What's That in Your Hand? [Part 1]

Pastor, author and Bible teacher Alan Wright.

I think sometimes that we as Christians is of God has called us God has saved us and we have to do something to validate ourselves. Note the same race that saved you is the grace that sanctifies you the same grace that called you to God in the first place is the same grace that will validate point and used to Alan Wright welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light excited for you to hear the teaching today.

In our series called Moses is presented in an old church in North Carolina you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. Yours for your donation this month to Alan Reich ministries so as you listen to today's message.

We encourage you to go deeper as we send you today special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org that's pastor out and.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860.

More on this later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright goodness, what's that in your hand.

Yesterday's good news because if God asked you what's that in your hand it must be he sees something of great potential very close to you. The second book of the Bible is Exodus chapter 4 as we are in the midst of a series on Moses and we're declared ourselves to not be in a hurry and so when I got very far. We started out at the Red Sea and then we backed up and we hadn't gotten back to the Red Sea yet backward still got a ways to go but I just couldn't rush past the first five verses of Exodus chapter 4 Moses has seen a burning bush, he has heard God speak to him. And Moses is been full of questions. Moses wants to know what is your name, oh Lord, who will tell them sent me an he begins a dialogue with God in which Moses is protesting and listing before the Lord, all the reasons that Moses shouldn't be the man. It's almost hilarious. If you think about it, to have dialogue with the sovereign creator of the ends of the earth who is giving you a task is a very futile thing to try to convince God that God can't use you but God is very patient and he wants to show Moses that the call upon Moses life will be continually validated by the power of God. Okay, Exodus chapter 4 verse one and Moses answered, but behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say the Lord did not appear to you. The Lord said to him, what is that in your hand. He said staff and he said throw it on the ground so he threw it on the ground and it became a serpent and Moses ran from it, but the Lord said to Moses, put out your hand and catch it by the tail, so he put out his hand and caught it and it became a staff in his hand that they may believe that the Lord of the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has appeared to you Jewish rabbis are famous for answering a question with another question. In fact, lot of humor in Jewish circles revolves around this that this is a culture that has learned the art of asking questions so the boy comes home from college and he's made a D in physics and his mother says what's what's with this D in physics and he respond to my Einstein or a mom what's for supper what you think I am your personal chef.

In other words, it always could be a question know for a question and so the funniest is the student who comes to the rabbi and said Rabbi good teacher said why is it whenever I ask you a question you always respond with a question and the rabbi said so was so bad about a question maybe this is the way the people of God were in the old covenant they learn this because God interacts this way with us. Moses is full of questions for God, but God's got a question for Moses while Moses is saying what what your name and they won't believe me. And how in the world is going work and how you said what is that in your hands and let's be reminded that when an all-knowing deity asks you a question. It is not so he can gain information God already knew quite well what was in Moses's hand. But Moses didn't all he might've know that he had a wooden stick in his hand. It was a shepherd's crook that he could use for guiding the sheep or for fighting off a wolf but did he really know what was right hand what's in your hand. I think that's the question the Lord has for each one of us today. We add a seed of this word and encounter last week and I just stayed with me just Stirring what is that that is close at hand was ordinary thing. The most unlikely thing in your life that you might never think God would use God could use. I want to talk about this question, what's that in your hand but more than I want to invite you to let the Lord show you today what it is that is in your hand.

All right, the staff.

The staff was an symbol. I think the reason the Lord shows this staff is the first sign he would give Moses is that it was a symbol of the fact that Moses had become a shepherd it just in the natural sense. What had happened was Moses was a Hebrew baby who was then by God's providence raised in the Egyptian court as if you were royalty. But then after he murdered an Egyptian. He had to flee and he was in exile in Midian. He was no longer amongst the Hebrew people. He was no longer amongst the Egyptian people. He was a man without a home. He was in exile. He was an alien. He named his first child, Gershom, which means a sojourner or alien and he had become a shepherd.

Shepherds were despised by the Egyptians. It was considered such a lowly task and so the irony of this is that Pharaoh had treated Moses like apprentice, but now instead of being in the lap of luxury.

Moses is in a very poor place with a few sheep being a shepherd and the shepherd's staff was a symbol therefore of his obscurity. It was a symbol of the seeming nothingness of his life.

