Deuteronomy 34- Live for God- What are you doing with your dash?
Pray
One day A man walked into the middle of a dentist's surgery and said, "Excuse me, can you help me. I think I am a Moth."
Dentist: "You don't need a dentist. You need a psychiatrist."
Man: "Yes, I know."
Dentist: "So why did you come in here?"
Man: "The light was on..."
If we don’t know- who we are- if we don’t know what we are called to do= we risk living a life that is as meaning less as a moth bumping into a light- simply bumping into whatever grabs our attention- rather than living for our true calling
To Live for God is to find your real identity-
Living for God-103- "What are you doing with your Dash?"
What is "The DASH?" the dash is that line, on a tombstone between the birth year and the death year. It is representative of our entire life time.
This sermon aims to Answer the questions- What are we here on earth for? What is the vision for your life? What is promised for us- what is the promised Land?-
The life and death of Moses can help us address these questions
Deut 34:1-12 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land--from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt--to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
What are you doing with your dash?
- In order to look at ourselves- let’s first look at Moses
What did Moses do with his dash?
- Survived a traumatic infancy
- Learned from his mistakes- he killed a man
- Earned his living from shepherding
- He listened to the call of God
- He led his people out of bondage
- He pleaded for God’s mercy- when the Israelites were disobedient
- He brought the Israelites to the edge of the Promised Land
- He prepared the next leader for the Hebrews- he left a legacy
Quite a life- there was only one Moses- we won’t likely lead a parallel life to his- but there are lessons we can learn from Moses’ life
Learn- from your mistakes
The end of verse four says, "I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
Forgiven- but with real consequences- Moses had killed a man by his own hand- this kept him from leading the Hebrews to the promised land
He learned from his mistake- he never again raised his hand against another person- He let the Lord fight his battles
When he was angry with Aaron and the people for creating a golden idol and worshipping it- he did not resort to violence- in fact he pleaded with the Lord to spare their lives-
God used the former angry Moses- and turned him into the Wise moses- He put him in challenging situations- and Moses learned to seek Justice and Mercy
What are you doing with your dash?
Do we learn from our mistakes? Do we pretend like we don’t make mistakes? Or do we admit them, but then quickly forget them- rather than prayerfully considering how we could have done something differently?
Listen- to the call of God in your life. Verse 5 "And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said."
-The Servant of the Lord- died - that’s not really the amazing part of this sentence- the simple- yet amazing words are the last five words- "as the LORD had said." The Lord spoke to Moses- time and time again- and Moses listened to the Lord
We listen through:
Scripture Reading- Prayer Time- Worship- Fellowship- and Service- God speaks through all these ways- maybe not like a burning bush- but a small still voice
Live Out your calling- God calls all His people- a calling is not just for pastors/ministers- God calls us all to acts of service and love
Of course it is not enough to merely Listen- we must do what the Lord tells us
Illustration: 7 frogs on a log- 4 DECIDE to jump off= How many frogs are on the Log? SEVEN- you have to move from a decision to action- or you haven’t really done anything.
We must care enough about God’s people and God’s work in this world- that we actually do something about it- that we actually ask him about it, that we do something
You’ve probably heard the quote: "The problem is apathy, but who cares"
We must care. What are you doing with your dash?
Do you love God enough to listen to Him? To budget some time and listen to him. Do you care enough to then act on the thoughts, ideas and words that God gives to you in your quiet times
Leave- a legacy for the future work of God’s people
Elders work hard trying to mold the minds and souls of youngsters
On the first day of school, my parents gave me a note to hand to my teacher.
The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents." Parenting has its challenges.
Parenting, Grandparenting, Mentoring- even a high school youth looking out for a jr. Higher or a jr higher looking out for an elementary age youth- these relationships are important and impactful
In verse four it says: "I will give it to your descendants."
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses."
We can leave lasting impressions on people. We must work out our own calling- but we must not ignore preparing future servants of God’s Kingdom
We live fully in the present- by admitting that there is a future in which we will not be present- and if there is a way that I can make the future kingdom of God a bit bigger, - if there is something I can do now- I need to not leave earth without giving it my best shot
Verse Six tell us: No one knows where Moses is buried
At risk of being a tad crass- What matters is what you left behind in life- not where your behind is left
Leaving a legacy- not a monument- but a testimony- no one knows where Moses’ grave is- does that really matter?
It matters not if you are buried in a big tomb- if you did not leave behind a legacy of love- if you don’t act on God’s call in your life
Was Moses’s life a failure because he didn’t make it to the promise land?
No. No life is a failure when we seek to become the servant God is calling us to be
What are you doing with your dash? With the time you have been given?
Are you learning from your past? Confronting your sins and mistakes- and seeking to be a better person.
Are you listening to your Lord? Are you spending time praying, studying, serving and worshiping?
Are you living out your calling? Are you making choices in life to serve rather than just sitting around.
Are you leaving a legacy?
