same man had a stutter. Just like us, he was no different. He had flaws, obstacles that proved problematic, fears, doubts and anxietys. But God saw beyond all this and used moses to achieve his plan and purpose. This plan was to set slaves free and not just a few, but an entire nation. Talk about leadership.

I hope this brings you comfort whenever you are experiencing fear, doubt and anxiety. We are not failures in the sense that we can't live up to the standard of these great men and women of the Bible. There isn't a whole lot different between us and them. But just like them we can stand strong on the very words of God. Holding fast to his promises and building a relationship with him through prayer and his word (the Bible) just like moses, it's a life long journey we can all take. Where we learn one thing to another, are strengthened from one degree to another and are set free from the pain and frustrations of life should we allow God to work in us. 

One thing that I do want to stress is we have a weapon we can use to diminish the firing arrows of lies, falsness, guilt and shame. This weapon in truth. A form of truth that comes in three words. It is written! You see when the enemy came to Jesus in the wilderness after he had fasted forty days, he tried to be clever and use scripture to his advantage. But Jesus never caved. He spoke out the truths of what was written in the word of God. We too can do this. Words are powerful and can speak life into a situation or death.

It is written..

It is written - I'm a child of God. John 1:12

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name

It is written - I have the authority of Christ. And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:18‭-‬20 ESV

It is written - I am forgiven. . Ephesians 1:7-8

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

It is written - I am accepted ..   Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

It is written - I am loved.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:18-19)

The Bible is full of examples of who we are. I challenge you to seek them out and start (if you don't already) speaking these truths out every day. So when these lies come our way, it'll be like water off a ducks back. We become the biggest threat to the devil once we understand who we are. It's why he will do what he can to tear us down. He'll do what he can to distract us from spending tim in the word of God. We aren't promised a trouble free life. But we are promises help, guidance, peace and love (just to name a few) 

God bless

Let's pray..

Father God the world is full of examples of how we don't make the cut, if we don't have the right amount of money, or the right social groups, or the right job. Just to name a few. All this God isn't the purpose of life. They are just minute by minute ideals. The real fulfilment comes from a relationship with you. Yet at times it can feel easier to buy something than to build a relationship with you. Simple because of the million distractions in this world. Father I pray whoever reads this is comforted by the testimony of moses and how he was scared just like we get. I pray that they are comforted by the fact that you saw beyond his fears and doubts, beyond his flaws and insecurities and used him for your mighty purpose. I pray peace in the heart of this precious child reading this. I pray that whatever they are facing, then can stand confident in their life that you are in control and will work all things out regardless to our flaws. Thank you God. In Jesus name amen