Global Outreach Church

MOSES PRAYER - II

Moses’ Prayer Part 2 – The People

Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, “Bring up this people, ‘but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said,’ I know you by name, and you have also found

favor in my sight.’ (Exodus 33:12 ESV)

We are continuing our series on the prayer of Moses in Exodus 33:12-13

Moses knew God had called him to lead the people into the Promised land, but he also knew he could not do it alone. Moses is pleading with god; let me know who you will send with me. As Moses

is praying this prayer he probably remembers his father-in-law, Jethro’s advice in Exodus 18:18-27. Jethro sees Moses trying to lead all the people by himself and says, what you are doing is not good.

Have you been praying with a desperation and dependence toward God lately?

For more information visit us at:www.wocfanusa.org

MOSES PRAYER - III

MOSES' PRAYER - III HUMILITY

Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now the ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people". (Exodus 33:13 ESV)

As we reread Moses' prayer today, we are struck with the humility with which Moses asks God to continue revealing His ways. If anyone had forst-hand experience of watching God work, it was Moses.

Here are a few examples:

- God speaks to him through a burning bush (Exodus 3)

- God uses Moses to prophesy 10 plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-11)

- God gives Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20)

- God speaks to Moses as a man speaks to a friend (Exodus 34:34)

Moses has seen God to some amazing miracles. Moses was the frist person to read God's law. Moses had an incredible intimate knowledge of God... Yet he prays, "Please show me your ways".

If Moses realized he had not arrived, then there's a good chance we have not either. Throughout scripture and history, the best leaders are those who posture themselves as life-long learners. Solid

spiritual leaders continuously lead out of the overflow of what God is teaching them. As we pray, there should be a sense of humility on our prayers for guidance that only God can give. Learn from

Moses today, the man considered to be one of the most humble (Number 12:3)

Is there a sense of Humility in your prayer?

For more information visit us at: www.wocfanusa.org

MOSES PRAYER - I

Moses’ Prayer Part 1 – Desperation and Dependence

Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, “Bring up this people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.” Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people”. (Exodus 33:12-13 ESV)

Many times when we don’t know how to pray, we can look at the prayers I the Bible and learn from them. We are going to look at the prayer of Moses, who God has given a mandate to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land, which was no small task. They were a ragtag group of former slaves with no real military experience who were on their way to take over the land of Canaan (a.k.a. the Promised Land). They also had a penchant for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.

It’s pretty obvious from this prayer that Moses knows he is over his head. In fact, if you read through the Old Testament book of Exodus you’ll see that as Moses seeks to follow God and responds to what god is doing, he is constantly finding himself in over his head. God keeps bringing this ugly back to a place of desperation and dependence. If we take a step back and look at eh narrative of scriptures, or at people throughout history that God has used in significant ways, or even at our own lives, we will see this pattern: god keeps bringing those who desire to be used by Him back to a place of desperation and dependence. This desperation and dependence for God keeps us from thinking we have put our lives all together, being arrogant or prideful in our success, and allows us to experience the Creator of the Universe working through us.

Have you been praying with a desperation and dependence toward God lately?

For more information visit us at:www.wocfanusa.org

COMPETING VOICES

“Truly, truly, I say unto you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens.

The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follows him, for

they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers”. (John 101-5 ESV)

In today’s world, many voices compete for our attention:

the opinion of others

the values of our culture

our personal insecurities

spiritual warfare & temptations

even our own competing desires

All of these voices and more compete with Jesus’ voice for our attention. In John’s gospel we’re reminded that we relate to Jesus just as the sheep respond to the shephered…“he call his own sheep by name”

Jesus knows us each personally and intimately, and is calling out to us.

He leads them out…he goes before them, and the sheep follow him…”

Jesus goes before us and asks us to simply follow where He is leading.

“for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee form him, for they do not know the voice of strangers”.

We should recognize and respond to the voice of Jesus to the exclusion of other voices in our lives. Every day we make decisions concerning who’s voice we will listen to.

Who’s voice are you listening to? Are you tuning into Jesus’ voice or other voices? How can you better recognized and respond to the voice of Christ.

For more information visit us at www.wocfanusa.org

Him That Cometh To Me I will In No Wise Cast Out

John 6:37

How tenderly campassionate is the dear Friend of poor lost sinners! How anxious deos He appear to remove every objection out of the way of the inquiring soul. that is made willing to be saved on

Gosepel terms, "by grace through faith" (Eph. 2:8). Lest such should be discouraged, how graciously does He describe their character and feelings, inviting them, with all the eloquence of God-like

pity, to come unto Him! Hear His words, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Are you weary of the slavery of sin, and the bondage of Satan and the

world? Are you heavy laden with guilt on your conscience, and fear in your heart? Behold, the loving Saviour stands with open arms to receive you; and these are the gracious words which proceed our of

His mouth, "Come unto me, and I will give you rest". "He is faithful that hath promised" (Heb. 10:23), and cannot deceive you. "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips"

(Psalm 89:34). Make the experiment; come to Him. He is able to save, and He is willing to save; wherefore should you doubt?

