When we think of the following commands from the Lord:

We sometimes don’t think about those who are called to the people.  Let’s ponder on Moses for a minute.  He was called to “Go”.  Think of what that calling must have looked like!  I mean, he had to go to the most powerful king on earth and demand that he let his entire labor force go.  This was no job for any ordinary man.  In fact, it was not the job for ANY man.  We discussed that yesterday.  However, Moses was the one who was chosen and he is, ultimately, the one who obeyed and went. 

Let’s think of how this went for Moses.  He obeyed God, went to perform the greatest deliverance ever known in the history of the world.  In fact, this act of deliverance in mentioned in Isaiah 66:8 and refers back to Deuteronomy 32:8 & Psalm 82.  Feel free to read about that – very interesting! (Only reason I bring this up is because this very act of taking the ‘Nation of Israel’ out of the nation of Egypt had huge spiritual realm implications).  But back to Moses.  Can you find anywhere that Moses had an upline, someone he could call on for advice or help?  I can’t really recall that.  Yes, he appointed judges to help with some civil matters but I don’t think he had a direct upline that could point him in the right direction.

Moses, as the leader, had to go to God!

So you may think that I am going in the direction of we should all go to God for help.  Yes.  There is much truth to this and we should.  However, I heard someone say sometime, “Yes God, I know You’re there for me, but I’d like someone with skin on!”  My point is though, that last calling above – make disciples.  If we are making disciples, who’s discipling us?  Hopefully we have a mentor who can disciple us, an upline we can call on for help and/or support.  But what about pastors?  Do pastors have an upline?  Some might, most probably don’t.  We have an awesome pastor at Living Waters but I feel for him sometimes because I don’t think he has anyone to help him except his wife and God.  This is why staying in touch with God is so important to all of us, especially those in leadership positions.  But this also shows why it is so important to have relationships in the physical realm of trusted individuals that we can also call on immediately for guidance and support.  

I’ll make this personal.  Me.  Myself.  When we began to hear the Truth from the Word and decided (root=cide – kill, literally definition ‘to cut off all but the most important – think ‘genocide’, ‘suicide’, ‘fungicide’, etc.) to share this Truth with others (because it seemed to be lacking in every church we went to and with every single person we knew) we literally cut ourselves off from those who were supposed to be support for us.  The churches we attended didn’t want anything to do with us anymore and many of those we previously fellowshipped with didn’t either.  We were “cut off” by our decision to follow our calling!  We were beginning to follow in Moses’ footsteps.  We were beginning to follow in Jesus’ footsteps!  But it can be a lonely and difficult road to travel.  The newly formed ‘nation’ of Israel pretty much hated Moses.  They also hated all the prophets after him.  They also hated Jesus, pretty much immediately.  

Listen, please take a moment and hear what I am saying to you, just like Moses in the Scripture picture above, I also feel inadequate.  Who am I to lead you?  What makes me so special?  I have no special skills.  I am not trained.  I have no mentors or guides.  I have no examples.  I have no-one telling me what to do or how to do it.  Yes, there is guidance from JGLM as far as LifeTeam requirements and there are weekly Zoom meetings, but I’ve never met any of these people personally.  I don’t have easy communication with them.  I have tried for the last 3 years to setup some kind of mentorship program for me and have found no-one that is able to help with what I am being called to do and lead you to do.  I am helpless.  Praise God that He has opened the Scriptures for me and encourages and allows me to see the way of the leaders.  Consider this verse, “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.” (Joshua 1:6).  Now this is a very encouraging chapter with many promises, like the one we saw in yesterday’s post.  Or like this one “I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you” or this one “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  But!  there are many warnings and commands that go along with this verse.  You know them,  Just read Joshua 1 if you need a refresher.  

So, pray for your leaders!  Pray for your pastors!  Pray for your teachers.  Pray for me, too (Ephesians 6:18-19)

LifeTeam, do not be discouraged.  I am not giving up!  In fact, my faith is growing stronger (Romans 4:20).  But I need your prayers.  Angie & I need your prayers.  We also pray for you (Ephesians 1:16).  Let’s pray for each other as well.