ENCOUNTERING GOD

"Years passed, and the king of Egypt died."  Exodus 2:23 (NLT)

“Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush.”  Acts 7:30 (NLT)

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian.  He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God.  There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.  “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” Exodus 3:1-3 (NLT)

When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”  “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.  I am the God of your father —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:4-6 (NLT)

“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”  Exodus 3:5 (NLT)

“I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  Exodus 3:6 (NLT)

"When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God."  Exodus 3:6 (NLT)

Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt.  I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers.
Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land.  It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.  Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.  Exodus 3:7-9 (NLT)

“Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10 (NLT)

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11 (NLT)

“I will be with you.” Exodus 3:12 (NLT)

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” Exodus 3:13 (NLT)

God replied to Moses, “I AM who I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”  Exodus 3:14 (NLT)

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”  Psalm 9:10 (ESV)

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM”  John 8:58 (NLT)

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

THE WORK THAT GOD IS DOING IN YOU WILL ALWAYS TAKE LONGER THAN YOU THOUGHT BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE WORTH IT.

 

GOD WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET OUR ATTENTION TO WHO HE IS AND ALL HE HAS FOR US