How Do You Recognize God?

'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look."

Thoughts for Today:

God doesn't have an identity problem -- He knows who He is. The problem is: Do we know who He is? Because what He represents to us in our lives (not as some nebulous principle), is how we will define Him to our friends, families, business associates, etc. Do we respect Him? Are we in awe of Him? Do we fear Him?

I think it's funny how the world defines God: God is love (as if that's all He is -- all warm and cuddles -- does that mean He stops loving as in a divorce?); God is in the smile of a child (what about when the child frowns or misbehaves -- is God still there or does He leave?); God is in nature (what they're talking about is a flower or a waterfall -- but what about a flood or a hurricane that cost hundreds of lives and millions of dollars -- is God in that part of nature as well?). Describing God in those terms only reveals how much you don't know about God. It's like someone saying they know you -- when they've only seen you in the distance, or defining your profession and all of your ability by a bird cage you built when you were 5 years old. It's ridiculous.

Here's what God tells Moses about Himself: "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." What do you think was God's point in that statement? I think He's reminding Moses, "I have written an autobiography about myself -- remember what I've said and what I've done throughout history -- then you know something about Me and will be ready to understand the meaning and intent of this personal experience."

I believe God speaks to us all the time through personal "burning bushes." The problem is: We don't recognize who He is because we aren't familiar with Him. When my son Joe played football -- from the distance of the stands, I could recognize him when he ran on the field (without seeing the number on his jersey). Why? Because I'm familiar with him and I know a lot about him. I know how he runs; I know how he stands; I know what position he plays; I know how tall he is; I know what style of helmet and face mask he wears. But my friends may not be able to recognize him. Why? -- Because they don't know Joe as well as I do.

Questions to Ponder:

How well do you know God? Can you name 5 things God says about Himself? 10? How about 20? In Scripture, God has described Himself to us in great detail. How can you recognize or understand God's meaning in an experience if you are unfamiliar with who He says He is? What can you do today to begin to know God better?

What Does it Take to Get Your Attention

appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice…." Thoughts for Today: Moses had spent 40 years in the desert during his period of self-imposed exile. Now the Lord decided it was time to get Moses attention -- to place him back in service. Notice the sequence of Moses' experience: he saw the burning bush, he was amazed at the sight, and he went over to look more closely. Many times when we are in our own desert, we don't hear the Lord's voice because we are too consumed with our own thoughts -- so the Lord needs to get out attention. In Moses' case it was a burning bush -- something ordinary (a bush), that became extraordinary. It was amazing to him (after all it's not every day you see a burning bush in the middle of the desert), so he went over to check it out (the Lord got his attention). Watch what came next: "he heard the Lord's voice." Once the Lord had Moses' attention -- Moses then heard the Lord's voice. This is a really important point to me. Many people think the key to this story is the burning bush (the miracle); I think the more important point is that God is always speaking to us -- it's just sometimes He needs to use rather dramatic means to get our attention so we hear him. When I am watching a sporting event on television, my wife believes the house could be on fire, and it wouldn't be until the heat melted the remote control that it would get my attention. We men certainly have the ability to concentrate (my positive spin on her critique), and block out all distractions. Unfortunately, this same ability to insulate ourselves can also hurt us when God is trying to talk to us. Questions to Ponder: How does God get your attention? Does the house have to burn down? Sometimes the life changing events we experience (loss of a job, health issue, financial setback, family problem, etc.) are only necessary because we haven't been listening to God -- we've blocked Him out. Are you at all blocking God out of your life? Does He currently have your attention? What is He trying to tell you?

The Desert of Self Exile and Punishment

Have you ever wondered what Moses was thinking about over those 40 years? 40 years is half a lifetime, and the years we're talking about typically represent a man's most productive years, yet Moses remained in the desert. Look at where Moses had been, he was the son (adopted) of Pharaoh's daughter, who had killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew worker -- and he had run away -- fearing for his life.

We know in our time the privilege and leniency displayed to those who have position and power. Egypt was no exception. Had Moses been willing to go back to Pharaoh's household (with a reasonable explanation of the circumstances), chances are pretty good his life would have gone back to normal. But Moses had answered the call of God (though in the wrong way), and he knew that he could never go back to his old life. Yet he also thought he had wasted or misunderstood his purpose -- the one God had given him.

So what did Moses do? He imposed upon himself self-exile (he went to a foreign land and took a foreign wife -- verse 29), and began his time of self punishment. When you self-exile yourself and are consumed with self-punishment and regret -- do you hear God? I don't think so -- I certainly don't. If you are focused on yourself you can't see God, you only see yourself -- and in most cases, you won't like what you see.

