Getting to the Place of Moses

Carter, from the historic Times Square Church in New York City strip-searched him.

Actually, the victories, but there's very small in comparison to what victories, if we learn to wait upon God.

Glad you're with us today for a call to the nation with Carter, Moses 40 years to learn a very important lesson, one that we must learn also need God to be with you to be able to find unity for the glory of God to be manifested in your life. We need to get back place of Moses is Carter, with today's message. The apostle Paul was a master theologian, the apostle Paul who had understanding of the mysteries of God in a deeper way than probably anybody in his or any other generation.

The apostles that he writes things that are hard to be understood.

The understood mysteries. He was taken by God into heavenly places. He told us nor did he saw things were not even lawful to speak about God love this meant drew a map and his presence gave him revelation.

Paul had the spiritual authority to direct the church, he could stand against devils of hell he could get a word from God in the midst of storms. He knew how to bring people to safety, but listen to his testimony about himself because we ask ourselves, where did Paul get this power. How was the power of God, made so powerfully known through this man's life. Here's one of the keys is his and my brethren when I came to you did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. It didn't mean that he couldn't speak or he wasn't wise, but the wisdom he had the ability to speak that he had came from God. This is what Paul was saying it was not that which the world offers.

I was not eloquent in my delivery and and I wasn't standing before you in such a way that you were drawn to me and not the Christ. That's in effect what he was saying and is very easy for those of us to stand in pulpits to unwittingly draw to ourselves because of eloquence because of talent because of ability because quite often speakers have an ability to phrase things and put things together that leaves their audience standing looking in all and speakers can often unwittingly turn the attention of the people away from Jesus Christ and to themselves. The evidence of that is when people leave the building talking about the preacher not talking about the Savior is Bob wonderful. Didn't Bob preach a great message that isn't Bob this isn't Bob that and that the reality is they've lost sight of Christ because Bob was way too big is much bigger than it should've been in pulses I brethren when I came to did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified, and others. I did want to focus on anything.

I didn't want to bring anything into your midst, but this amazing wonderful redemption that was bought for us through the cross of Jesus Christ and the incredible power of God that is available to those of us who believe in him when his Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are taken from where we are and we are made into that which God would have us to be. Not that which we desire to be, but that which God desires us to be. It's incredible because when you look in Paul's life is technically saying this the way up is down, the way to strength is through weakness. The way to wisdom is through acknowledging that we don't have any wisdom in ourselves when we are empty of ourselves and suddenly God is available to do in us what only God can do. I was with you in weakness and fear and in much trembling in my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and the power that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God is what Paul is saying he was there was nothing in me.

When you looked at me.

There was nothing in me that you should dishearten it or even desire to be like it you look and you saw frail vessel saw a man who was not with you and natural strength, but actually in weakness was not overconfident but was wholly dependent upon God to the point where I stood before you in fear and trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not such that your focus was drawn to me but you looked at me because you were being strangely moved upon in your hearts are being moved upon to draw closer to God.

The new Litton came to the conclusion that only God could be giving this man the ability that he has only God could be speaking through him because as I look at it in the natural. There's nothing about him that should cause me to be feeling the way I am feeling. I'm telling you when God finds a surrendered vessel. There is power in the words that God gives to that mentor. That woman and you might not be the most eloquent speaker you might not be the most magnificent looking person ever stood and spoke about Jesus Christ. But there is something in you of him that causes the heart to tremble.

It's hearing you this something in you that causes the words of God gives to go right through the center Corp. people are sitting there listening and they don't fully understand if they think it's as if you're speaking to only me in the room and I felt like your words are going right through into my heart and examining the contents of my very soul announces leaving me in distress but lifting the opera and giving me courage to go forward into the future to believe that what God has done for you. He can do for me as well. We do an incredible disservice to the body of Christ or to the seeking center when we draw to ourselves as if the center has to look something like us to say that the spirit of God is upon them best that we should be weak that the weaker mongers could understand that there are no respected persons with God. But what God does through one he is well able to do through another Nepali going to the place for Moses once was in our generation.

I want to suggest it's a place where we need to return to. It's a place for you and I need to be again.