Don’t waste the time you have been given. Every second that passes by- you cannot get it back-
Live for God
Amen
One day A man walked into the middle of a dentist's surgery and said, "Excuse me, can you help me. I think I am a Moth."
Dentist: "You don't need a dentist. You need a psychiatrist."
Man: "Yes, I know."
Dentist: "So why did you come in here?"
Man: "The light was on..."
If we don’t know- who we are- if we don’t know what we are called to do= we risk living a life that is as meaning less as a moth bumping into a light- simply bumping into whatever grabs our attention- rather than living for our true calling
To Live for God is to find your real identity-
Living for God-103- "What are you doing with your Dash?"
What is "The DASH?" the dash is that line, on a tombstone between the birth year and the death year. It is representative of our entire life time.
This sermon aims to Answer the questions- What are we here on earth for? What is the vision for your life? What is promised for us- what is the promised Land?-
The life and death of Moses can help us address these questions
Deut 34:1-12 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land--from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt--to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
What are you doing with your dash?
- In order to look at ourselves- let’s first look at Moses
What did Moses do with his dash?
- Survived a traumatic infancy
- Learned from his mistakes- he killed a man
- Earned his living from shepherding
- He listened to the call of God
- He led his people out of bondage
- He pleaded for God’s mercy- when the Israelites were disobedient
- He brought the Israelites to the edge of the Promised Land
- He prepared the next leader for the Hebrews- he left a legacy
Quite a life- there was only one Moses- we won’t likely lead a parallel life to his- but there are lessons we can learn from Moses’ life
Learn- from your mistakes
The end of verse four says, "I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
Forgiven- but with real consequences- Moses had killed a man by his own hand- this kept him from leading the Hebrews to the promised land
He learned from his mistake- he never again raised his hand against another person- He let the Lord fight his battles
When he was angry with Aaron and the people for creating a golden idol and worshipping it- he did not resort to violence- in fact he pleaded with the Lord to spare their lives-
God used the former angry Moses- and turned him into the Wise moses- He put him in challenging situations- and Moses learned to seek Justice and Mercy
What are you doing with your dash?
Do we learn from our mistakes? Do we pretend like we don’t make mistakes? Or do we admit them, but then quickly forget them- rather than prayerfully considering how we could have done something differently?
Listen- to the call of God in your life. Verse 5 "And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said."
-The Servant of the Lord- died - that’s not really the amazing part of this sentence- the simple- yet amazing words are the last five words- "as the LORD had said." The Lord spoke to Moses- time and time again- and Moses listened to the Lord
We listen through:
Scripture Reading- Prayer Time- Worship- Fellowship- and Service- God speaks through all these ways- maybe not like a burning bush- but a small still voice
Live Out your calling- God calls all His people- a calling is not just for pastors/ministers- God calls us all to acts of service and love
Of course it is not enough to merely Listen- we must do what the Lord tells us
Illustration: 7 frogs on a log- 4 DECIDE to jump off= How many frogs are on the Log? SEVEN- you have to move from a decision to action- or you haven’t really done anything.
We must care enough about God’s people and God’s work in this world- that we actually do something about it- that we actually ask him about it, that we do something
You’ve probably heard the quote: "The problem is apathy, but who cares"
We must care. What are you doing with your dash?
Do you love God enough to listen to Him? To budget some time and listen to him. Do you care enough to then act on the thoughts, ideas and words that God gives to you in your quiet times
Leave- a legacy for the future work of God’s people
Elders work hard trying to mold the minds and souls of youngsters
On the first day of school, my parents gave me a note to hand to my teacher.
The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents." Parenting has its challenges.
Parenting, Grandparenting, Mentoring- even a high school youth looking out for a jr. Higher or a jr higher looking out for an elementary age youth- these relationships are important and impactful
In verse four it says: "I will give it to your descendants."
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses."
We can leave lasting impressions on people. We must work out our own calling- but we must not ignore preparing future servants of God’s Kingdom
We live fully in the present- by admitting that there is a future in which we will not be present- and if there is a way that I can make the future kingdom of God a bit bigger, - if there is something I can do now- I need to not leave earth without giving it my best shot
Verse Six tell us: No one knows where Moses is buried
At risk of being a tad crass- What matters is what you left behind in life- not where your behind is left
Leaving a legacy- not a monument- but a testimony- no one knows where Moses’ grave is- does that really matter?
It matters not if you are buried in a big tomb- if you did not leave behind a legacy of love- if you don’t act on God’s call in your life
Was Moses’s life a failure because he didn’t make it to the promise land?
No. No life is a failure when we seek to become the servant God is calling us to be
What are you doing with your dash? With the time you have been given?
Are you learning from your past? Confronting your sins and mistakes- and seeking to be a better person.
Are you listening to your Lord? Are you spending time praying, studying, serving and worshiping?
Are you living out your calling? Are you making choices in life to serve rather than just sitting around.
Are you leaving a legacy?
Don’t waste the time you have been given. Every second that passes by- you cannot get it back-
Live for God
Amen
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 12:54 PM
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