Questions to Ponder:

If you were Moses friend, had been with him from the good times to the bad times, what advice would you give him when he was in the desert? What would you tell him to do in order to get back in the game? Have you ever felt that you just needed to be punished for something you did or didn't do? Have you taken it upon yourself the responsibility to punish, instead of leaving it to God? Is it time to stop? What can you do to bring your self-exile to an end?

Right Reason, Wrong Result

"At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?' But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' When M! oses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons."

Thoughts for Today:

Stephen now begins to recite the familiar story of Moses. Previously, Stephen had recounted the history of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph -- the purpose -- to illustrate that God does not live in a place. The secondary point Stephen is making is how the Jews have a history of rejecting their savior: first Joseph -- who was sold by his brothers into slavery; now Moses -- who (in this passage) was "just trying to help."

Many times, like Moses, we have the right intent, but do the wrong thing. Moses knew God had a special purpose for him -- to save His people. The only problem was he did it his way not God's way. We can get ourselves in trouble like this as well. We see a problem, but rather than rely on God's timing and wisdom, we throw ourselves into the situation -- maybe even doing something we consider heroic (at great personal risk) -- only to be misunderstood, criticized and condemned. What was Moses' solution? Run away from Egypt.

This is great story (perhaps one we can relate to). Here was a guy who was spared by God; raised and educated in Pharaoh's household by Pharaoh's daughter -- as her son; then gets in trouble and runs for the hills. We don't know every event in Moses life up to this point, but I find it interesting that he would completely quit on life -- because of one mistake. Yet we can find ourselves doing the same thing. We mess up at work, in a ministry, a witness opportunity, or display a poor example to someone -- and we give up on our value. We think we've blown it and we can't or won't be used again. Are you ever guilty of this kind of thinking?

Questions to Ponder:

Have you ever blown it when trying to serve God? What were the circumstances? Did you get back into His service or "run for the hills"? What would it take to get you to try again? What would you do differently?

What is your legacy?

Acts 7:18-19

"Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die."

Thoughts for Today:

A few years ago my father died, and as I went through his possessions following his funeral, I couldn't help thinking that the things he treasured most had more to do with a memory than its intrinsic value. An old ashtray from a hotel, a rusted pocket knife, a sales award -- evidence of a life, but without the memory -- what is the value?

I remember growing up as a boy; my father would come home from work and stop by the football field to watch practice, or on other days, pause for a moment to ask real questions (not superficial) about my day. He would take me to choir practice on Wednesday nights, church on Sunday morning and Youth Fellowship on Sunday night. What I am is evidence of who he was. It's not what he had that made his life (after all, one generation's treasures are the next generation's junk), but what he invested of himself in the people around him. The legacy of his values is what endured -- both positive and negative.

Joseph's memory and his accomplishments were forgotten by the Egyptians, but he lived on in the memories of his family and descendants (as recorded in the Old Testament). My life and your life will be forgotten by the world, but remembered through the life and action of our children and grandchildren. They may not have a written record of all we said or did, but when the day comes that my son stops by my grandson's baseball practice on the way home from work, and takes him to Core Fellowship on Thursday night -- my father by his example, will live on through this generation and the one to follow.

Questions to Ponder:

What legacy are you leaving to future generations? Solomon tells us that all possessions and accomplishments are vanity -- what we work hard for in our life only goes to the next generation who did nothing to earn it -- therefore we're doing it only for our own vanity or pride. Are you guilty of vanity? Are you leaving a legacy of obsession with material objects? What kind of a legacy do you want to leave? How are you investing in your family and in the people around you?

How Do We Multiply?

Acts 7:17b

"….The number of our people in Egypt greatly increased."

Thoughts for Today:

Stephen is speaking before the Sanhedrin, recounting Jewish history. He has just finished the story of Joseph and the relocation of Jacob and his entire family to Egypt (which was necessitated by a great famine that struck the whole land).

When Jacob's family first entered Egypt it numbered 75 -- a large family. But now after years of proper nutrition, the number of people had greatly increased -- Ex 1:7 "the Israelites were fruitful, multiplied greatly, and become exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them." As you can see Stephen's statement "greatly increased" is a bit of an understatement -- from 75 to over 2 million people in 400 years -- is more of a miracle. Again, this is all part of God's plan, pattern and purpose -- with a place to live (despite it being a land not their own), proper food, nutrition, and safety -- God's people not only thrived, but multiplied.

The same is true for us as well. If we are fed properly we will thrive and multiply. But what is our food? Jesus tells us in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never go thirsty."

Are you in the middle of a famine? Is your Christianity dry, barren and lifeless? Do you go to church and Bible study but still don't feel any different? Stephen is making the point that God is not in a place (the "promised land," Egypt, Israel or church), He is with them. Jesus says to "come to me." What does that mean?