If God is going to use our lives in any measure of glory in this generation. The let me explain what I mean by this. In the book of acts chapter 7 when Stephen young disciple just before he was stoned to death is making I say brilliant defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you read through it. It's an amazing defense. Only the Holy Spirit could have given in the words that he spoke. But in his defense, he takes a measure of what he says he talks about Moses. Now the next chapter 7 verse 22 Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.

So here's this man Moses is drawn out of the river.

He is raised by Pharaoh's daughter as her own son. The obviously has access to the finest education is good access to find culture is taught by the greatest tutors in the nation is going to be rulers going to be a leader in Egypt and Stephen says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that his is mighty in speech Incredible command.

Perhaps you can just see him standing on the steps of the policy would've been in the giving and oration and everybody is listening to him and thinking this is our future leader. This man is a great leader and he said he was mighty in words and in deeds so that means he had abilities that were given to him to build to do things perhaps to put together armies. We don't know exactly all that he was doing when he was 40 years old. The commander was hard to visit his brother and the children of Israel, and seeing one of them suffer wrongly defended and evinced in those oppressed and struck down the Egyptian. But here's where it gets interesting in verse 25 it says for he supposed that his brother would've understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

He supposed that they would understand. He had this inner knowledge of what his life was supposed to be. But you see the problem with Moses and which is a problem with many of us as he outran God he ran ahead he was ahead of God and the brother and didn't understand because the messenger was there, but there was no evidence of the presence of God. We have no shortage of that in our world today, with no shortage of that in many church buildings were the messenger is there messenger speaking about the things of God. The messenger is talking about deliverance in talking about callings in talking about what God is going to do that.

There is a strange absence of the presence of God, and I don't know about you but I don't want to live there. I don't want to be like on anyone my life to be like God really died tomorrow just going to have. I want to stand in the end be speaking about God and God is not there in talking about what God can do, and God is not doing it in our midst. He has this inner knowledge of of what is called to do.

But the problem at this point in Moses life at 40 years of age is that he's mighty in words and deeds and some outlets to get into his heart. Like the time is, not God didn't speak it is spoken out of his own heart and he headed out of 40 years of age and he's got influence in Pharaoh's court's got an army behind them is probably strong in his gut muscles get all the stuff to sort by his side is called to bring a whole nation out of bondage and into freedom that's calling on his life and he has out just as a messenger of what is called to do God is not with him yet because it's not the appointed time. Is that amazing. Instead of bringing millions of people out of bondage we buries one Egyptian in the sand, and that's there was a victory of sorts, but it was rather distal compared to what he was called to do when we head out to do the work of God in our own strength. There can actually be victories, but they're very small in comparison to what the victories could be if we learn to wait upon God. If we learn to let God be our strength and didn't head out in our own strength to do it. See, Moses went out mighty in words and deeds.

But Paul said, I stand before you, not with excellence of speech or of wisdom. Look at the contrast at this point between the two men now Moses is going to now be taken into a truth that's going to take him 40 years to learn, it can take some of us a long long time to learn this truth to get to the place of Moses to get to the place where God can actually use our lives in a greater measure than we could ever be used with any amount of natural zeal or natural wisdom or natural strength.

Natural ability of influence and authority and good can be done. Don't misunderstand me, but the good that is accomplished could be so far beneath. Think of it, the contrast one Egyptian is called to deliver a nation. There was a victory.

It was very very small. He did succeed in defeating one oppressor, but he was called to bring a whole nation into captivity and I just wonder sometimes how many of us fall so far it's not that we don't get to heaven. Don't misunderstand Mrs. no condemnation here. Our names are in the Lamb's book of life. But what what a shame one day to get to the throne of God and find out what her life could have been the magic you find (and then you see the video of what life could abandon Jesus but you were too strong. The Lord would say you were too wise to focus on yourself.

You too much confidence in your own ability and you headed out to do something that you worked, you weren't ready to do now in Exodus chapter 33 after 40 years now, 40 years subpoena in the wilderness 40 years of of looking after sheep, not just the desert but the bottoms is in the backside of the desert. I mean this is bad enough the backside of the desert is is bad as it gets is like as far into dry places you can go in his is finally an old man is gotta stick in his hand in the in the course of Scripture tells us he encounters God in it in a burning bush and it's at this point that the Lord calls them to go out and do the work that is called to do.

