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Exo. 3:11 - But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”
God has informed Moses He has chosen him to lead the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage. Moses is stretched out of his comfort zone with God’s plan.
Moses doubts that he was the one who could be used to help free the Israelites. He says to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh…?” Moses doesn’t realize it yet, but he is the one who God has chosen and there isn't any way God will change His plan. We probably all have been chosen by God to accomplish a task and we thought like Moses, “Who am I?” If God chooses you, God will help you to complete the task.
1. Stop Doubting Yourself. The way to accomplish this task is by feeding your mind positive thoughts. You need to realize that you have been chosen by someone to complete this task. God, your boss, your close friend, your spouse or one of your children may have chosen you. The exciting thing is you have been chosen. You want to see this as an opportunity to achieve a project that you haven’t done before. 2. Start Preparing Yourself. What can you do to prepare yourself to fulfill this project? Are there any books you can read or is there a website you can visit? Do you know someone who has done this type of job before that you can contact for some assistance?
One evening while we were working I asked Jack, “If he would teach me how to weld?” I grabbed a welder’s hood and within a couple of hours he had me welding. I continued to practice everyday and on the next job site I took the welder’s test and passed. I was now a certified welder, thanks to Jack McAvoy. Find someone you can associate with who can teach you what it is you’re trying to learn. Obtaining knowledge will help you in times when you’re being stretched to accomplish a feat for which you don’t feel qualified. Think on These: You must first be a believer if you would be an achiever. Today’s preparation determines tomorrow’s achievement. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Podcasting of Serago's Pump Ups Started Sept. 20th
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Luke 13:6-9 - And He began telling this parable:
“A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. “And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ “And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ”
So he being a good businessman who is interested in his bottom line says, “Cut it down!” If you don’t produce you are not going to take up space in my vineyard. The owner is interested in production from his trees and land. You believe you are able to make a difference in this person's life. You want the owner to trust you and your abilities for one year to make a difference. · Giving A Second Chance Tests Your Abilities The vinedresser or supervisor of the vineyard makes a suggestion to the owner. He says, “Let me invest some time and material into this tree.” In other words, he was going to take responsibility for the tree. The manager is interested in displaying patience and producing fruit. It was up to the manager to give the tree a second chance. Have you ever invested some time into someone that everyone else said, “Don’t do it, you are wasting your time that person is a loser”? If you have given someone a second chance, I hope they produced some fruit after you invested your time in them. This happened for Barry Davis, the head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin. He had a wrestler named, Kevin Wilmot, who quit the team. Coach Davis gave him a second chance. Kevin rewarded Coach Davis by winning the 167 pound Big Ten Championship and placing fourth at the NCAA's in 1997. Sometimes all that is needed in life is a second chance. It tells the person you believe in them. Today Kevin is a successful Chiropractor in Montana. Not everyone will take advantage of a second chance when given to them so you must be wise enough to know who is trying and who isn't trying. · Set Some Parameters When Giving The 2nd Chance 1. Set a Time Frame – the keeper of the vineyard asked for a one-year time frame from the owner. If you are going to work with someone to help them to grow and produce it is definitely a good idea to have a prearranged time frame. If you look at a college coach they know they have about 4-5 years to be able to work with their athlete to improve as long as the athlete stays in college. 2. Set an Agenda – the supervisor was going to dig around the tree and fertilize it. What is your plan to help this person become better and bear fruit? 3. Prepare to cut your losses – if the fig tree didn’t produce the farmer was willing to allow it to be cut down. If the person you are trying to help doesn't produce fruit then prepare yourself to cut ties with that person and move on to another one. One thing about this life, there are plenty of people who are in need of a second chance. What about you? Are you in need of a second chance? Or are you the one who needs to give someone a second chance? Think on These: Criticism should always leave a person with a feeling he has been helped. It is better to keep a friend from falling than to help him up after he falls. Offering good advice may be noble and grand, but it isn't the same as a helping hand. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Luke 6:35 - "…do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." NASU
I am sure most of us have probably had someone help us accomplish some task and we would say, "I owe you one." Luke is saying, when you help someone they don't owe you anything. You do a good deed and there are no strings attached. You didn't help to have someone owe you a favor. You helped because you want to please God. In fact, by helping someone you are actually being like God. Luke even goes so far as to say God is "kind" to ungrateful and evil people. Yeah, I am not even interested in getting off of the bench to help someone who is ungrateful or evil. If God did talk me into helping them I would do it with such a horrible attitude you might as well call me "Jonah's brother."
Paul says, "…while we have opportunity…" In other words while we are alive we are to be looking for times when we can help people or as he says, "do good to all people." We are especially to be on the lookout for times when we can help Christians.
Peter is quoting Psalm 34:14 and he is informing Christians we are to turn away from evil and "do good." Hurricane Harvey has helped Americans do what Hurricane Andrew (1992), Katrina (2005), and Camille (1969) did and that is giving us the opportunity to do good for those who are in need. One thing for Christians is certain and it is we are to be on the look out everyday to do good for someone. We don't have to wait for catastrophe of any kind to do good.
As we journey through this life let us be ever mindful to do good and open our hearts towards those who are in need. Think On These: Do unto others as though you were the others. People who live by the Golden Rule today never have to apologize for their actions tomorrow. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word ********PODCASTING SERAGO'S PUMP UPS STARTS NEXT WEDNESDAY SEPT. 20TH******** I Chron. 21:20 - He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Old James Ryan: My family is with me today. They wanted to come with me. To be honest with you, I...I wasn't sure how I'd feel coming back here. Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best that I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me. Ryan's Wife: James? [looking at the headstone] Ryan's Wife: Captain John H Miller. Old James Ryan: Tell me I have led a good life. Ryan's Wife: What? Old James Ryan: Tell me I'm a good man. Ryan's Wife: You are. Ryan was concerned about his legacy. He wanted affirmation from his wife the one who knew him better than anyone else. He wanted to hear from her he was a good man, and he had led a good life. Most people when they are coming down to their last few years, months, or days think about the type of life they've lived. Why is it we wait until our life is about over before we start to think about our legacy? Why can't we concentrate on our legacy when we are in our 20's, 30's, or 40's? Don't we know our life could end in one of those decades? Our scripture text is about King Jehoram who was going to die when he was 40 years of age. The actor Paul Walker died at this very same age. The big difference was Walker had people who mourned his death. He had helped people during his life. His life was not all about himself. He was concerned about others and helped them while he could. As I said most people care about their legacy but it is for certain not all people are concerned about what type of legacy they will be leaving.
How sad is that? He lived 40 years and when he died no one regretted the king had died. This is such a different picture from when King David died.
Jehoram made choices and only he benefitted from them. The last two years of his life he was stricken with an illness and lived in great pain according to the scriptures (vss.18-19). If you need to make some changes in your life there is no better time than right now. Give yourself and others a great gift, give them a new you. Think on This: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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