e-pistle for March 30, 2007
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E-pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation March 30, 2007
I Want To Be Like A Burning Bush
(Exodus 3)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
"Stop the car!" my wife shouted, and I obediently crammed on the brakes. What
happened? Did we leave the kids at the rest area . . . again? Had I run over her pet polecat?
Questions tumbled around in my mind like sweat sox in a dryer.
"Over there," she said as she unfurled her Kodak. "I want to take a picture of that
beautiful flowering tree." To me, it was just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill purple bush. But
to her, it was a thing of beauty to be immortalized forever in her photo album.
That bush kinda shook my day! (Not to mention the poor guy tailgating me!) But
my shock didn't even compare with the effect that a bush had on Moses one day as he
tended the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. In fact, Moses' bush experience changed his
life and the entire course of history.
WHAT WAS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THAT BUSH?
1. As we read Exodus 3, we note that Moses was shepherding the sheep on the
"back side of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mount of God," (v. 1). At
the close of the passage (v. 12), the prophesy and promise was given that
Moses would return with the freed Israelites to "serve God on this mountain."
This was Sinai, the most important mountain in Hebrew history. The bush
was special because IT WAS PLANTED ON THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD.
2. The bush also was special because THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WAS IN
THE MIDST OF IT (v. 2). This, of course, is a reference to the Pre-incarnate
Christ, the Lord Jesus.
3. The most remarkable thing about the bush was that IT BURNED WITHOUT
BEING BURNED UP, (v. 2). Moses was a 40-year old veteran of the nomadic
life, but he had never seen anything burn without being consumed. Acts 7:31
says that he "marveled" at this most unusual sight.
4. The bush was special because OF THE RESULTS IT PRODUCED. It caused
Moses to stop what he was doing, turn aside, and draw near, (v. 3).
WHERE CAN I FIND HOLY GROUND?
1. Holy ground is that place WHERE I HEAR GOD'S VOICE SPEAKING MY NAME
PERSONALLY. He spoke "MOSES, MOSES." (v. 4) What poignancy! God
didn't repeat the name because Moses hadn't heard it the first time. The emphasis
here is on the personal call . . . unmistakable, because it's spoken twice.
We see this tender pattern often. Note how God dealt with "ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM"
(Genesis 22:11) . . . with "SIMON, SIMON" (Luke 22:31) . . . and with "SAUL, SAUL,"
(Acts 9:4)
2. Holy ground also is that place WHERE I TRANSACT SPIRITUAL BUSINESS WITH
GOD. It's where I respond to His clear speaking of my name and confirm my
commitment to follow His plan and purpose for my life.
3. Holy ground is the place WHERE I DISCOVER GOD'S CHARACTER AND HEART.
Moses learned about God's seeing and hearing His people in bondage, and His
compassion for them. The revelation of God's person and the experiencing of His
presence indeed is "HOLY GROUND."
4. Finally, holy ground is the place WHERE GOD REVEALS HIS PURPOSE AND
PROMISE TO ME. It's the place where He sets me on the road of fulfilling His
destiny for me and through me.
WHY SHOULD I TAKE OFF MY SHOES?
1. Wherever I meet God is "holy ground," and I need to remove my shoes because
THAT PLACE IS A PURE, SINLESS ENVIRONMENT AND THE SOLES OF MY
SHOES ARE DIRTY. Not only is this a sign of reverence, it is a sign acknowledging
that I've walked through some pretty filthy areas on my way into God's presence.
2. John 13 gives me another reason to take off my shoes. It's an act of REPENTANCE,
WHICH IS THE NECESSARY PREREQUISITE TO THE CLEANSING I MAY
RECEIVE FROM THE HANDS OF JESUS AS HE WASHES MY FEET (I John 1:9).
3. Another instructive hint can be found in Ruth 4:6,7. Removing shoes means that I
know I can't be the Redeemer. IT SIGNIFIES THAT I RELINQUISH ALL MY
RIGHTS TO ANOTHER PERSON . . . WHO TAKES MY PLACE IN THAT ROLE.
4. Last, taking off my shoes SIGNIFIES THAT I AM GOING TO BE WALKING
DIFFERENTLY FROM NOW ON. Moses, without sandals in that hard and rocky
terrain, was forced to place his feet more slowly, more carefully. The point is clear:
taking off my shoes means that my walk cannot and will not be the same as before.
By the way, I'm not going to leave "holy ground" wearing my old, worn-out shoes.
I'm getting a brand new pair! (See Luke 15:22 and Ephesians 6:15).
I'D LIKE TO BE A BURNING BUSH BECAUSE . . .
Here are four reasons I want to be like a burning bush. They relate to those four factors
which made that burning bush so special to Moses:
1. I want to be planted and bloom on God's mountain . . . where He chooses.
2. I want to be filled with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. I want to burn brightly, but not to "burn out."
4. I want to cause people to turn aside, to draw near, and to experience God.
"LORD, PLANT ME, FILL ME, ILLUMINATE ME, AND USE ME. AMEN!
Christ Made Us Alive Together With Him
(Colossians 2:13-15)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the text
"You, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has
made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the
handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has
taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and
power, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."
II. Meditation: on Christ's finished work ("having . . . ")
1. HAVING forgiven you all trespasses, v. 13.
2. HAVING wiped out the handwriting of requirements (signed confession
of indebtedness; I.O.U.) that was contrary to us, v. 14.
3. HAVING nailed it to the cross . . . He has taken it out of the way, v. 14.
("IT" means the indictment)
4. HAVING disarmed principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12), He made a
public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it, v. 15.
III. Revelation: on the benefits we receive through the cross of Christ
1. Forgiveness of sin.
2. Cancellation of debt.
3. Death of the old life; birth of a new life.
4. Victorious power to conquer evil spiritual forces.
IV. Applications: Daily I need to go to the cross . . .
1. In repentance and confession, asking God to forgive all my sins.
2. Receiving from God a "clean slate" . . . cleansing (I John 1:9) . . . another
chance . . . a fresh start.
3. Putting to death my old, sinful, carnal nature (Galatians 2:20) . . . allowing
Christ to live in me (Colossians 3:4).
4. Exercising spiritual power over Satanic, demonic forces.
(See Romans 8:37; I Corinthians 15:57; and I John 5:4)
PRAYER: Lord, Today I confess and repent of my sins, asking You for forgiveness and
cleansing. Nail my sinful nature to the cross, empowering me, through
Christ's life, to live victoriously also. AMEN.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
-Henry Ford
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