Read Acts 7: 17-29

                                            good ideas or God ideas?

From this text, it seems that Moses, at the age of being considered an adult (40 years old in those days!), had an idea of God’s purpose for his life.  He had a heart for the oppressed Israelites and it seems he was seeking to defend the downtrodden.  Maybe his assumption was something like this, “I get it!  These people are severely oppressed, and God has positioned me to be able to help them, I should get busy!”

However, as we know from the scriptures, the oppressed people either did not have that revelation of deliverance, or they did not accept the possibility of Moses being an agent of their deliverance.  They were not willing to receive Moses at this time, so they struck out against him with “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?  Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?”–Where did things go wrong?

Is there a problem with Moses, the children of Israel, or the political system? If so, what would you say the problems are?

Moses_________________________________________________________

Israelites_______________________________________________________

Political System__________________________________________________

How did Moses respond to this, the first recorded incident of his efforts to help the Israelites?

_____________________________________________________________

How can you differentiate from when you are doing what God wants you to do, and when you are simply doing what you want to do? 

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Forty years after his first recorded attempt to help the Israelites, when he returns as the deliverer of the people, Moses demonstrates a quiet confidence unshaken by threats which surpassed any he received before.  What changed?  ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

What a great reason to seek God regarding the use of our time, energy, and money.  Our own “good ideas” can accomplish some things, but God-directed ideas and activities accomplish immeasurably more.  And if we are operating in a trusting relationship with God, we will be able to walk with His grace in the midst of all that comes our way.

Read and Pray:  Psalm 27, 1 John 2:16-17, John 14:15-17, 15:4-5