It would've been just a reminder of how much he lost it would be an indication that he was in avocation that was the most despised vocation in Egypt where he had grown up all of that and that staff was a shepherd's staff in the shepherd's staff is a great comfort to the sheep I Ron and I staff they comfort me. Why, why would the sheep be comforted by the side of the shepherd's staff because that staff would be used to to gently nudge the sheep in the right direction. It was it was one of the things a shepherd would use to help guide the sheet get him on the right path leading to greener pastures taken to still waters that staff also that staff along with the shepherd's rod that could be thrown but that staff would become a weapon if needed. And the good Shepherd might fight off the predator might put the wolf away by using that staff, I've got a picture that someone gave me my early years here, and it was a blessing to me and said you know you're a shepherd and you come to be our shepherd.

And so I got a painting of a shepherd and I was expecting you know a shepherd with the little lamb in the arms or something like that, but instead it was a picture of a shepherd with his staff and it was a ravenous wolf that was attacking a shepherd was just crushing the wolf with the staff that's part of being a shepherd. That's Alan Wright will have more teaching moment from today's important series like something is holding you back if you can important see what could change everything. Is there someone you can stock what's missing blessing over you can learn how to embrace a blessing to pastor Alan Reitz knew that he became an enzyme number one best seller after its recent until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once send you the I thank you for your demos make your gift today discovered the power to bless the gospel is shared when you get to Alan Wright Ministries.

This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support.

When you get today we listen Jake a special offer.

We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor at work.

Today's teaching now continues once again is all that is in that shepherd's staff, a symbol of how ordinary life is and yet the thing that would be of great comfort to the sheep and the picture of being a shepherd and how guides and protects what's interesting about the staff and surely this is part of the reason the Lord shows it to be the first sign that he would give Moses is that the staff is also a symbol of royalty in Egypt so it was used as a metaphor of for Pharaoh to be the shepherd over everyone and you see and ancient hieroglyphics. You'll see wherever Pharaoh was depicted.

There is usually a symbolic shepherd's crook and usually that shepherd's crook would have a stylized animals had at the curved top of the of the shepherd's staff Jordan irony.

It is a despised profession. And yet it became a symbol of the Egyptian tyranny and and this was the thing that was in Moses's hand was on your hand. Staff is the staff it's a symbol of my obscurity is the symbol of my humble vocation. It is also the thing that would be inscribed in hieroglyphics describing Pharaoh himself when irony and then the thing the notes that I note about this next is that this this is is a question what is in your hand.

In other words, it's as close as your own hand. They got is singly saying that the thing that I'm going to do is so close it's not for somebody else is not in some other place it's not is not often the distance is not some some ethereal notion this is right at hand is right here for you. For now thing is for the word of the Lord today is that for some of you.

You've always thought of the blessing of God was always somewhere else. The kingdom of God and his power, his presence is always a little bit further away when Jesus came. What he said is repent for the kingdom of God is at hand repent means to change your mind.

It means you change your way of thinking so literally what Jesus said all the time was what you change your way of thinking kingdom of God is not often that this is the kingdom is here and that's what he told the disciples to go and preach. He said go and tell people repent changers are you thinking you've always thought the kingdom was off in the distance. You've always thought was somewhere else but is not it's here it's now the kingdom of God is at hand. It's as close as your own hand, the power of God to deliver you from whatever besets you is as close as your own hand. The provision of God for what you need is as close as your own hand. The miracle working power of God is as close as your own hand something you can even get away from issues here is in your hand you your your own hand, is a thing you you you are stuck with it, it's there. It's right there. God is aware of her :-) it's right there is right there quit believing that that's all in somewhere else is for somebody else. I was always taken by the words of Henry now and in his opening chapters of of his book called the return of the prodigal, which was a book about the prodigal son story of Luke 15, but it was about. Also, the famous Rembrandt painting by that title, the return of the prodigal, because Henry Mallon was absolutely fascinated with this this this mysterious painting which Rembrandt a master of light and vividness of color and symbolism had depicted this this boy spent all of his inheritance in riotous living. And he'd come home finally and fallen into his father's arms and there he was in Rembrandt's painting and his tattered clothes. His beard feed his broken self and the father was light upon his face is embracing and bracing him holding him next to his bosom, and there are people all around that are just watching on and they are in the shadows distant and observing close but they might as well been a mile away because there's only one that was in the father's embrace and I was identified with what Henry now in this scholar and author and teachers said he wrote for years I had instructed students on the different aspects of the spiritual life trying to help them see the importance of living it, but had I myself really ever dared to step into the center kneel down and let myself be held by a forgiving God.