And Moses is now at the point where his lost all confidence in his own ability is lost his ability in 40 years of the speak out in the wilderness he lost his ability to speak is not eloquent anymore is not mighty in words or deeds anymore. He sees herding sheep home ideas that may be my to build a fence somewhere a corral or put some stones in a pile buddy wasn't building palaces and pyramids, and these other things that they were prone to do back in the land that he came from.

It's at this point, but God calls him and you and I know the story how it goes and not on strength and weakness no longer has an army. All he has is this is a brother who delivers a one line sermon that is too shy to deliver himself as man is walking under the authority of God and God's powers nor walking through his life. He brings all of these people out of captivity and into the wilderness, heading towards a place of promise and is there on that journey.

The people decide this is gone up in the mountain to talk to God they decide to make a golden calf in the Scripture says they sin the great sin against God, and what they did.

Exodus 33, three said I'm not going to blow up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way for your stiffnecked people is also in my angel before you know the results are not going with you, but I'll send a messenger before you and there will still be victories there but it was at this point Moses says if your presence does not go with us. Do not bring us up from here.

In other words Moses said what I'm saying today. If you don't go with me. I'm not going.

It's as simple as that. We did this once before and you never got 40 years scope I I went up with a message. Your presence was with me, but I had the word and it was the word, but your presence wasn't with me and the people didn't recognize what you would do some I like to be because you work with me and we we did this 40 years ago and that mistake send me into a wilderness for 40 years and I'm just not willing to go there again. So if you don't go with us. Don't move us because I'm not going for. How will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your site except to go with us so we will be separate your people and I from all the people who are on the face of the earth.

Moses just think what everybody's got ideas in this generation about God that got ideas about the got ideas about culture the got ideas about country. They got ideas about marriage got ideas about right and wrong in and out of your house. There's just so much space there is. There are so many people are so many voices everywhere. Some are against you summer for you. Some say there you're speaking through them and he says, but the only thing that really makes a difference is if you go with us if you don't go with us. We are just like the people around us were going in our own strength for going with her own wisdom are going to our own destination. Even if we think you're leaving us there and all we are is just another group of people with an argument in an ever degenerating society and Moses that I'm just simply unwilling to go unless you go with it and I think that's the place we need to get to again in the church of Jesus Christ. Every last one of us is that God are not moving until you lead me is that one prayer request said tonight just help me to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord again told me to stop trying to procure my own freedom. Listen, you headed out before God. That's what you fail, you felt you had a word from the Lord, and you told everybody.

God was with you and you went out you fell flat on your face just like Moses because you you went out ahead of God just got had a plan and purpose for your life but you got you got you fell over the top your skis been reported that what you want just a little too fast for God. Now you find yourself sitting on account listening to this preacher preach this word and you've gotten to the place where Moses was getting to that place where Paul wants you get your actually coming to the place where God's power cannot become your portion when you when you arrive at the place us in God. I am not going if you don't go with me.

I'm done trying as as our last purpose said on undone trying to be better I'm done trying to change am done trying to get free and mild strength of habit.

God, how will the people know I belong to, unless you go with me unless your presence is in my life and the Lord said to Moses Exodus 3317. I will also do this.

Thank you've spoken of this thing that you've asked me for review of found grace in my site and I know you by name. God was saying to Moses I'll go with you because you found grace you found the place of mercy you found the place of power you found the heart that you need so that the glory of God can be made manifest through your life. I love you said and I know you by name Holly Duda Colin he knows your name and you have found grace in his sight is not about your success. It is not about your failure. It's about getting to the place us in God's if you will go with me I'll go but I'm not going without John done trying to do this thing undone trying to live the Christian life by myself I'm done talking about the victories undone just being a messenger I'm done with going to church and coming home all excited because the preacher got all excited it last till Monday and I fall right on my face again unfurled up and finished with all of the stuff if you don't go with me.