Questions to Ponder:

What does Jesus statement: "come to me" mean to you? Where are you? Where do you need to go? Are you experiencing a famine? Will you go to Jesus?

Are your friends experiencing a famine? Share with them the story of your faith in Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Do You Trust God -- Can You Be Trusted?

Acts 7:17a

"As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham…"

Thoughts for Today:

Sometimes I have difficulty with the idea that I might not experience the resolution of a problem in my lifetime. Abraham certainly didn't see God's promise fulfilled in his lifetime, or for many generations to follow, but God was faithful nonetheless. Abraham knew God; and God knew Abraham.

As I watched football one weekend, one of the commentators was talking about how the receiver had "read the defense." I thought how interesting that not only does the quarterback read a defense but the receiver does the same thing, and as a result the receiver's route is adjusted and the pass play is completed. The quarterback "knows" what the receiver will do, and the receiver "knows" what the quarterback will do in any given situation. How does this happen? It happens after years of working together, countless hours of practice and study, and lot's of experience.

What do you "know" about God? Do you live according to this knowledge? Do you trust Him? Sometimes it seems so much easier to trust in a quarterback -- with the game on the line -- to throw the ball to the correct spot at just the right time, yet do we have the same kind of faith in God, the creator of the universe? How do we get that kind of faith? I believe it comes from -- "years of working together, countless hours of practice and study, and lot's of experience." You get to know God by spending a lot of time with Him.

Questions to Ponder:

What does God know about you? He certainly knows how much you trust Him, but can you be trusted? When God has a mission, will He throw you the ball? Will you have run the proper pass route? If not, how can you begin spending more time with God today?

Where Do You See Jesus?

Acts 7:11-16

"Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family. After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money."

Thoughts for Today:

Our experience with Jesus is a lot like this story. Something beyond our control happens ("Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan"), which brings great suffering to us. We can't solve the problem on our own, so we start to listen to other people and the solutions they have found ("Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt").

We check it out -- maybe by attending a Men's Breakfast, Easter program, or church on Sunday. Jesus then reveals who He is ("Joseph told his brothers who he was") -- and through Jesus -- God learns who we are ("Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family"). We accept Jesus and through us (our witness), our whole family is welcomed into the body of Christ ("Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all").

In the story of Joseph, Stephen has drawn a road map to Jesus, as well as painting a picture of His life and purpose on this earth. This is the point Stephen is making to the Sanhedrin and other Jewish leaders. The question remains -- are they paying attention and do they see themselves in their own history?

Questions to Ponder:

Sometimes suffering occurs to get us back on the path -- Jesus' path. The point of suffering is not the pain -- it's to focus us on Jesus -- maybe it's time for you to bring ALL of your focus to Him? Other times people we know are suffering and become open to solutions -- when someone you know is in trouble do you offer worldly advice, or do you offer Jesus? Is there anybody in your life who needs Jesus? What can you do to offer them Jesus?

Following God, part 2

Acts 7:9-10

"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh King of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace."


Thoughts for Today:

Isn't it funny how the first thing we think of when we suffer is that it is because of something we did wrong or a lesson we need to learn? I wonder if Joseph felt that way. That kind of thinking can be a real trap, because many times the calamitous event you experience (like Joseph's) is not for any reason other than -- it is God's way of moving you from where you are to where He wants you to be.

I call this "Following God, part 2 (FG2)" -- all it requires of us is the willingness to grow -- notice I didn't say "learn from the experience." So often when we go through a difficult time, we think it is because God is trying to teach us something -- so we try to learn from the experience and many times learn the wrong thing. If Joseph had done so, he might have "learned" not to trust his brothers, or go places by himself, etc.

The key to an FG2 experience is to watch for and remain open to the opportunity. Joseph did so -- rather than be negative and depressed -- Joseph chose to follow God. As a result God gave him "wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh." Notice the words "enabled him" -- God prepared him with wisdom and created the opportunity for him "to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh." But it was Joseph who acted upon the opportunity.


Questions to Ponder:

Have you ever been in a difficult spot, despite doing all the right things? So much so that as you replayed your moves over and over again in your mind, you would have done exactly the same thing? Maybe you had (or are having) an FG2 experience. Maybe God is moving you from where you are to where He wants you to be. Are you open to new opportunities?

Following God, part 1

Acts 7:3-8

"'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.' So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. God spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' God said, 'and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.' Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs."


Thoughts for Today:

If you look at the Old Testament stories as picture examples of New Testament principles, you will find two major ways that God leads us. To keep it simple, I'm going to call these ways, "Following God, part 1" (FG1), and "Following God, part 2" (FG2 -- will be discussed in our next devotion).