There are many ways in which you can feel distant sometime for me is been my own intellect, own my own mind always trying to sort everything out. Figure everything out. You always wanted just to know this, that God is as close as my own hand is really here.

Moses, what's that in your hand, it's a staff it's an ordinary thing. It's the symbol of my humble vocation, a reminder of my obscurity and it's in hand. It's right here. It's as close as my own hand and don't miss this.

It's in your hand it's it's something that's personal to you is something that someone else is not holding your holding it. He didn't ask Moses to go get a secret sword from a stone in some faraway place or to go find a gym hidden in a dark cave and some other land use talking about was this is something is right here it's right in your hand it's it's it's something about you. Something about who you are.

Moses I'm not you. Somebody else for this in the use you. So whatever you have in your hands, go to work you have what you have selling as per the question and I think softly look at our lives.

We don't have anything I look back on my life and I go, come come from a broken family come from broken circumference of pain come. I've had Shane not been driven okay. I can use what you have when you have no I got a couple divorces and some wayward kids okay I can use what you have will that frustration at my workplace right now and things don't sit okay. I can use that well what you have said in your hand. What is God's. He knows when fusion he once you discover it. Maybe it's time to not be thinking that it's somebody else is going to be blessed that somebody else that has a destiny what's in your hand. Your hand and and then the power this story to me grows in this that when God tells him to throw it to the ground. He picks it back up as a snake. He picks back up come the staff again. God is showing himself strong showing himself mighty. He is proving to Moses that Moses is God's man.

He is validating Moses and why this is such good news to me is that Moses doesn't do something to validate himself.

Moses didn't call himself and Moses didn't validate himself.

I think sometimes it we act as Christians is that God has called us God has saved us, but then we have to do something to validate ourselves. Note the same grace that saved you is the grace that sanctifies you the same grace that called you to God in the first place is the same grace that will validate on point and use you. You do not qualify yourself for your inheritance in the saints.

But Paul said in the first chapter of Colossians.

You have been qualified for your inheritance amongst the saints.

This is something that God does for Moses.

It is something that is right at hand and then God turns it into something that is a powerful symbol and a validation of what God is going to do and Moses life, I'll be your source. Moses I'll be your confidence, I'll show you how.

I'll be with you. I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. If I am with you. Who could be against you throw down the staff. I want to show you my power. I want to show you my grace I want to show you that my purposes are true. Many are the plans of a man's heart but the purposes of God will prevail. I want to show you my sovereign power, Moses.

I want you to know you are mine.

You are my man for this hour I am validating you when you become a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit.

Every single Christian has the Holy Spirit. Every Christian has the spirit of God living inside of you and the first thing the Holy Spirit begins to do is bear witness to your spirit that your child of God with God doing validating who you are all my we could just have for our young people today. If we decide as long every single one of the children and youth in this country to come to know the saving power of Jesus and then not only to know that. But to know that God says, I have plans for you not to harm you, but to give you a future and a hope.

I have validated your life in Jesus Christ. You have purpose you have destiny where just what is hurting people that are looking for validation. Wonder why people wander into every means of sin in every kind of group in every different kind of divided allegiance. People are looking for some type of validation of their life and God is comes to Moses and Moses just tending sheep in Midian is in exile in God not only calls and he says I'm going to show you that you have been qualified for this right things in your blessing your grayscale vision for your rights, free grace and encouragement. It's free pastor got away like something is holding you back if you can importance could change everything. Is there someone you love hissing stock.

Well, what's missing blessing over you can learn how to embrace your Pastor Alan writes new blood became an enzyme number one best seller until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once send you the I think your demos make your gift today discovered the power to bless the gospel is shared when you get to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support.

When you get today.

We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor at work. For those of us in the season.

Maybe were longing were hoping were wishing for something. Is it okay to say you know what maybe look at what God has done for you become to go back to the old song count your blessings but but is also what is going to equip you with today that we may not even be realizing they so often we're like Moses and were like how can I do this, how could you call me this is my life make a difference in and were asking the questions of God.

He's got a question for us and that's what he had with Moses and he said what that in your hand. Just whatever you now have in your hand. Even it was just a wooden staff that seem so ordinary. God takes it insurgent and something extraordinary. It's the ultimate picture of God's plan for using people we feel so limited and yet God's unlimited so there something in your hand is something I can use right now what is it and and that's a powerful encouragement from today's work.

It's not all about. If I only I had this or if only I could develop that is exactly it's already in your hand. Today's good news message for the production.

Alan Wright Ministries