I'm not getting off this couch and the Lord looks at you. It's as good I been waiting for you to get to this place. Now you found grace in my site. Now I'm going to go with you and your testimony is going to be all about the grace of God. Paul said, I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Your message is not going to be about how you did anything message is going to be about what God has done for you through his son Jesus Christ is not to be about human wisdom or human speech or human power is going to be about the mercy and the power of God and your message will be one that can touch every heart and every soul in every place because you been at the bottom.

You know what it feels like to be struggling, but you also have learned about the power of God feels like in the surrendered vessel we have for too many years in this nation and America in particular, we have spent all this time building ourselves up.

Trust God and fail and leave our nation in bankruptcy is absolutely mind-boggling when in reality the power of God is found when we finally get to the end of ourselves. I've said it so many times the past will say it again. The end of ourselves is the beginning of God when when the world was barren and only God can give life and were four days dead and the true and only God can raise us when were too weak and too young to find a giant and only God can give us the victory. When we feel unlovely like yesterday and we we know that only God can give us the mercy that is needed now at the throne of the king when were called at the time of our greatest weakness as was Gideon and time in history, it's just on sales it before is for those who want to see it is when we get to this place that Moses was in this place that the apostle Paul found when he said when I am weak, then I am strong. It wasn't just filling words on the page to write in Scripture it's time for the drug addict. It's time for the drunk it's time for the depressed, it's time for the single mom it's time for those that feel hopeless is time for you to rise up in the power and strength of your God and be a voice for God and be a testimony for God is not just a message about God, but with you, which is the hope of glory also posited Christ in you, that is the hope of glory. Not bringing a message about Christ, but Christ bringing his own message through you through a surrendered week stammering vessel. Moses stood before the most powerful influential leader of his generation must've been so humorous. I'm convinced the only reason Farrell didn't kill Moses and Aaron right on the spot initially is because it was so desperate that this old man would come and challenge the greatest army in the face of the earth with nothing but a stammering tongue and a stick in his hand. Praise be to God it was so weak he couldn't even deliver one line sermon. He had to have his brother deliver. But it was in that place of nothingness of God became everything but God's hand could move God's power could be made known to this is why Moses said God's. I'm not willing to go with a message I'm done with going to church and trying to get excited by the preacher forget it I'm done with it… Done a lot of walked all that and some could say that I'm still sitting depressed in my living.

I'm still drug addicted. I'm still an alcoholic. My marriage is still falling apart. My kids are still rebelling against God. I am finished looking for somebody else. A messenger to make me excited about the things of God. This dog was the I'm not going God's is put. I'm glad you finally got there.

I'm glad you finally found the place to strength you found the place with the glory of God now will be made known in your life and through your life. None of us want to go there in the natural world was repulsed by the idea of the coming week is the whole thing about becoming stronger. Of greater influence and authority and a lot of people strive for. Do a lot of places build that natural man only to send the people are powerless in the Wasser generation going into darkness know we gotta get back to the place of Moses. Gotta get back to that place were not standing in our own strength standing in weakness and fear and trembling in her speech and preaching are not with persuasive words of human wisdom does not describe love of our preaching to the but in demonstration of the Spirit power in your strength. My strength is failing, but your strength is never ending. My wisdom is limited, but yours is infinite.

My speech can begin to stammer your words have the power to create a universe, so help me God to let you be God and take me to where you want me to go and give me what you want spoken when I get there. In Jesus name. It all begins by just admitting that you need a Savior can't save yourself who you trying to kid you know it now, you kinky free on their own, and many were listening to my voice, you have no assurance that heaven is going to be your home but I tell you that you can have that assurance.

If you simply admit you need a Savior. Don't make it complicated and understand that God loves you every said to Moses you found grace in my side and I know you by name. God sent his son to die in your place in the pay the price for the wrong that you've done was about to call sin which separates you from God.

Submit your condition and understand that Jesus Christ died because he loves you and just with your mouth, say Jesus sure my little heart I give you my life and when you do that when you finally get to that place were not trusting in yourself anymore. Watch what God will do in your life. The message today has been brought to you by Carter Conlon from Times Square church.

For more information log onto TSC.NYC that's TSC.NYC plan to be with us next week for a call to the nation with Carter,