Abraham was definitely a FG1 kind of person -- as reflected in verses 3 and 4. When God directed -- "Leave your country and your people," Abraham followed God without hesitation -- "So he left."

 FG1 is usually simple -- "leave" and "go to" are  typical instructions. The difficulty is in the second piece or unknown part of the instruction: leave -- your country and your people; go to -- the land I will show you. To put it in more relatable terms, to follow God: Abraham had to leave not just Laguna Niguel or California but the USA as well -- leaving behind family, friends, businesses, etc.; without knowing where he was going (God said He would show him, which didn't mean Abraham knew where he was going when he left). Try explaining that to your wife!

 The other tricky component of FG1 is trusting in what appears to be the "crazy" or "unrealistic" promises that God makes. That statement might offend some people who would say with confidence, "I always trust and follow God," but let's face it sometimes it's hard to follow (or trust) when it just doesn't seem possible. Look at Abraham. God told him his descendants would inherit the land despite the fact Abraham was 75 years old and childless at the time. Twenty-four years later Abram (which means exalted father), still childless, was told to change his name to Abraham (which means father of many). Can you imagine the ridicule he must have endured when he did so? Here was a guy, childless at 99, with a wife who was 90, changing his name to father of many -- most people would think he was crazy. You see the problem with an FG1 promise is that God doesn't tell anyone else what he has promised you -- it is your promise only. Paul covers this concept in great detail in the 4th chapter of Romans. He sums it up in Romans 4:3, "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness."


Questions to Ponder: 

Fully trusting in God's direction is one of the most difficult aspects of Christian living, as sometimes it's hard to distinguish between an impulse and the direction of God. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me." The implication is if you know Jesus you will recognize his voice. When was the last time you heard Jesus' voice? Did you recognize His voice? Did you follow? Why or why not?


Learn to recognize His voice by faithfully listening to Him as He speaks to you through His Word. Why not open your Gospel of John now and hear what He has to say to you today?

Where Does God Live?

Acts 7:2b-3

"The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran."
Thoughts for Today:

As Stephen begins his testimony he launches into a full history of the patriarchs from Abraham to Moses. Why? It certainly wasn't because his audience didn't know Jewish history (those listening to him included the Jewish chief priest and Sanhedrin). The purpose and one of the main points he is making relates to his defense of the accusation against him of "speaking against this holy place." Stephen's response is that God doesn't reside in a place -- He is not tied to a particular country or building.

The Jews in Stephen's day were guilty of placing God in a box -- confining God to their locations and ideas. The "God of glory" reference that Stephen makes, indicates God's sovereign nature (He can do anything He wants); and His appearance in Mesopotamia to Abraham, illustrates that God does not confine Himself to a particular country.

So often we do the same thing. We think that God is only at church, or only interested in Christians, or supports only an American agenda. God is as interested in your son or daughter's salvation as He is in the salvation of a drug dealer in Colombia, a prostitute in Paris, or a child with AIDS in Africa. God doesn't have boundaries and no one is a waste of time or effort for God.

Questions to Ponder:

We all are guilty to one degree or another of placing boundaries on God. What restrictions do you place on Him? Where have you put God "in a box of your own making?" Intellectually you may agree that God is not only at church, but sometimes we do not have the same "feeling" of being close to God outside of the building where we worship. What thoughts or ideas about God do you need to change?

Your Witness Begins With Your People

Acts 7:2a

"To this he replied: 'Brothers and fathers, listen to me!'"
Thoughts for Today:

Stephen stood before the chief priest and Sanhedrin to answer the charge of "speaking against this holy place and against the law." As he began his testimony he addressed them in the familiar terms of brothers and fathers as he pleaded with them to open their minds, and "listen to me!" I really can relate to Stephen's frustration. After all, these were his people (brothers and fathers), yet they missed the Messiah -- the same Messiah they anticipated for hundreds of years and over many generations.

How often do we feel that same way as we listen to a family member or a close friend talk about their life or a crisis they have experienced? We have the solution -- Jesus -- but will they listen? I would suggest that your words will have more impact when your life is an example (testimony) of those words.

Stephen could command: "Listen to me!" -- because his life was a testimony of his words. This is what the Bible says about Stephen: a servant (waited on tables serving food to the Greek widows); full of wisdom; full of the Spirit; full of faith; full of God's grace; full of God's power; did great wonders and miraculous signs; and he spoke and taught about Jesus. You will notice the speaking came after everything else and it began in service. Stephen's heart was in the place God could use it -- committed to His will as expressed through a willingness to serve.

Questions to Ponder:

If you want people to pay attention to your words, you must first be willing to humbly and quietly serve them. Do you seek an audience or do you look for opportunities to serve? Your family and friends are watching, is your life a witness to your words? What could you do today to serve others?