But you say, "I am a great sinner." Be itjknown unto you, that Jesus Christ is an almighty Saviour. You say further. "I have continued long in open rebelion against Him; I have been many years sinning against

HImwith a high hand". Be it so, you are not out of reach of mercy, nor is your case too desperate for the skill and power of the great Physician. Do you still object, "I am a sinner of no common kind; of sinners

I am chief". Even unto you is the owrd of this salvation sent. The blood of Jesus is the blood of God (Acts 20:28), and therefore "cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the

righteousness of God (Romans 3:22), and therefoe is sufficient to justify the most ungodly. Do not despair; for thus saith thy Saviour, the lover of thy poor soul, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cat out"

(John 6:37)He makes no exceptions: being "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter3:9).

But you say, "Must I not mend my heart and reform my life before I venture to approach HIm?" I you wail until you have effected this is in your own strength, you will, after all, die in your sins. This He must do for

you; and this He will effectually do for you, when you come to His Cross, confessing your sins, and trusting in His blood as your atonemment. You must come to Him just as you are, a poor, vile sinner, to be

washed in His blood, to be clothed in His righteousness, sanctified by His spirit, and fitted for Is glory. Why do you object to receive what He is so ready to give; and that freely, "without money and without price"
(Isa. 55:1), even pardon, holiness, and heaven? He professedly receiveth sinners (Luke 15:2), that He may save them; and has solemnly declared, "him that cometh to me, "be the person who or what he may,

"I will in no wise case out".

Pastor Bankole Akinmola

For more Information visit us at www.wocfanusa.org

Gospel Seeds Through Works

“If I am not doing the work of my father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the

Father”. (John 10:37-38 ESV)

Earlier in this narrative a group of people asked Jesus to tell them straight out if he really is the Christ (John 10:24). Prior to this in the Gospel of John, Jesus had revealed that he is the Messiah to only one person,

the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:26). Here though, it would seem as if Jesus had the perfect opportunity to reveal himself as the Messiah to a large number of people. He is the one who is going to same them

by laying down his life for them. It seems the ideal moment, but he doesn’t.

If we read further we see hi answer to those who want to know if he is claiming to be the messiah and want to stone him for it. In essence, Jesus responds that even if they don’t believe him they should believe his works

because only God could have produced them. In turn, their hearts could have grown soft toward Jesus and what would be the Gospel. What a great lesson for us as believers in the  Gospel Message, but they believe that

there is something different about the way we live our lives, treat others, serve the poor and display grace. God will use these works to bring about the realization of the Holy Spirit’s power at work and the truth of the Gospel.

Be encouraged today if your words about God are being rejected as a simple myth or fairy tale. Remember that your actions can be just as important to a person I their journey to belief in Jesus.

For more information visit us at www.wocfanusa.org

Favor Of God

Daniel 1:8 – Favor Of God

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself”. (Daniel 1:8 ESV)

There are two things we can learn from Daniel’s response to the king’s decree that they eat a certain food and drink wine (Daniel 1:5), First, we learn that Daniel remained faithful to God when it seemed as though

God was not faithful to him. Daniel just had his home destroyed by the king of Babylon and was subsequently taken into captivity (Daniel 1:1-4). To many of us it may seem as though God had not taken care of Daniel

and his fellow Israelites. Even though it appeared that way from a human perspective, Daniel stayed faithful to God and His commandments; even when it came to food.

Secondly, we learn that Daniel looked for God’s favor above man’s favor. We know that he was taken captive because of his handsome appearance and knowledge (Daniel 1:4). He possesses what was required to succeed

in the Babylonian King’s court. But, instead of working his way through the ranks, as all the other young men undoubtedly tried to do, he chose to find favor with God by obeying His commandments. He did this rather than

doing what was expected of him by the ambitious men surrounding him. This is very similar to what many of us deal with as we work our way up the corporate ladder in the business world today. Decisions like, “do I stick with

my morals, or do what all the others did before me to make my way up?”, or, “Is God really going to care about this minor detail I don’t obey if I use my new found position to positively influence others?” Resolve, like Daniel, to

seek first god’s favor before men’s, and seek position into his presence, rather than position in a corporation.

Do you seek God’s favor, even when it appears as though he’s placed you in an adverse situation?

