Posts that mention Moses, the man of God

Testimony Tips from Moses

If you have a memorable vacation, how hard is it to tell your coworkers about it? If you get a great deal on a car, how difficult is it to explain that to your family members? If you find a terrific contractor to build your deck, how reluctant are you to give the details the next time you have friends over? Not too difficult, is it?

But for some reason, telling people about Jesus causes us to lock up. Maybe we are under the impression we have to know a lot of theology first. Not necessarily. Do you have to be a mechanic to explain how you bought your car? Of course not. Or perhaps we think someone has to understand all the intricate details of our faith before they can embrace it. That’s not true either.

One of the key elements in communicating the gospel to others is telling our own story, our testimony. In Deuteronomy, of all places, Moses gives an outline to the Israelites of what to include in their story.

“Then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; and the LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 6:21-24

Here are the major points.
1. We were slaves. – Begin with what life was like before Jesus. What was missing? What was worse?
2. The LORD brought us out. – Jesus changed all that.
3. The LORD showed signs and wonders. – Jesus has done these amazing things in my life.
4. God is giving us the land. – God has given me eternal life and the promise of His presence.
5. The LORD commanded us to observe. – So now I live my life following Him and honoring Him.

After telling your story, then it’s a matter of inviting your listener to start a story of their own.

Think about the contractor example. “I wanted a deck and I knew I couldn’t build it myself. So we did some searching and we found Dave. He was just what we were looking for. He does great work and his rates weren’t outrageous. We use the deck all the time. In fact, I bet he could do that addition you’ve been talking about.”

We sail through that easily and naturally. I had a need. Here’s how that need was met. You might get your needs met too.

I’ve followed Jesus since I was a kid, but even then I knew I couldn’t be good enough and that something was missing. If it weren’t for His presence and help I’m not sure I would have made it through some of the hard times. Doing things His way, trying to live by His word and His example, I have peace and I know I’m not at the mercy of the random universe. If you’re looking for that same kind of peace and purpose, you should consider what Jesus said. I’d be glad to tell you more.

That’s really all there is to it. Granted, a greater percentage of people will not want to hear any more, but that okay. We are never held responsible for what results from telling our story, only our faithfulness in telling it.

Use Moses’s tips and tell your story, the one about then and now, about Jesus and you. The world needs to hear it.

Study Tip: Jesus in the Tabernacle

By Paula Wiseman

Sometimes, Old Testament studies can be challenging, especially the details presented in the books of Moses. But everything God did as He instituted the system of worship for the nation of Israel pointed to the coming work of Christ. Let’s take a look at the interior of the tabernacle as an example. In Exodus 25-27 God describes how the tabernacle is to be constructed and furnished. Exodus 35-38 relate how the project is accomplished, and Exodus 40 describes the time when it is set up for use. Exodus is forty chapters and around a quarter of them are devoted to the tabernacle. That makes it kind of a big deal.

We could spend A LOT of time on the tabernacle, but I’m going to limit today’s study to just 5 of the furnishings and how each of them foreshadowed Jesus Christ.

The Bronze Laver

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die. (Exodus 30:17-20)

This was essentially a big washbasin. The priests were to wash the dirt from their hands and feet as they stepped on to consecrated ground to serve God.

Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” (John 13:10)

If you want to split hairs about the fact that Aaron and his sons had to wash their hands and feet while Jesus only washed feet, feel free. However, both passages underscore the need to be cleansed before attempting ministry before God. However, Jesus’s disciples weren’t limited to just one physical location.

The Altar of Burnt Offerings
And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. (Exodus 27:1-2)

The bronze altar was the main altar in the tabernacle. It was the place where sins were dealt with and the relationship with God was restored whether with the individuals or with the nation of Israel itself.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Jesus dealt with our sins and restored a right relationship with God for all who believe.

The Altar of Incense
Moreover, you shall make an altar as a place for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. … There shall be perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. (Exodus 30:1,8)

The sweet-smelling incense represented the prayers of the Israelites.

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. … If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:5,7)

Jesus personally intercedes and carries our prayers before God.

The Golden Lampstand
Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. (Exodus 25:31)

By the time the tabernacle was assembled with all its coverings, there was no outside light. The only source was the lampstand.

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)

The only source of light in our dark world is Jesus Christ.

The Table of Showbread
You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times. (Exodus 25:30)

Each week twelve fresh loaves of bread were placed on the table as a reminder that God alone sustained and provided for Israel.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. (John 6:35)

Not only are we sustained physically but Jesus provides us with eternal life.

This was a super-quick overview, but hopefully it was enough to show that the Old Testament is also the story of Jesus and His redemptive work. As you read the Old Testament, look for Jesus. I promise He’s there.

Intercession

By Paula Wiseman

“Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” Exodus 32:32

Israel had failed. After witnessing miracle after miracle as Jehovah delivered them from Egypt, they decided to worship a calf instead. Not even a real calf.

Moses interceded for them. He begged God to forgive Israel’s sin.

Moses understood the seriousness of the offenses. He had experienced the holiness of God.

He offered his own life for Israel.

God answered Moses’s prayer.

I know people who have strayed from the faith, people who have never embraced faith.

What if I prayed for them the way Moses prayed for Israel?

What Moses Saw

By Paula Wiseman

And [Moses] said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Exodus 33:18

Moses asked to see God’s splendor, His brightness, His majesty.

He needed reassurance and affirmation.

He needed to know that the God who called Him was God indeed.

So in the middle of His conversation with God, he asked for the outrageous.

And God answered.

God showed Moses as much of His glory as humanity could handle.

What would happen if we asked like Moses?

How would we change if we saw what Moses saw?

Turn Aside and Look

By Paula Wiseman

“So when the Lord saw that [Moses] turned aside to look, God called to him…” Exodus 3:4

This is at the burning bush.

When God saw that He had Moses’ attention, then He called to him.

Not until.

God won’t compete for my attention.

And He won’t speak until He has it.

What burning bush, what miracle, is God working right in front of me?

Is He trying to get my attention?

What will He say once I stop and look?

I think it’s worth finding out.

Overtaken

By Paula Wiseman

A couple of months ago I got to be the weak link on a triathlon team, thanks to my husband’s still-healing stress fracture. Jon did the hard parts, the swimming and the biking, and my job was to run the 5K. Because Jon is a strong swimmer, and the race used a delayed start, I got to take off on the run portion smack in the middle of the top athletes. For a brief moment, I was ahead of some of the fastest runners in the community. In fact, I wish I had pictures of myself… leading… Then reality set in, and I think seven or ten of them passed me before I finished.

Each time it happened the same way. I heard the footfalls behind me. Then came the sense that someone was close. This was followed by a momentary delusion that maybe I could speed up and stay ahead. Of course, this yielded to the inevitable. “Good job,” they said as they passed, and they meant it. Speedy runners are a nice bunch.

In Deuteronomy 28, Moses is winding down his last instructions and admonitions for the nation of Israel and in verse 2, he says, “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

I like that image. God always blesses obedience, but He doesn’t just throw blessings out there and if we’re lucky we’ll run into them. No, He makes sure they catch us.

Think of it. All these blessings.

We can’t outrun them or get away from them. He promises they will overtake us.