Pastor Bank Akinmola

For more information visit us at: www.wocfanusa.org

THE JOURNEY TO MATURITY

THE JOURNEY TO MATURITY

Divine Intervention: God Restrains Laban

Jacob absconded with Rachael and Leah. Rachael absconded with her father’s idol. “And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachael had stolen the images that were her father’s” – Gen. 31:19.

Rachael’s action aggravated Jacob’s plight. She added more burden to his.

It was bad enough to suddenly disappear without any trace but to run away with an employer’s treasured idol was odious and repulsive. Laban saddled his ass and pursued, with rage and murderous intent,

after Jacob’s company in a seven days journey. He was not ready to give up so easily. Not when his idol was stolen!

“Then Laban overtook Jacob…” – Gen. 31:25

The game seemingly was up for Jacob because Laban had overtaken him. Jacob could not do anything to salvage the situation. He was clever enough to abscond from Laban in a swift and clandestine manner

but here he was face-to-face with his fear. When Laban queried him for his foolish escapade, he said:

“Because I was afraid: for I said, peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me” – Gen. 31:31

By divine intervention, God restrained Laban from hurting Jacob: “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yester night…” – Gen. 31:29

The battle is not yours but the Lord’s! You not prevail by your natural approach. By now, Jacob was too weak to face Laban. You are too weak to help yourself. Turn it over to God.

Jacob needed divine intervention and God was right there to disarm the opposition.

“Not by might nor by power but by my spirit, saith the LORD” – Zech. 4:6

“The kings heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water, he turneth it withersoever he will” – Proverbs 21:2

Are you faced with situations that are beyond your reasonable control? Turn them over to God. He is our very present help in trouble. Hang on to the horns of the altar. He delivered Jacob from Laban.

He will deliver you from any form of opposition.

Pastor Bank Akinmola

For more Information visit us at: www.wocfanusa.org

THE JOURNEY TO MATURITY

GOD'S COMPENSATION PLAN

Laban was ready to negotiate with Jacob. God had taught Jacob some valuable lessons. He was smart enough to steal the birthright and conniving enough to get the blessing. However, for fourteen years,

he found no answer to Laban's inhumanity. Having come to his wit's end, God moved Laban to put things in perspective.

"And he said, appoint me thy wages, and I will give it" - Gen. 30:28

Timing is important in order to ascertain or establish certain facts. Let's use Jacob as an example. If he had requested a particular wage fourteen years earlier, it would have been difficult for Laban to reward

him appropriately. This is because Laban would not have understood that he (Laban's) success and progress was largely due to Jacob's input.

In fourteen years, Laban has comes to the realization that his progress was a direct result of Jacob's efforts. This primarily informed his quest for fairness and justice in apportioning Jacob's wages. e was ready

to consider any bill Jacob brought to the table.

In verse 43 of Genesis 30, God had heavily compensated Jacob. "And the man increase exceedingly, and had much cattle,and maidservants, and menservants, and camels and asses". Take a minute to consider

Jacob's state of mind when he left his family and fled from Esau. He had absolutely nothing but in twenty years, he had become exceedingly prosperous.

Be sure to do the right thing at the right time. It is very evident from this Jacob's encounter with Laboan that nothing can compare with God's compensation plan. As long as our obedience is complete, God will 

always avenge all disobedience - 2 Cor. 10:6. He will address all forms of injustice in due season.

Pastor Bank Akinmola

For more information visit us at www.wocfanusa.org

Qualifications for the journey

With man, the higher your profile, the better qualified you are to be selected for higher authority. This appears to be the norm in the human system. Not so with God. "For ye see your calling, brethren,

how that not many wise men after the flesh,not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of this world to

confound the things which are mighty" - 1 Cor. 1:26-27

The world system will wait to see a finished product before they give their mark of approval and appraisal. God considers a bad product for future appraisal. In the natural, Jacob was not the best candidate

to carry on the genealogy of God and obtain this princely approval. We see clearly from the scriptures that his natural dispositions were overwhelming.

God extends his invitation to the ill-fated. In his first advent, Jesus declared the purpose of His mission:"they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous,

but sinners to repentance" - Mark 2:17. He locates the dishonorable, enrolls them in his transformation academy and graduates them for the world to see at the completion of his handiwork. What a great God He is!

It is not who you are that matters but who HE is. No matter who terrible you are, God is willing to bring glory our of shame, beauty our of ashes. Are you encumbered with vices of inexplicable measure? Maybe

you are caught in the web of natural dispositions and immoral tendencies. Or you may be trapped in a quagmire of evil orgies? This is exactly what qualifies you for the journey. "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth

me: thy mercy of LORD endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands" - Psalms 138:8

His greatest concern is not how you are at the moment but what you can become when He is done-you can become a PRINCE WITH GOD!

Pastor Bankole Akinmola

                                                                                                         For more Information visit us at: www.wocfanusa.org